The most surprising and enduring moment of the Mavericks’ season didn’t happen during a game. It wasn’t at practice or even during training camp. It happened during the draft.
After the Mavericks selected Dennis Smith Jr. with the ninth overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Carlisle instantly did something out of left field — he effusively praised a player who wasn’t a veteran.
“This is a historic night for us,” Carlisle said after he just named a 19-year-old rookie his starting point guard. “We’re getting a guy that’s an instant impact guy.