You’ve probably never heard of Emmanuel Mudiay. After all, he’s only 18 years old and just graduated high school down in Texas. But he’s already had an interesting, and at times quite difficult life.
Mudiay was born in Zaire. Remember Zaire?
Central Africa, often called the Congo for the mighty river flowing through it, was a Belgian colony from the late 1800s until the mid-20th century. During that time, Belgium amassed one of the most ruthless colonial records anywhere in Africa. Common practices included slavery, whippings and beatings, mass murder, rape, genocide, and the mutilation of children; a practice known as “red rubber” included chopping off the hands of children to encourage their parents to work harder.
The Congo finally achieved independence from Belgium in 1960. The Democratic Republic of the Congo had emerged from the horrors of colonialism, but the transition was rocky as Belgium continued to meddle in the affairs of its former colony, abetted by the United Staes. Violence plagued the new nation.
In early 1961, Prime Minister Patrice Lumumba, the country’s first democratically elected leader, was executed. Belgian forces oversaw his murder, initially blaming it on angry villageers. The United States was complicit, having previously tried and failed to assassinate Lumumba. Belgium finally issued a formal apology in 2002.
A Congolese army colonel named Joseph Désiré Mobutu had been instrumental in the coup against Lumumba. In 1965, again backed by the Belgians and the CIA, who saw him as a loyal Cold Warrior, Mobutu took over completely.
In 1971, he changed the name of the country to Zaire. The following year, he changed his own name to Mobutu Sese Seko, and quickly established himself as a ruthless dictator.
Zaire functioned as a kleptocracy with Mobutu as its murderous, thieving autocrat. His avarice knew no bounds. And the U.S. backed him every step of the way. That is, until he no longer served their purpose.
After the Cold War ended, Mobutu was no longer worth the embarrassment. The U.S. distanced itself from him, and rebels forced him out of power in 1997.
Mobutu’s criminality a
nd exploitation was so profound, that by the time he fled Zaire, he had somehow managed to leave the country even more impoverished than before he took over. The nation’s GDP was the same as it had been in 1958; in other words, the economy had not grown in 40 years. But the national population had tripled. Meanwhile, Zaire’s national debt was twice its GDP, and the annual rate of inflation was 176%, which was actually down from a 1992 high of over 4100%.
Yet Mobutu was such a relentless embezzler that when he fled, his personal fortune was estimated to be somewhere between $4-15 billion.
He died three months later of prostate cancer.
This is the world into which Emmanuel Mudiay was born in 1996, in the final stage’s of Zaire’s death throes.
Amid the chaos and wreckage, as the nation transformed into the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mudiay’s family left for the United States. He grew up near Dallas, Texas.
Today, Mudiay is not like most refugee children. He is 6’5″ and one of, if not the, most gifted 18 year old basketball players in the world.
If he had been allowed to enter the NBA draft, which took place earlier this month, he would have been a high first round selection and guaranteed millions of dollars.
What normal person would pass that up? Much less the son of struggling war refugees.
But Mudiay was banned from entering the NBA draft. Though old enough to vote, be drafted, or buy cigarettes, the NBA forbids players from joining the league until at least 1 year after high school. The NBA justifies this labor discrimination on the grounds that 18 year olds aren’t “mature” enough for life in the NBA. No matter that most 30 year olds aren’t either.
So Mudiay must do what every other talented 18 year old must do: forestall earning millions of dollars, and instead incur the costs of going to college. Because even with a scholarship that covers things like tuition, room and board, there are other expenses.
There are always other expenses. And a myriad of NCAA rules about what the college can and cannot pay for. Break one of those rules and they take away your scholarship and won’t let you play anymore.
So Mudiay did what he had to do: pick a college at which to bide his time and work for free.
But after initially committing to play at Southern Methodist University in Dallas for Hall of Fame coach Larry Brown, Mudiay has recently had a change of heart.
On Monday, it was announced that Mudiay would renounce his commitment to SMU. Instead, he is going to play professionally overseas until the NBA deigns to accept him.
Rumor has it that the Chinese basketball league is prepared to make him a very lucrative offer.
There are also rumors that this isn’t completely voluntary on Mudiay’s part. He and Brown are denying it, emphasizing that Mudiay has been “accepted” as a student to SMU, but there are reports that the NCAA was about to rule him 
ineligible for one of two, or perhaps both reasons.
-There may be a problem with Mudiay’s academic record that would make him ineligible to play.
-He may have ruined his “amateur” status by taking money in connection with basketball, heaven forbid, perhaps from an agent or a supporter of his high school or Southern Methodist University.
Well, guess what? He’s got an agent now. And he’s leaving the country.
For a long time I have been waiting to see a top American basketball prospect take flight and flip the bird to the NCAA in particular, and to the NBA as well. After all, it’s what most European top prospects do instead of bypassing the money and participating in the charade of “amateur athletics.” Europe doesn’t have an analagous system of athletic labor exploitation, so why would they? They haven’t been reared to think that competing for an NCAA championship is worth sacrificing a year or two or three of real earnings.
And even if bailing out on SMU was not of Mudiay’s choice, even if he had bought into the NCAA hype while growing up in America, hopefully his actions will set an example nonetheless.
Hopefully, in years to come, other top flight 18 year olds, who are already good enough to be coveted by the NBA, will also opt to sidestep the exploitative college athletics system. Let’s see if more 18 year olds are “mature” enough to go earn some money instead of being taken advantage of financially.
The notion that Mudiay and his family need more “maturation” couldn’t be more patronizing. But let’s play Devil’s Advocate for a moment and take the NBA at its word.
You tell me. What’s going to help a young man mature more? Going overseas, living in a foreign culture, and earning a paycheck while he works side by side with other professional grown ups? Or staying at home, being a pampered celebrity, and hanging out at frat parties?
Good luck to Emmanuel Mudiay. Enjoy your time abroad, and we await your triumphant return.
