New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek earned the reputation of a point guard whisperer in Phoenix. He’s proving it again with Emmanuel Mudiay.
Before Jeff Hornacek was named head coach of the New York Knicks, he became one of the most respected minds in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns. Running a beautiful motion offense with an unorthodox backcourt, Hornacek was the runner up for Coach of the Year in 2013-14.
The foundation for Hornacek’s success was his uncanny ability to utilize his point guards in a multitude of roles on offense.
In 2013-14, Hornacek helped Goran Dragic make an unexpected leap to All-NBA status. Between the 2013-14 and 2015-16 campaigns, he also facilitated the growth of Eric Bledsoe into one of the more well-rounded point guards in the NBA.
According to Ian Begley of ESPN New York, head coach Jeff Hornacek has turned his attention to helping Emmanuel Mudiay work his way into the best shape possible.
Knicks PG Emmanuel Mudiay has been running sprints after practice to improve his conditioning. Jeff Hornacek says “I think he’s got another gear he can go to. We’ve seen bits and pieces of it.... He’s trying to get into that top type conditioning he can do that all the time.”
— Ian Begley (@IanBegley) February 28, 2018
Whether or not you’re a fan of what Hornacek did before the 2018 NBA trade deadline, the way he’s handling Mudiay’s development is quite compelling.
During Hornacek’s two seasons in New York, he hasn’t exactly been blessed with the presence of a Bledsoe, Dragic, or Isaiah Thomas at point guard. Derrick Rose wasn’t much of a facilitator, Jarrett Jack is a pure passer, and Frank Ntilikina is a rookie who’s still finding his way and true position.
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Mudiay represents an opportunity to groom and develop a promising young talent who has flashed the potential to run point at a high level.
With Hornacek helping Ntilikina make the transition to shooting guard, it comes as no surprise that the head coach has taken a strong interest in Mudiay’s development at point guard.
In addition to pushing Mudiay to improve his conditioning, Hornacek has been working with the former top-10 draft pick to help stabilize his shooting form. In the first game since that reported session, Mudiay buried three three-point field goals on five attempts against the Golden State Warriors.
During the previous five games, Mudiay went a combined 0-of-13 from beyond the arc. The fact that he experienced such an immediate turnaround could be perceived as an early testament to Hornacek’s ability to develop point guards.
If Knicks fans remain skeptical, both Bledsoe and Dragic can attest to Hornacek’s prowess in that regard.
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The question is: Will New York Knicks head coach Jeff Hornacek help Emmanuel Mudiay realize his star potential in the way he did Eric Bledsoe and Goran Dragic?
The early signs have certainly been promising.