Former NBA guard Emmanuel Mudiay joined Libyan champions Al Ahly Tripoli for 2026, arriving after a dominant BSN season in Puerto Rico, where his MVP-winning production reinforced Africa’s club landscape and revived DR Congo national team hopes globally.
Last Updated on
January 16, 2026
Defending Libyan Basketball League champions Al Ahly Tripoli have agreed terms with DR Congo-born former NBA guard Emmanuel Mudiay for the 2026 season.
The twenty-nine-year-old arrives in North Africa, following his star role for Piratas de Quebradillas in Puerto Rico's BSN league, where he averaged 23.3 points, 4.6 rebounds, 5.7 assists, and 1.3 steals per contest. Those numbers propelled Quebradillas to a second-place regular-season finish, and subsequently allowed the guard to pick up the BSN's MVP award honours.
Mudiay entered the NBA in 2015, when Denver selected him seventh overall during the first round of the draft. Following his inital tenure in the NBA, the guard went on to build a nomadic professional resume spanning Europe, Asia and Latin America over multiple seasons.
During the 2021-2022 season, he competed in the EuroLeague with Žalgiris, embracing demanding roles nightly against elite opposition. There, Mudiay posted 7.4 points, 3.2 assists, and 2.2 rebounds per game while stabilising backcourts abroad.
Additional stops followed in China with Guangdong Tigers, alongside NBA tenures in New York, Sacramento and elsewhere globally. His resume also included NBA G League duties with Iowa and Summer League appearances across various markets internationally.
According to our insiders, Al Ahly Tripoli views the signing as a statement that blends pedigree, production and personality into their championship identity. The move strengthened Africa's club landscape while aligning with Al Ahly Tripoli's continental ambitions ahead of defending again. Mudiay's arrival added ball-handling craft, scoring punch, and veteran calm to an imposing roster seeking sustained regional dominance.
This continental chapter could reopen doors for Mudiay to finally suit up for DR Congo ahead of the looming FIBA World Cup qualifiers. In 2017, there were discussions with legend Bismack Biyombo for Emmanuel to play for his national team at FIBA AfroBasket 2017 Unfortunately, the plans didn't come to fruition, even though both were named to the DR Congo preliminary squad for the tournament.
In 2017, regarding Mudiay's involvement with the DR Congo national team, Bismack Biyombo stated:
"We are having some discussion about the insurance, and if we find a way to solve that situation, I would be more than happy to play for the national team this summer. We have been talking a lot with Emmanuel, and we would like to help the national team.
We want to help our native country. Emmanuel and I are going to meet up in June to practice together and keep working on playing for the national team. I am very enthusiastic about the possibility of playing with the national team."
However, Mudiay represented his nation by opening the NBA's 2017-2018 season at the NBA Africa Game, the league's second game in Africa.
The former Nuggets guard played for Team Africa, alongside other NBA players born in Africa and second-generation Africans. Mudiay joined team captains Luol Deng (representing South Sudan) and Thabo Sefolosha (representing South Africa).
On February 26, the Leopards were scheduled to open qualification against Madagascar with renewed hope and belief nationwide.
