HOUSTON — Professional athletes tend to be routine oriented, and NBA players are no different. From pregame meals to naps after shootaround, certain music before games or a specific warm-up routine, players prefer to stick to a strict schedule.
For 58 games this season, Emmanuel Mudiay and Darrell Arthur had their own pregame routine. During player introductions and occasionally in warmups, the two Dallas natives channeled their inner Michael Jackson and put on crowd-pleasing performances before tip-off.
Arthur will have to look for another two-step partner with Mudiay in New York after the Nuggets, Mavericks and Knicks agreed to a three-team trade Thursday that sent Mudiay to New York. In exchange, the Nuggets acquired point guard Devin Harris from Dallas.
“I’m happy for him, but I’m sad to see him go,” Arthur said. “That was my guy, man. My locker partner for three years and we’re from the same place. We’re both from Dallas, so we’re kind of related in a lot of ways. But I’m happy for him at the same time…He’ll get an opportunity in New York to play a lot of minutes.”
Arthur and Mudiay spent three seasons together after Denver selected the latter seventh overall in 2015. For all three years, Arthur and Mudiay’s lockers were adjacent to one another in Denver’s dressing room.
“He’s always been the same way, that’s the best thing about Mudiay,” Arthur added. “He never really changed how he was, just a genuine and down to earth guy, very knowledgeable about the game of basketball. He was a fun guy to talk to about different stuff on the court. Just a good dude.”
Mudiay and Nuggets coach Michael Malone also share a strong bond. Malone was hired by the Nuggets 10 days before the 2015 draft when Denver selected Mudiay. Mudiay was the starting point guard for Malone’s first game as the Nuggets’ coach, and the two have been tied at the hip ever since.
“Every adverse thing that he has gone through he’s handled it very well,” Malone said reflecting on Mudiay’s two-plus year run in Denver. “This last year when he was out of the rotation, he didn’t feel sorry for himself, he didn’t stop working. Whether it was this year or when he was out of the rotation for a while when he came back from the injury, he kept working and he maintained a very positive attitude.
“So for him to go to New York, a fresh start, and obviously (Kristaps) Porzinigs being hurt, I think now it’s just a chance to go there and play and play with confidence and play his game and I think the year he was drafted they had a lot of interest in him.”
Denver improved its roster with the addition of Harris, and Malone is thrilled to get another point guard with substantial playoff experience. But Denver’s coach was also pleased with how Mudiay had played over the past two weeks.
Over the Nuggets’ past 10 games, Mudiay was averaging less than one turnover per game. He was shooting over 40 percent from the field and was playing better defensively as well. Malone credited part of Mudiay’s recent success with a chat the two shared a few weeks ago about his role, defending consistently and playing with more pace.
Mudiay is getting a fresh start in New York. Arthur and Malone are both hoping he finds success.
“Obviously, I’m biased, it’s where I’m from but it’s a great city, great basketball fans,” Malone said. “And I just hope he continues to improve, keep on working, maintain a great attitude and have a chance to impact the team in New York in a positive manner.”
