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New Dallas Mavericks team president Masai Ujiri\u00a0is congratulated after an introductory news conference on Tuesday, May 5, 2026, in Dallas.<\/p>\n
Smiley N. Pool\/The Dallas Morning News<\/p>\n
CHICAGO\u00a0\u2014 All 30\u00a0NBA teams ventured to the Windy City for the league\u2019s annual draft combine to assess the top prospects from the widely anticipated 2026 NBA draft class.<\/a><\/p>\n Executives, coaches, scouts, agents and team personnel gathered at Wintrust Arena to begin the draft prep process, including Mavericks<\/a> team president Masai Ujiri<\/a> and new general manager Mike Schmitz<\/a>.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The real fun starts now for the revamped Mavericks front office, who will continue to evaluate players from afar and in person over the next couple of weeks when predraft workouts begin. The star-studded quartet of AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer and Caleb Wilson are deemed the cream of the crop, but Schmitz is confident the Mavericks will find a talented player in the lottery despite entering at No. 9<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cYou look every year at redrafts and there\u2019s always a thinking of consensus, but the reality is there are players who end up being All-Star caliber guys or even better that don\u2019t go in the top two, three, four, five,\u201d Schmitz said. \u201cI feel really confident that we\u2019re going to get a high-level player at nine and excited to get the process going.\u201d<\/p>\n That process is already underway as the combine enters its final weekend.\u00a0<\/p>\n Make Dallas News a preferred source so your search results prioritize writing by actual people, not AI.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add Preferred Source<\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n Here\u2019s what we learned in Chicago:<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n Who was in attendance, and what\u2019s next?<\/p>\n It\u2019s unclear who from the Mavericks\u2019 previous regime will remain with the franchise now that Ujiri is in charge. He plans to examine the team \u201cfrom head to toe\u201d during the offseason, which means changes could be on the rise.<\/p>\n The Mavericks took a large contingent to Chicago for the draft lottery and combine, including Ujiri and Schmitz, CEO Rick Welts, CFO Kieran Kelliher, assistant general managers Matt Riccardi and Michael Finley, vice president of basketball strategy Andrew Baker, director of pro personnel and international Makhtar Ndiaye, vice president and chief of staff Khalia Collier, director of analytics James Brocato and head athletic trainer Jana Austin.<\/p>\n Several of those executives and staff members will also be in attendance at the team\u2019s practice facility once they begin hosting many of the top prospects in Dallas, for a better opportunity to get to know them. The Mavericks conducted several interviews in Chicago, but NBA teams are allowed less than 30 minutes with each player they meet, as mandated by the league.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n There are less than 40 days until the June 23 draft to determine which players will best fit alongside Cooper\u00a0Flagg<\/a> and the rest of the Mavericks\u2019 roster.<\/p>\n Evaluating young talent<\/p>\n There are several players who could be available by the time the Mavericks are on the clock, but it\u2019s impossible to predict the exact order of how the first eight picks will shake out. Don\u2019t rule out a possible trade, either. There has been a trade within the lottery in each of the last three drafts.<\/p>\n Like most teams, the Mavericks will prepare for multiple scenarios entering next month\u2019s draft as they narrow their big board down to a smaller list of players they would be interested in. Most mock drafts predict Dallas will choose either\u00a0Mikel Brown Jr<\/a>., Brayden Burries or Keaton Wagler<\/a>. Labaron Philon Jr. is also an option despite being one of the last projected guards in the lottery.<\/p>\n Article continues below this ad<\/p>\n The Mavericks met with several players during this week\u2019s combine, including Dybantsa, Wagler, Burries, Christian Anderson, Zuby Ejiofor, Isaiah Evans and Morez Johnson Jr.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n