Jason Kidd Says Emmanuel Mudiay Will 'Be Better' Than He Was

Denver Nuggets rookie point guard Emmanuel Mudiay has only appeared in eight games in the NBA, yet he has received some high praise from one of the best point guards to ever play the game in Milwaukee Bucks head coach Jason Kidd. 

According to Christopher Dempsey of the Denver Post, Kidd was very impressed with Mudiay and spoke with him before the Bucks' Wednesday night game against the Nuggets. 

Kidd told Dempsey:

"

He’ll be better [than me]. He’s better already. Being able to run an NBA team at 19 is not easy. You look at some of the greats — Magic (Johnson) was able to do it. And you’re looking at this kid Mudiay, who has the opportunity to do something special. So, I would encourage him to be better than me, and I think he will be at the end of the day.

"

Mudiay averaged 13.1 points per game in those first eight games along with 6.3 assists for a Nuggets team that is off to a 4-4 start. 

Kidd continued to compliment the rookie:

"

At 19 years old, he’s very talented. He’s running the team, he’s not afraid to take a big shot. Some people have said that he can’t shoot, but he finds a way to put the ball in the basket. I think he enjoys to play the game, and I think for me, watching the tape on him is exciting. To see a 19-year old being able to run a team with his poise, and then also his skills. He has skills at the age of 19.

"

The former Suns, Mavericks and Nets guard got a firsthand look at Mudiay's skill Wednesday after the rookie went off for 16 points and 11 assists in a 103-102 Nuggets victory. But Mudiay knows it's important to soak up whatever a future Hall of Famer tells you. 

"When you get a Hall of Famer talking to you like that, that’s huge,” Mudiay told Dempsey. “And just take all of the advice you can get.”

Sure, it's only eight games, but Kidd doesn't label 19-year-olds as better players than him every day. Mudiay's effort and performance will ultimately show if he can ever be mentioned in the same sentence as Kidd. But it's been an impressive start to a career, as Denver looks to have the foundation of something special in Mudiay. 

Stats courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com