When Emmanuel Mudiay up and left to play pro ball in China this season, there was all sorts of speculation as to why he didn't play for coach Larry Brown at SMU. It doesn't matter now, as Mudiay's season in the Chinese Basketball Association is over and he's on his way back to the U.S. to get ready for the NBA draft.
Mudiay, who turns 19 on March 5, posted impressive numbers in China -- averaging 18.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists while shooting 48 percent from the field in 12 CBA games -- but his playing time was restricted by an ankle injury and midseason benching (former NBA player Will Bynum took over lead duties of his team, the Guangdong Southern Tigers, in mid-December, though Mudiay did play well in a couple of recent playoff appearances).
As a result of his shortened season, few scouts were able to get an in-depth read on his game and development. However, we spoke to several players in December who saw Mudiay up close in China, including teammates and opponents, to get their take on his skill set, strengths and weaknesses. (Note this was earlier in the season, prior to Mudiay's injury.)
No one spent more time with Mudiay this season than former Texas A&M-Corpus Christi big man Chris Daniels. The 30-year-old has spent much of his time bouncing around overseas and said he considers Mudiay a little brother, someone he helped adjust to professional basketball.
"He's a good kid with a very high ceiling," Daniels said earlier this season about the point guard prospect. "I can't wait to see who picks him. He's so coachable and is a hell of a kid. He doesn't have one bit of ego, and loves the game. He's got a high IQ."
Daniels said the most shocking aspect of Mudiay is his patience.
"I'd never heard of him before," Daniels said. "I looked at a couple clips and the adjustment he has made has been unbelievable coming from high school. He has the size and ability to go by his man at any time, but he's let the offense come to him. He's setting up everyone else. He's on a veteran team, and he's making sure everyone else is happy."
The major question mark with Mudiay's game revolves around his ability to make shots consistently from the perimeter -- and also run a team. Daniels, when we spoke with him earlier this season, wasn't concerned about Mudiay's ability to knock down shots from deep.
"It's gotten better because he works at it," Daniels said. "He takes 200 shots after every practice and his shot is coming along. It's much further along than when he first got here a couple months ago. It takes time for most guys to develop that part of their game. There just aren't many Ray Allens and J.J. Redicks. It's going to come because his work ethic is crazy. He's relentless."
There just aren't many guys like Mudiay -- even in the NBA. He's a 6-foot-5, strong, athletic point guard. That's why so many NBA guys are gushing about his long-term prospects.
Daniels came up with one comparison: Penny Hardaway.
"He's not as long and tall, but he's still long and is a streaky shooter like Penny was," Daniels said. "He can get to the basket, he'll get you dimes and he's a high-volume scorer -- and also a high-volume assist guy."
But the most important question for Daniels. Would he take Mudiay with the No. 1 overall pick?
"Yeah. I've got to go with my guy," Daniels said in December. "But I'm biased. He's so likable. If I had to pick a point guard, I'd definitely pick this guy 10 times out of 10 -- because of his talent, his work ethic and his ceiling."
Another former NBA player, 34-year-old Al Harrington, who spent more than 15 years in the NBA before heading to China this season, pointed to a variety of Mudiay's skills that will transfer well to the NBA.
"I like his size, explosiveness and the form on his jumper," Harrington said. "He's a really good passer. In China, the team he is on has really good domestic players. So that stops him from having to do too much. But he seems to be able to run a team at his age and he plays really hard -- which is good. I like him. He's definitely a pro."
Former NBA player Jeff Adrien actually saw a different comparison: Kyrie Irving.
"He has a good feel for the game," Adrien said. "He got anywhere on the floor. He plays hard and has a good touch. He seems like a pretty good shooter and handles the rock well."
Harrington also weighed in on what Mudiay needs to improve.
"He still needs to work on his entire game. He could do everything better at this point. His jumper, handles tighter, finishing at the rim. But a lot of his drives would be fouls in the league. In China they want to see blood to blow the whistle for import players. And his strength -- which he'll get. I like him."
Willie Warren, who played two seasons at the University of Oklahoma before being a second-round pick of the Los Angeles Clippers in 2010, pointed out something Mudiay is currently lacking.
"He has a lot of talent and upside, but I haven't yet seen the dog in him -- which is what I think will take him to the next level," Warren said. "I think he will be great, but he just needs to develop that killer instinct like [Russell] Westbrook and then the sky will be the limit."
Warren offered his take on Mudiay's draft stock: "I would definitely take him top five in the draft coming up based on his skill."
Several players cited Mudiay's athleticism and jumper as strong points.
"He's very athletic, and can shoot the ball as well," said Josh Harrellson, who played at Kentucky and three seasons in the NBA. "He's young and raw, but he will be very good with work. He can attack the basket with both hands, is better going right and can create his own shot and has a nice one- or two-dribble pull-up."
Harrellson saw a very high ceiling for Mudiay: "I think eventually he can be a star. The numbers aren't accurate over here, though. He was guarded by Chinese players the entire game and usually all the foreigners are. He's a lot more athletic than the guys he plays against. It's like LeBron versus Steve Nash. Ha ha."