NBA Draft Scouting Report: Emmanuel Mudiay

After leading off our series of 2015 NBA Draft scouting reports with Ohio State’s D’Angelo Russell, it’s only natural that our second entry details the class’s other top point guard prospect: Emmanuel Mudiay. Once seen as a prospect on-par with the likes of Karl-Anthony Towns and Jahlil Okafor in terms of notoriety and potential impact, a season playing professionally in China instead has made Mudiay somewhat of a ‘mystery man’ in the class of 2015.

While Mudiay is not the first draft prospect to forego a season of college basketball to play overseas (Brandon Jennings played a year in Italy prior to the 2009 Draft), he might be the most prolific player to do so. Though playing in China did not necessarily diminish Mudiay’s reputation among NBA circles, he did not receive the exposure that Okafor, Russell, and Towns did as they dominated the college game last season. One would have to figure there may not be another prospect that can benefit more from the pre-draft workouts / interview process.

Trying to project a player with such limited resources, though easier than it was prior to the social media age, is no simple task. That said, Mudiay’s name has been on the radar for some time now and there seems to have been sufficient enough coverage of the young man to solidify him as a top prospect. Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie was reportedly the only executive of his stature to make the trip to China to watch Mudiay play. Could he be a fit for Philadelphia with the 3rd pick?

***NOTE: I am not a scout nor do I have any scouting experience. Just an avid fan providing analysis based on what I’ve seen, read, and heard***