2015 NBA Draft: New York Knicks’ Top 5 Targets
5. Emmanuel Mudiay, Guangdong Southern Tigers (CBA)
NBA Comparison: John Wall, Washington Wizards
Position: Point Guard
Age: 18
Height, Weight, Wingspan: 6’5″, 200 pounds, 6’9″
2014-15 Slash Line: .497/.300/.581
2014-15 Season Averages: 30.0 MPG, 17.7 PPG, 6.0 RPG, 5.9 APG, 1.6 SPG, 0.9 3PM
The internet’s favorite player in the 2015 NBA Draft is 6’5″ point guard Emmanuel Mudiay. He’s an outstanding athlete with a 6’9″ wingspan and the competitive spirit to put his size advantage to use.
The reason to be concerned: Mudiay played a grand total of 10 games in the Chinese Basketball Association before going down with a season-ending ankle injury.
.@_RJAY91: On Emmanuel mudiay... is he still regarded as a top prospect even with his injury ---> Yes. Was a bad ankle sprain
— Steve Kyler (@stevekylerNBA) January 7, 2015
Mudiay will go early in the draft, but there’s nothing worse when evaluating a prospect than a small sample size.
Mudiay has the physical tools to be a Top 5 draft pick, but so did the Harrison Twins with the Kentucky Wildcats. The time for evaluation is limited by injury, but the same could be said for Kyrie Irving with the Duke Blue Devils.
In other words, this is a case of blind educated guesses leading to a franchise-altering gamble. He could be John Wall of the Washington Wizards, or he could be a player who doesn’t work out.
When a prospect has as much upside as Mudiay, the reality is this: you’re damned if you do, damned if you don’t. If the Top 4 prospects are off the board, the New York Knicks will have a tough time passing over him.
Chances are, they wouldn’t.
Next: Top International Prospect