Emmanuel Mudiay went for 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists and 2 turnovers in 30 minutes off the bench in his pro debut Saturday morning playing for the Guangdong Southern Tigers in China. Stephon Marbury scored 32 points in a 103-89 win for the Beijing Ducks, the league’s defending champion.
“It looked like Emmanuel had some first-night jitters but eventually he settled in and was able to show flashes of how much potential he truly has,” said Vin Parise, who did the game on the One World Sports channel with Mike Crispino.
The 6-foot-5 Mudiay signed a $1.2 million deal in China instead of attending SMU, and now SMU coach Larry Brown said he’s concerned it will set a trend for other American college players.
Mudiay is projected as the No. 2 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft by DraftExpress.com, setting up the opportunity for teams like the Philadelphia 76ers to “Cede the Day for Mudiay” by tanking.
