Emmanuel Mudiay

Emmanuel Mudiay is a point guard for the Utah Jazz. Mudiay spent the first three seasons of his NBA career with the Denver Nuggets after being the seventh overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft. He was an NBA All-Rookie Second Team selection in 2016 after averaging 12.8 points and 5.5 assists per game. Mudiay went on to spend two years with the New York Knicks before joining the Jazz. He originally took a unique path to the NBA.  Instead of going to college out of high school, Mudiay elected to turn pro in China.  He spent a year with the Guangdong Southern Tigers in the Chinese Basketball Association before declaring for the 2015 NBA Draft.  Mudiay signed one-year, $1.2 million contract with the club but unfortunately was limited by injuries.  However, in the 12 games he did play he averaged 18.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.0 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.  Mudiay originally signed with SMU to play for legendary head coach Larry Brown, but decided to head overseas.  In 2014, he was a McDonald’s and Parade All-American while at Prime Prep Academy in Dallas.  Rivals.com ranked him as the second-best prospect in the Class of 2014 next to Jahlil Okafor.  To add to his one-of-a-kind journey, Mudiay’s family escaped constant instability in Congo by seeking asylum in the U.S. when he was a child.