The journey of Emmanuel Mudiay‘s first 21 years began in war-torn Congo, stopped in Dallas, continued in China and landed him as a top-10 NBA draft pick. It has been a winding odyssey from the start, riddled with its fair share of potholes.

The constant during times that tested and forged him was the sport he loves. Mudiay always has been able to rely on basketball, a constant as comforting as the two older brothers who are perpetually by his side.

So late this winter and into the early spring, as he sat on the Nuggets bench without ever removing his warm-up gear or touching a ball, Mudiay chose to look in the mirror.

“I was kind of spoiled as a basketball player,” Mudiay said. “Sometimes you have to hit adversity. What that did for me, it made me appreciate basketball. Going into the summer, I think I’m going to have to take it up to another level.”

The first adversity was a back injury that sidelined Mudiay for 11 games in January and the first part of February. But the point guard had been injured during his rookie season, too. His starting job had been waiting for him when he got back.

This time, with the Nuggets playing well behind veteran Jameer Nelson and rookie Jamal Murray heading into the all-star break, the only spot available to Mudiay when he returned was one at the end of the bench. After 1½ seasons as a starting NBA point guard, Mudiay was suddenly out of the rotation completely.

It may take time to identify the true measure of what Mudiay has made of the last few, trying months. But every indication is that the young point guard looked within as he dealt with the demotion that took the ball out of his hands. He displayed it after practices, keeping sharp during three-on-three games organized by Mike Miller and the team’s player-development staff. He illustrated his growth by playing some of his best basketball down the stretch, averaging 12.2 points, 5.2 assists and just 1.8 turnovers while shooting 45.5 percent from the field in his last five games as he was pushed into action because of injuries.

But it was his self-reflection as the Nuggets left the building Thursday that provided perhaps the best window into how the young and talented guard has allowed his recent experiences to help him grow. He opened himself up and listened to former players who had dealt with their own struggles. Few were more impactful, Mudiay said, than Chauncey Billups. The king of Colorado basketball became a legend and NBA Finals MVP, but not before he dealt with uncertainty that came from being traded multiple times early in his career.

Mudiay’s biggest motivator, though, was himself.

“I never doubted myself,” he said. “I grew up on basketball, so I always had confidence in myself. When I got the opportunity, I stopped thinking about everything else and had fun.”

The last sentence stuck with me. It matched the description of the player I watched in this season’s final days. He was loose, letting his considerable talent work for him. Against Oklahoma City in the home finale last Sunday, Mudiay deftly attacked the basket and scored three consecutive buckets in the fourth quarter that helped the Nuggets build a 13-point lead with 4½ minutes left. The offense then stalled when Mudiay left the game, and Nuggets coach Michael Malone later admitted he should have rode the point guard’s hot hand to the end.

The future is still uncertain for Mudiay as he prepares for his third NBA season. But the point guard is going to fight for basketball. That much he has made clear.