Emmanuel Mudiay facts for kids
Mudiay with the New York Knicks in 2018
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| No. 44 – Piratas de Quebradillas | |
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| Point guard | |
| Personal information | |
| Born | March 5, 1996 Kinshasa, Zaire (now DR Congo) |
| Nationality | Congolese / American |
| High school |
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| Listed height | 6 ft 5 in (1.96 m) |
| Listed weight | 200 lb (91 kg) |
| Career information | |
| NBA Draft | 2015 / Round: 1 / Pick: 7th overall |
| Selected by the Denver Nuggets | |
| Pro career | 2014–present |
| League | BSN |
| Career history | |
| 2014–2015 | Guangdong Southern Tigers |
| 2015–2018 | Denver Nuggets |
| 2018–2019 | New York Knicks |
| 2019–2020 | Utah Jazz |
| 2021 | Žalgiris Kaunas |
| 2021–2022 | Sacramento Kings |
| 2022–2023 | Iowa Wolves |
| 2023 | Cangrejeros de Santurce |
| 2024–present | Piratas de Quebradillas |
| Career highlights and awards | |
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Emmanuel Kabeya Mudiay (born March 5, 1996) is a professional basketball player. He is from both Congo and the United States. He currently plays for the Piratas de Quebradillas team in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional (BSN) league.
Emmanuel played high school basketball in Texas. He became very well known there. He first planned to play college basketball for the SMU Mustangs men's basketball team. But he later decided to play professionally in China instead. After playing in China, he was chosen by the Denver Nuggets in the 2015 NBA draft. He was the seventh player picked overall.
Contents
Early Life and Moving to the U.S.
Emmanuel Mudiay was born on March 5, 1996, in Kinshasa, which was then called Zaire. This country is now known as the Democratic Republic of the Congo. His father passed away when Emmanuel was very young. His family faced many challenges because of the Second Congo War. Life was difficult, and his mother worked hard to grow food for them.
In 2001, Emmanuel, his mother, and his brothers moved to the United States. They were looking for a safer place to live. When they first arrived, Emmanuel mostly spoke French. But his older brother said they quickly felt like Americans.
High School Basketball Career
Emmanuel started his high school basketball journey at Grace Preparatory Academy in Arlington, Texas. During his first year, he played alongside Isaiah Austin, who also became a talented basketball player. Emmanuel helped his team win the 2011 TAPPS Class 4A Final. He scored 16 points in that game, leading his team to a 42–37 victory.
Later, Emmanuel moved to Prime Prep Academy in Dallas, Texas. He played his final high school seasons there. He became one of the top basketball recruits in his age group. Many people thought he might even be the very first player chosen in the 2015 NBA draft.
On August 24, 2013, Emmanuel decided to play for the SMU Mustangs men's basketball team in college. He was excited to be coached by Larry Brown, who had won an NBA title before. He chose SMU over other big basketball schools like Arizona and Kentucky.
However, in the summer of 2014, Emmanuel changed his mind. He decided to skip college and play basketball overseas. He chose to play in China for the Chinese Basketball Association. This was a big decision, similar to what another player, Brandon Jennings, had done before him.
Playing Professional Basketball
Playing in China
On July 22, 2014, Emmanuel Mudiay signed a one-year contract with the Guangdong Southern Tigers. This team is part of the Chinese Basketball Association. He earned $1.2 million for the season.
During his time in China, Emmanuel faced some injuries. He only played in 10 regular season games. He returned to play in two playoff games in March 2015. In total, he played 12 games for the Guangdong Southern Tigers. He averaged 18.0 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.9 assists, and 1.6 steals per game.
Denver Nuggets
On June 25, 2015, the Denver Nuggets picked Emmanuel Mudiay as the seventh overall player in the 2015 NBA draft. He then played for the Nuggets in the 2015 NBA Summer League. He played so well that he was named to the All-NBA Summer League second team.
He signed his first NBA contract with the Nuggets on July 31. Emmanuel made his NBA debut on October 28 against the Houston Rockets. He scored 17 points and had nine assists, helping his team win 105–85. He started in his first 23 games. However, he sprained his right ankle in December and missed 14 games.
Emmanuel returned to play in January 2016. On March 10, he scored a career-high 30 points against the Phoenix Suns. On March 23, he had 27 points and 11 rebounds. He also made a game-winning shot from far away at the very end of the game. This shot gave the Nuggets a 104–103 win over the Philadelphia 76ers. At the end of his first season, he was named to the NBA All-Rookie Second Team.
