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The Dallas Mavericks practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n
El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
MACAO, China \u2014 The sound of basketballs thumping all around him was no different than the thousands of basketball practices he\u2019s had in his 20-year-old life, but\u00a0little else about Wednesday\u2019s scene and circumstances<\/a> was normal for Mavericks rookie Morez Johnson Jr.\u00a0<\/p>\n Let\u2019s start with the obvious: The Mavericks are 8,100 miles from home, in Macao, a special administrative region of China<\/a>. \u00a0<\/p>\n And specifically on this morning, the Mavericks were in The Venetian Arena, after a 90-minute practice, as they prepare for preseason games here on Friday and Sunday against Houston.\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Quite a way for the\u00a0No. 9 overall pick<\/a> Johnson to make his NBA debut.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dallas Mavericks forward Morez Johnson Jr. poses during media day on Friday, Sept. 25, 2026 at American Airlines Center in Dallas.<\/p>\n Shafkat Anowar\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n \u201cI was just looking forward to playing basketball, but there’s so much behind-the-scenes stuff that I’m enjoying, stuff they don’t talk about on TV, but I’m enjoying it here with my teammates,\u201d Johnson said.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Mavericks departed Dallas on Sunday afternoon and, factoring in the 13-hour time difference, landed here in Macao on Monday afternoon.\u00a0<\/p>\n Before the Mavericks drafted him in June, Johnson said, \u201cI didn’t know anything about us going to China. I’m just grateful to be here. It’s a new part of the world.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Mavericks rookie Morez Johnson Jr. on his time thus far in Macao and anout making his NBA preseason debut on Friday. https:\/\/t.co\/LduJAlduEr<\/p>\n \u2014 Brad Townsend (@townbrad) October 7, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n So far in Macao, the Mavericks have taken a team \u201cpostcard\u201d photo on the Cotai Strip, which is Macau\u2019s version of the Las Vegas Strip, lined with resort casinos. Four of them are owned by the Las Vegas Sands Corporation, whose CEO is Mavericks governor Patrick Dumont<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg shoots the ball during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Mavericks forward Zaccharie Risacher shoots during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (center) shoots during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Mavericks forward\/center Dwight Powell passes the ball during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Mavericks forward Caleb Martin shoots a three-pointer during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg shoots during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News The Dallas Mavericks practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Mavericks center Dereck Lively II talks to teammates during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Mavericks guard Tarik Biberovic shoots during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Mavericks forward Caleb Martin (center) shoots the ball as Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg (left) and Dallas Mavericks forward\/center Dwight Powell (7) talk during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May watches a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving sits for an interview during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Mavericks forward\/center Dwight Powell holds an inflatable globe as he films a video during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News A basketball passes through the net with a logo for the NBA China games during a practice at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Masai Ujiri, Dallas Mavericks president of basketball operations, holds forward Cooper Flagg\u2019s finger as he waits for a pass during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg looks to Masai Ujiri, Dallas Mavericks president of basketball operations, after making a three-pointer during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg reacts to Masai Ujiri, Dallas Mavericks president of basketball operations, after making a three-pointer during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News Dallas Mavericks head coach Dusty May smiles as he talks with staff during a practice before the NBA China Games at The Venetian Arena on Tuesday, Oct. 6, 2026, in Macao.<\/p>\n El\u00edas Valverde II\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n On Tuesday evening here, Dumont hosted a party for the entire Mavericks travel contingent. After Wednesday\u2019s practice, the players were given the afternoon off, with many of them planning to take the hour-long high-speed ferry ride to Hong Kong.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cWe obviously know why we’re here, and our guys are taking care of business off the court, as well,\u201d first-year Mavericks coach Dusty May said. \u201cBut trying to get acclimated to the time zones, get ourselves back to where we’re feeling well as the game nears.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n May said the Tuesday night dinner was a highlight, and that he\u2019s looking forward to seeing more of Macao \u2014 and taking care of a rare team-bonding opportunity.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s still more what the guys are doing together around the hotel and the meeting rooms,\u201d he said. \u201cGoing for walks, things like that. It’s been very productive as far as team-building and \u00a0team-bonding.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n One doesn\u2019t have to spend much time in Macao to realize the Mavericks organization has big plans and hopes surrounding reigning NBA Rookie of The Year Cooper Flagg<\/a>, nine-time NBA All-Star Kyrie Irving \u2014 and Johnson.\u00a0<\/p>\n More than a few electronic billboards around Macao feature that troika of Mavericks. The future Big Three, perhaps?\u00a0<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n \u201cIt’s hard to miss,\u201d Johnson said with a smile. \u201cIt’s an honor to be up there with Kyrie, Coop, some of the Rockets players. I’m grateful. I see my picture on the walls of the malls in China. It\u2019s kind of crazy. It\u2019s surreal. I\u2019m grateful for all of it.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Mavericks coach Dusty May, after today\u2019s practice here in Macao, about mixing business and pleasure on this trip. https:\/\/t.co\/I7J3Y5COYu<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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