Most of us are familiar by now with many of the top college draft prospects for this summer’s fast approaching NBA draft, probably because we’ve had at least one season to watch them play here in the states. But as the sport continues to grow in both fan interest and playing level at exponential rates internationally, and as more options are available for players who don’t want to play for a college, the amount of viable international NBA draft prospects seems to grow with each passing year — and this year is no different. The three players listed below are slated to go the highest.
1. Emmanuel Mudiay – PG – China
Originally committed to SMU out of high school, the 2014 No.1 high school point guard recruit and Congo native opted instead to head overseas to China last season, where he averaged 18.0 points and 5.9 assists as a member of the Guangdong Tigers, missing a good portion of the season due to an ankle injury, but returning during the playoffs, where he performed well.
Mudiay’s 6-foot-5, 195 lb. frame gives him excellent size for a point guard, allowing for him to drive in the lane and absorb contact. He remains a facilitator despite his scoring ability, and is very quick off the dribble. His quickness is also an asset when he attacks with his right hand in half court offensive sets. Mudiay often creates separation driving with his right hand, both in isolation and out of the pick-and-roll. He is able to turn the corner and increase his speed instantly at will.
Mudiay has developed the reputation of a team-first player, and possesses many leadership intangibles. He handled the pressure of playing on a perennial playoff contender well, and in an unfamiliar and demanding environment nonetheless. Defensively, he is a near-lockdown defender capable of guarding multiple positions on the floor, but could stand to show a little more fire when fighting through screens.
While Mudiay possess a ton of upside with his athleticism, there are some concerns over his shooting ability and turnovers –his 3.3 turnovers per game, 13-of-38 three-point shooting and 57% foul shooting in China can attest to that. Still, his size and speed, combined with his solid court vision, make him an easy choice for a top five pick this summer, and with the right team and coach behind him, there is no reason to doubt his ability to find his way to All-Star status in the future after some more developing. DraftExpress.com currently has Mudiay as the third overall pick.
2. Kristaps Porzingas – PF/C – Latvia
Porzingis, 19, is a 7-foot-1 power forward who just finished up his second season with Spanish League team Sevilla, where he saw significant playing time in ACB play as well as Euroleague play. While he definitely has the height necessary to play at center, his thin build will have him playing at power forward for the time being — according to some scouts, he actually isn’t even finished growing just yet.
Porzingis signed with Sevilla in 2010 at just 15 years old, but didn’t make his debut until two years later. He initially declared for the NBA draft in 2014, but withdrew his name just before the deadline after concluding that he could raise his draft stock with one more year in Europe.
The decision ended up proving to be the right one.
Although Porzingis had a solid 2014-15 season in ACB play, he excelled even more during Euroleague play, averaging 11.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, 1.2 blocks, 55 percent field goal shooting, and an astounding 45 percent mark from three-point range, earning him the 2015 Eurocup Rising Star award.
Porzingis is actually one of the most unique players in this draft class, possessing an impressive combination of height, length, fluidity and skills. He’s very mobile for his size, capable of playing above the rim with ease and able to cover ground quickly moving from the perimeter to the paint.
The most appealing aspect of Porzingis’ game is no doubt his shooting ability for a seven-footer. It’s almost impossible to contest his shot with his high release point, and he hit 43% of his catch-and-shoot shots from the field this season, including 38% of his 3-pointers. If the defense closes out aggressively when Porzingis is on the perimeter, he is easily able to take advantage of his guard-like footwork, putting the ball on the floor en route to the basket, where he has little trouble finishing.
Defensively, Porzingis is far from a liability, as evidenced by his 2.4 blocks and 1.8 steals per 40 minutes played. His unique combination of size and mobility gives him a leg up on defending the pick and roll, allowing him to wander out past the three-point line and still recover in time to make a play in the interior. He’s also quick enough to guard smaller players if need be as well.
Porzingis’ tall size for his position is definitely a plus, but he currently has very few ways of utilizing his height to his advantage besides his wide range of shooting. He possess no post-up game whatsoever at this current time, generally avoiding interior play altogether, and will find the post even tougher in NBA play. Still, his combination of skills and huge amount of upside in terms of both playing ability and physical growth makes him a very attractive target for any team looking to build for the future, and perhaps find the next Dirk Nowitzki…just a bit taller. Most draft boards have Porzingis going anywhere from No.5 to No. 14 overall.
3. Mario Hezonja – SG/SF – Croatia
At 20 years old, Hezonja hasn’t exactly played a lot of minutes in his short pro career, but the potential is clearly seen when watching him play. His 6-fo0t-7, 218 lb. size combined with his athletic versatility allows him to play at both the shooting guard and small forward positions.
He began his playing career playing for a Croatian club, where he was eventually bought out and joined Barcelona of the Spanish ACB league, not seeing any court time until the 2012-13 season when he was 18 years old. Hezonja had a decent 2014-15 season playing for Barcelona, averaging 7.7 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in 16.5 game minutes. Although his minutes were limited, Hezonja made the most of his time when on the floor for the most part, and even went 8-for-8 from three-point range during an early February game, finishing with 29 points, and and was named Spanish League MVP for the week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-d4vqiqSMOY
Hezonja can space the floor rather well with his rapidly improving shooting ability, and is dangerous at driving and finishing at the rim, especially when defenders close him out on the perimeter. His ball handling could stand to improve, and he won’t have as easy of a time driving against NBA players, but as a young player who has already proven he can explode for points in tough Euroleague play, his upside is huge. An unrefined version of the San Antonio Spurs’ Manu Ginobili is a fairly good comparison right now for Hezonja, and most draft boards have him going anywhere from No. 7 to No. 15 in the upcoming draft.