In his second season, on November 6, 2016, Emmanuel tied his career high with 30 points against the Boston Celtics. On January 16, 2017, he had a career-high 13 assists. He started many games in the first half of the 2016–17 season.
New York Knicks
On February 8, 2018, Emmanuel Mudiay joined the New York Knicks. This happened as part of a trade involving three teams. In his first game for the Knicks, he scored 14 points and had 10 assists.
Before the 2018–19 season began, Emmanuel sprained his right ankle during practice. This injury kept him from playing for more than two weeks. On December 14, he scored a new career-high of 34 points. This helped the Knicks win an overtime game against the Charlotte Hornets. In January, he had a left shoulder injury and missed several games. He returned to play in February. He missed the last two games of the season due to his sore left shoulder.
Utah Jazz
On July 20, 2019, Emmanuel Mudiay signed with the Utah Jazz. He said he chose the Jazz because he could learn from player Mike Conley. He also mentioned that many players improve their skills while playing for the Jazz. Emmanuel also wanted to play in the NBA playoffs, which he had not done before.
Playing in Europe
On August 23, 2021, Emmanuel Mudiay signed a one-year deal with Žalgiris Kaunas. This is a basketball club in Lithuania that plays in the EuroLeague.
On November 2, 2021, Emmanuel and Žalgiris decided to part ways. He played in 5 games for the club. He averaged 7.4 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game.
Sacramento Kings
On December 22, 2021, Emmanuel Mudiay signed a 10-day contract with the Sacramento Kings.
Iowa Wolves
On November 2, 2022, Emmanuel Mudiay was named to the opening night roster for the Iowa Wolves. This team plays in the NBA G League.
Cangrejeros de Santurce
On June 8, 2023, Emmanuel Mudiay signed with Cangrejeros de Santurce. This team is part of the Puerto Rican league.
Piratas de Quebradillas
On February 13, 2024, Emmanuel Mudiay signed with the Piratas de Quebradillas. This team also plays in the Baloncesto Superior Nacional league.
On June 13, 2024, Emmanuel was chosen by the Valley Suns in the 2024 NBA G League expansion draft.
On July 1, 2025, Emmanuel Mudiay was named the 2025 BSN Most Valuable Player.
Playing for His Country
In 2016, Emmanuel Mudiay was part of the USA Men's Select Team. This team was chosen to practice with the main USA Basketball Men's National Team. They were preparing for the 2016 Rio Summer Olympics.
Career Statistics
NBA Regular Season
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | Denver | 68 | 66 | 30.4 | .364 | .319 | .670 | 3.4 | 5.5 | 1.0 | .5 | 12.8 |
| 2016–17 | Denver | 55 | 41 | 25.6 | .377 | .316 | .784 | 3.3 | 3.9 | .7 | .2 | 11.0 |
| 2017–18 | Denver | 42 | 0 | 17.9 | .401 | .373 | .808 | 2.2 | 2.9 | .5 | .1 | 8.5 |
| New York | 22 | 14 | 22.4 | .368 | .196 | .686 | 2.6 | 3.9 | .9 | .3 | 8.8 | |
| 2018–19 | New York | 59 | 42 | 27.2 | .446 | .329 | .774 | 3.3 | 3.9 | .7 | .3 | 15.0 |
| 2019–20 | Utah | 54 | 2 | 15.7 | .462 | .345 | .759 | 2.3 | 2.1 | .4 | .2 | 7.3 |
| 2021–22 | Sacramento | 2 | 0 | 5.5 | .000 | — | .750 | .0 | 2.0 | .5 | .0 | 1.5 |
| Career | 302 | 165 | 23.8 | .401 | .323 | .744 | 2.9 | 3.8 | .7 | .3 | 10.9 | |
NBA Playoffs
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | Utah | 3 | 0 | 11.3 | .357 | .667 | .500 | 2.0 | .7 | .0 | .3 | 4.3 |
| Career | 3 | 0 | 11.3 | .357 | .667 | .500 | 2.0 | .7 | .0 | .3 | 4.3 | |
Chinese Basketball Association (CBA)
| Year | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014–15 | Guangdong | 12 | 0 | 31.6 | .478 | .342 | .574 | 6.3 | 5.9 | 1.6 | .1 | 18.0 |
See also
In Spanish: Emmanuel Mudiay para niños
