Heading into the 2015 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers had a number of intriguing possibilities with the second overall selection.
Though the Lakers ultimately chose D’Angelo Russell, there was another very talented point guard prospect available in Emmanuel Mudiay.
The Lakers are set to square off with Mudiay and the Denver Nuggets on Tuesday, but before they meet, Byron Scott revealed that he didn’t believe Mudiay was a true point guard after working him out according to Bill Oram of the Orange County Register:
Scott said when Lakers worked out Mudiay he “didn’t think he was a true point guard” & “didn’t think he was a guy who made great decisions.”
— Bill Oram (@billoram) November 2, 2015
Though Scott may not see Mudiay as a true point guard, he has definitely proven himself to be a very talented player. In three games, he has averaged 12.7 points and 5.3 assists. Mudiay has, however, given credence to Scott’s thoughts about his decision making as he is averaging 6.3 turnovers as well.
Mudiay and Russell will surely be compared throughout their careers, but it is obviously too early to judge either of them. Mudiay’s numbers so far are slightly better, but he is also in a much different situation. In Denver, Mudiay is the primary ballhandler and playmaker while Russell shares those duties with Kobe Bryant, Jordan Clarkson, and even Lou Williams.
There will be a number of eyes on the first matchup between these two great young players. Lakers fans will definitely be looking for Russell to show exactly why the team chose him over Mudiay.