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With the NBA draft approaching, FantasyPros will be rolling out draft profiles for some of the big name prospects available. We will be breaking down their talents while examining the likely landing spots and expectations for their future in the NBA and fantasy. Without further ado, here is our look at point guard Emmanuel Mudiay.
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Originally from the Congo, Mudiay moved with his family to the Dallas, TX area when he was five years old. After picking up basketball in middle school, he quickly blossomed and became a McDonald’s and Parade All-American his senior year of high school. Mudiay was rated as the No. 2 recruit in his class by Rivals.com. He committed to play for Larry Brown at Southern Methodist University. However, Mudiay decided to skip college and play professional basketball for the Guangdong Southern Tigers of the Chinese Basketball Association due to eligibility concerns.
Mudiay ended up only playing 12 games for Guangdong because of an ankle injury. Even with the small sample size, Mudiay put up impressive numbers in China. He averaged 18.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists and 1.6 steals per game.
At 6’5″ and 200 pounds, Mudiay has the size to play or defend either guard position. Playing in China against former NBA players, he displayed the elite athleticism to compete against bigger and stronger players. The work ethic required to play professional ball in China also seems to have mentally prepared Mudiay for the rigors of everyday life in the NBA.
Mudiay possesses all the tools needed for an NBA-level point guard. He has superb ball handling skills, great court vision and finishes strong at the rim. His larger frame and athleticism also gives him the potential of developing into a top-flight defender. The rebounding ability Mudiay shows for a player at his position is a plus too.
The biggest knock on the 19-year-old is his shooting. In China, he made only 34 percent of his three-pointers and, more troublingly, only 57 percent of his free-throws. With the evolution of the NBA game, it is a necessity for point guards to be successful shooters. Some scouts have suggested that Mudiay’s shot is a problem with his mechanics and can be fixed if paired with the right coach.
With Philadephia needing backcourt help, Mudiay could be taken as early as No. 3 overall. If the 76ers decide to go in another direction, the next probable landing spot would be with the Sacramento Kings at No. 6. While it would be surprising for someone as talented as Mudiay to fall out of the top-10, it remains a possibility as teams did not have much access to see Mudiay play in China. Even with some of the best skills in the draft, his weaknesses are so pronounced that a few teams may be scared off as well.
Mudiay’s fantasy prospects are closely tied to how quickly, if at all, he can improve his shooting touch. Given a starting job, it would be reasonable to expect 13.0 points, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists for Mudiay. But with projections of sub-40 percent field goal and sub-60 percent free-throw shooting percentages with 3.5 turnovers per game, the point guard’s fantasy stock takes a hit. Despite the risk, Mudiay and his high-upside is worth one of your final bench spots and could pay off big dividends at the end of the fantasy season.
Dale Redman is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Dale, check out his archive and follow him @fantasytool.