The 2018 NBA Manifesto
Mangok Mathiang
C - 6’10, 230lbs - 25 years old - 1 year of experience
To have been under contract all season yet play only 20 minutes is quite something. Mathiang was healthy all season, and it is not as if the Hornets were going anywhere. There is however a pretty good chance that those are the only 20 minutes of NBA game time that Mathiang will get in his entire career.
That is not to say that he cannot play. Mathiang is a pretty solid shot blocker on the interior, at least when he keeps his feet moving, and although he is not likely to score much if given the ball in the post in isolation and asked to fashion something out of it, his offensive rebounding activity around the glass, put-backs and finishes when set up are all of some value. Moreover, he is a genuinely excellent rebounder, the most readily transferrable skill of them all, averaging 9.2 per game on the G-League season for the Greensboro Swarm in only 25.3 minutes of 43 games.
However, from a prospect standpoint, Mathiang is behind the curve. He is already 25, turning 26 by the start of next season, and does not have the skill level of an NBA calibre player at that age. If he was NBA huge, that would help, but 6’10 and 230 is on the smaller side for a centre, and he hasn’t the stretch abilities one would require if underskilled or undersized. Being both of those things could be a problem, and it is hard to make it on rebound rate alone.
Player Plan: Has a two-way contract for next season yet there are surely going to be undrafted players this year who will have youth and upside going for them more than Mangok does.
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C - 6’10, 230lbs - 25 years old - 1 year of experience
To have been under contract all season yet play only 20 minutes is quite something. Mathiang was healthy all season, and it is not as if the Hornets were going anywhere. There is however a pretty good chance that those are the only 20 minutes of NBA game time that Mathiang will get in his entire career.
That is not to say that he cannot play. Mathiang is a pretty solid shot blocker on the interior, at least when he keeps his feet moving, and although he is not likely to score much if given the ball in the post in isolation and asked to fashion something out of it, his offensive rebounding activity around the glass, put-backs and finishes when set up are all of some value. Moreover, he is a genuinely excellent rebounder, the most readily transferrable skill of them all, averaging 9.2 per game on the G-League season for the Greensboro Swarm in only 25.3 minutes of 43 games.
However, from a prospect standpoint, Mathiang is behind the curve. He is already 25, turning 26 by the start of next season, and does not have the skill level of an NBA calibre player at that age. If he was NBA huge, that would help, but 6’10 and 230 is on the smaller side for a centre, and he hasn’t the stretch abilities one would require if underskilled or undersized. Being both of those things could be a problem, and it is hard to make it on rebound rate alone.
Player Plan: Has a two-way contract for next season yet there are surely going to be undrafted players this year who will have youth and upside going for them more than Mangok does.