This article on Mudiay was written last April. Interesting that this said that Mudiay should be considered as the top pick in this draft especially if the Knicks or Sixers won the lottery. Well he is definitely in play for us at #4, which would cost $1.5-2.0mil/year less than the top pick.
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2417729-why-emmanuel-mudiay-is-a-legitimate-threat-for-no-1-pick-in-the-2015-nba-draftMike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
.....sleeping on 6'5" point guard Emmanuel Mudiay is a bad idea.
He's as electrifying a player as you'll find in this draft. It's difficult to translate his exploits for the Guangdong Southern Tigers to the NBA, but he's flashed some fascinating potential.
His ceiling could ultimately be higher than anyone else's in this draft.
Elite Playmaking
It all starts with his playmaking prowess off the bounce. Mudiay has a devastating ability to break down opponents with his shiftiness and agility, and he accelerates past them like few guards can. His ball-handling repertoire has all the makings of a top-tier floor general.
I wouldn't label his physical tools in the Russell Westbrook/John Wall category—that's just not fair—but he's in the vicinity. Mudiay can blow by the first line of defense and elevate above the helpers with his springboard leaping and 6'8 ½" wingspan.
Aside from his eye-popping knack for getting to the bucket, he's a promising floor general.
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His penchant for manipulating foes off screens was particularly striking.
Again, the stats and results in China shouldn't be gawked at; rather, it's Mudiay's potential that's most impressive.
Mike Schmitz of Draft Express noted that the youngster "can make every pass out of the pick-and-roll" and that he "has elite feel for his age. [Mudiay] hits the big with pocket passes/lobs, uses hook passes, probes and finds the open man."
He's even more treacherous in transition and unsettled situations, where he pushes the ball aggressively. If he doesn't get all the way to the rim, he usually draws multiple defenders and finds an open teammate for a drop-off or lob.
It's rare to find a 19-year-old with his blend of physical attributes and facilitating skills. That special mix is what makes him a threat to drop 20-plus points and 10 assists on any given night.
Scoring Prowess
Mudiay has a good chance to become a versatile bucket-getter in the Association. In addition to his acrobatic plays around the hoop, he's adept at creating and making his own shots off the bounce or within the flow of the offense.
Outside shooting is his weakest offensive skill right now, but there's reason for optimism. He converted just 34 percent of his triples and 57 percent of his free throws in China, but he sprinkled in some nice mid-range pull-ups, and his long-range accuracy improved during his last couple of games.
After returning from his ankle injury, Mudiay went 4-of-8 from distance in his final two games. His shooting form is a little slow and loose, but it's certainly not broken. It's a fairly fluid delivery; he just needs to streamline his footwork and make the motion more uniform.
ESPN.com's Fran Fraschilla noted another factor that makes Mudiay multidimensional: "Because of his size, Mudiay loves to post up smaller guards. This will be an added bonus for a creative NBA coach."
Defensive Potential
On the defensive side, Mudiay didn't stand out as a prolific performer in China, but he showed some encouraging traits.
His size and lateral quickness helped him wall off opposing playmakers when he was dialed in, and he showed stretches of disruptive play. He had six multisteal games and registered two steals per 40 minutes.
He's displayed some lapses in discipline and fundamentals, but there's nothing to suggest that he won't be an above-average stopper once he sharpens his craft. Mudiay will be able to corral most point guards in the NBA, and his length will allow his coach to put him on shooting guards, too.
Draft Outlook
How does all of this stack up against the other contenders for No. 1 overall? What's the case for Mudiay over these studs?
Obviously, he's a different type of player than Okafor and Towns—they're both post men who can anchor the frontcourt and control the paint. If you're looking for overall playmaking potential and game-changing athleticism on both ends of the floor, however, Mudiay might be your guy.
If a team like the New York Knicks or Philadelphia 76ers wins the lottery, it will strongly consider him because he can ignite the team's offense and dynamically transform the backcourt.
As for the decision between Mudiay and Russell, it could come down to Mudiay's shooting. If he can show noticeable improvement and signs of continual development, he should emerge ahead of Russell in the predraft assessments.
He's a superior athlete to Russell, and B/R's Jonathan Wasserman indicated that if Mudiay could shoot like Russell, "this wouldn't even be a debate."
"If you were building a point guard in a lab, you'd want him to look like Mudiay," Wasserman added.
As great as the point guard crop is in the NBA, elite ones don't grow on trees. That's what Mudiay can become: an uncontainable weapon who brings incalculable value to the squad every night.
When a playmaking gem like that comes along, you have to take a hard look and consider him.
Just so happens that Mudiay's strengths are perceived to not be relevant to the triangle offense especially in comparison to those of Towns, Okafor and Russell. His ability to post up smaller guards is intriguing though. Imagine him backing down someone like Steph Curry. Also a big plus that we will have someone to pass the ball to and make plays when the triangle breaks down. A lot better than simply throwing the ball to Melo and relying on him to bail us out on isolation plays.
