What a difference a month makes.
This time last month many New York Knicks fans were salivating at the opportunity to draft Emmanuel Mudiay—the physically impressive point guard who spent last year playing in China—with the No. 4 overall pick. Since the team was seemingly out of the race for more heralded players like Karl-Anthony Towns, Jahlil Okafor, and D'Angelo Russell, Mudiay appeared to be the logical high-upside pick to most Knicks supporters. Instead, the team drafted Kristaps Porzingis (who was booed mercilessly) and Mudiay eventually fell to the Denver Nuggets.
One month later and it looks like things may have worked out well for both sides.
Mudiay, who looked fantastic in this year's Las Vegas Summer League, reportedly told some of his confidants after the draft that he was happy the Knicks didn't select him. According to Marc Berman of the New York Post:
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Porzingis has since won over many in New York with his solid play this summer as well, but he's not getting nearly the same reaction as Mudiay. Both are impressive, but it looks like only one of them really wanted to play 41 games at The Garden.
It has been said that more than a few NBA teams run some plays from Phil Jackson's triangle offense, but reports like these are sure to make Knickerbocker fans—regardless of how much love they have for their new 7-foot jump-shooting power forward—question the direction of the team on that side of the floor.
[via New York Post]
