Class Of 2014 Phenom Emmanuel Mudiay Will Play Overseas This Season

College basketball just lost its latest potential one-and-done superstar. According to Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports, Emmanuel Mudiay will hire an agent and play overseas this season instead of attending Southern Methodist University.

SMU head coach Larry Brown says that Mudiay’s decision is not related to academic hardship. However, Wojnarowski’s report casts extreme doubt on that Brown’s account.

“This is not an academic issue, since he has been admitted to SMU, but rather a hardship issue,” Brown said in a statement.

Nevertheless, little evidence supports the Hall of Fame coach’s assertion on Mudiay’s reason for leaving SMU.

Mudiay had conversations with Brown and university officials about his ability to become academically eligible and withstand NCAA scrutiny into his amateur status to play his freshman year, sources told Yahoo Sports.

Mudiay’s brother, Stephane, has been discussing potential representation for Emmanuel with player agents for the past week, sources told Yahoo Sports.

There’s been no report on what team or league Mudiay will play in next season, but this news likely ensures that he’ll be a member of the 2015 draft class. And unless the 18 year-old superstar supremely disappoints during his season abroad, it seems ironclad he’ll be a lottery pick next summer – ESPN’s Chad Ford ranks Mudiay second overall among presumptive draftees, and DraftExpress has him third in its 2015 mock.

We won’t be seeing awesome highlights like this from Mudiay in Dallas next season after all. Shame.

What do you think of Mudiay’s “choice?”

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