Official Thread: Rudy Mbemba

[admin]

Rudy Mbemba, PG
19 years old 5'11" 176 lbs.
Deutsche Bank Skyliners, International

Check out the complete profile at: Full Profile (http://www.draftexpress.com/viewprofile.php?p=1296)

[coachjon]

Mbemba could evententually in the next two years before he becomes an automatically eligible guy work himself into a late lottery type prospect. He could become a top bench player (6th, 7th, 8th man on a team).

He is athletic, has a good wingspan, slasher, excels in uptempo game, good defender (foul prone), quick, good ballhandler, small for NBA, needs to add range on his jumpshot.

Likely role in NBA is as a quick athletic defensive minded PG that can push the tempo of the game.
Career 8pts 4ast 1stl Prime 12pts 6ast 1stl Rookie 4pts 2ast

[Cineast]

I haven't seen Mbemba play in about 2 years, but I remember him as the athletic freak he's been described as during the coverage from the RBK Eurocamp.

Back then, the big question was if he ever could be the distributor/floorleader/decision maker you need to be to be a NBA PG. I guess that still is the question when it comes to his chances of making it to the big league.

[xtf]

I follow Mbemba for several years now and I can see improvement in his shot selection and decision making. Don't forget that he is only 19 years old and has been on the radar now for 2-3 seasons. And you can see progress.

But this progression needs to continue if he wants to become a good player and not only an athlete that plays basketball.

[afrhoop]

His progress was apparently not enough to keep him on the roster for the new year. He is risking a big setback by opting not to play for his German team's farm team. The new head coach of the team doesn't like his attitude and sent him to a third division team. If he would be such a talent, why isn't there any interest shown by other teams to sign him ?
He is a good slasher, but is not a passer at all, he lacks court view and keeps the ball too long.

[Genjuro]

His progress was apparently not enough to keep him on the roster for the new year. He is risking a big setback by opting not to play for his German team's farm team. The new head coach of the team doesn't like his attitude and sent him to a third division team. If he would be such a talent, why isn't there any interest shown by other teams to sign him ?
He is a good slasher, but is not a passer at all, he lacks court view and keeps the ball too long.
I don't think this comes as a surprise. He's still not a steady point guard, not that greatly smart, and still very immature. We're talking about a very tough position to fill here, and those characteristics are particularly emphasized in Europe.

[coachjon]

yea he defiently has taken a hit recently. he will likley still get drafted in the early second round in 2009 when he is automatically eligible.

[afrhoop]

I even doubt that he gets picked in 2009 unless he learns how to shoot from beyond the three-point-line.
He refuses to work out with the farm-team chosen by his club and now has to pay penalties and no teams are interested to buy him out of his contract which runs another two years.
Besides that, he has a bad attitude, at least that's what people tell that talked to him. But on the other side, the club knew that with the new coach things will be different and that Rudy wont be playing the same role he played with oach Barton before, so keeping him with the farm-team does not rise his chances in any draft.

[afrhoop]

The news are , that Rudy is cleared to play for any team until the 2009-2010 season then his contract is up again with the Skyliners.I never heard of something like this before, so now he can move elsewhere to play for some time.

[Magee]

He's currently playing for the Solna Vikings in Sweden. Averaging aroudn 33 minutes in 20 games. 17.3 points, 4.8 boards, 4.8 dimes, 3 turnovers, 2.3 steals, 38.6% from the floor, 69.2 from the line.

Can't say how he's improved. Don't have the necessary sources to get access to video tapes of him this season. Still young. Another showing at the Eurocamp should decide his fate. Most likely will have to wait until he's 22 to enter, then be picked near the bottom of the first round due to being a victim of circumstance.

[coachjon]

i dont know if he will get picked near the bottom of the first round i think he is more likley to go in the mid second to undrafted range.

[wombat6802]

He's currently playing for the Solna Vikings in Sweden. Averaging aroudn 33 minutes in 20 games. 17.3 points, 4.8 boards, 4.8 dimes, 3 turnovers, 2.3 steals, 38.6% from the floor, 69.2 from the line.

Can't say how he's improved. Don't have the necessary sources to get access to video tapes of him this season. Still young. Another showing at the Eurocamp should decide his fate. Most likely will have to wait until he's 22 to enter, then be picked near the bottom of the first round due to being a victim of circumstance.

He's shooting 38.6% from the floor, under 70% from the line, and has an assist/turnover of 1.7. All of this considering the fact that he's under 6 feet tall and that hurts most guys in the NBA not named Chris Paul or Raymond Felton. I'm not sure if I buy that he's a first rounder in any year, but he could definitely be a second rounder at some point in the future... I'm not sure he's a victim of circumstance, unless victim of circumstance is that he's not taller...

[Magee]

He was a victim of circumstance because he couldn't get along with the Skyliners coach for whatever reason. Going from the top German League to the top Swedish league due to a coaching decision is my definition of being a victim of circumstance. Maybe he was a punk who thought too higly of himself and the coach was trying to keep him in check by saying that he wasn't worth playing even though people over in our parts felt he was worthy of being drafted.

I just hope he gets a fair chance. If he has to go to the Reebok Eurocamp for two more years, than there's no way he should be drafted. He should've proven enough to warrant being drafted by now.

[Magee]

Mbemba's Solna Vikings just won the Swedish League championship, sweeping their foes 3-0. Mbemba was in double figures in each game. There weren't any boxscores except for one of the semi-finals. He had 10 points, 6 boards, 7 assists, 1 steal, 1 block and 4 turnovers in that semi-final game. Info is available on Eurobasket.com.

[Magee]

He just had his first workout for a team, with the Trail Blazers. He was matched up against Rodrigo Beaubois from Cholet* and Mike Green from Butler. Should be interesting to hear any conjecture about the two international PGs, especially since both of them will be at the Eurocamp.

[nextstar1019]

anyone know how his workout went?

[Magee]

Go to the Portland Trail Blazers' official website. They have quotes from the workout from Nate McMillan, as well as short videos from Mbemba, Beaubois and Mike Green working out.

[Mike005]

A Swedish website (http://www.aftonbladet.se/sportbladet/basket/article4961053.ab) recently interviewed Rudy on the upcoming draft. It says the four teams that have showed the most interest in him are the Timberwolves, Hawks, Pacers, and Bobcats. Minnesota went to see him play twice, and said he thinks either Minnesota or Charlotte would be the most likely teams to take him.

[coachjon]

minnesota is probably looking at him with the 45 or 47 picks, atlanta at 49, indiana at 52, and charlotte at 40 or 54. funny minnesota and charlotte both have 2 2nd rounders in his range