The Dallas Mavericks' second-round pick might be overlooked, but it's the key to the franchise's success.
The Dallas Mavericks made waves in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, selecting Michigan standout Morez Johnson ninth overall, and then swinging for Spain's Sergio De Larrea 25th overall after a trade with the Phoenix Suns.
The most intriguing player Dallas added, however, was a second-round pick.
Picked 48th overall, Dallas also landed Tobi Lawal from Virginia Tech. A little-known prospect outside of the AAC, Dallas' future with Masai Ujiri calling the shots hinges on Lawal's success.
Fortuntly, fans should be in for a treat.
Ujiri to Follow Raptors' Blueprint with Lawal
Tobi Lawal is a raw athlete with incredible upside, although he has only played basketball for six years. At Virginia Tech, he started to put it all together, averaging 12.3 points and 8.5 rebounds in his final season.
Of course, he still has a long way to go.
The foundation is strong: not only is Lawal one of the best athletes in his draft class, but he's also one of the best athletes the NBA has ever seen. His standing leap at the combine was 40 inches, and he will immediately be a lob, put-back, and rebounding threat for the Mavericks, especially as he crashes the boards from the perimeter.
Raw, athletic, and overlooked prospects...where have we heard this before?
Mavericks' fans might be shaking their heads or shugging their shoulders, but Toronto Raptors fans should know where we're going with this: Lawal sounds just like OG Anunoby, and even more like Pascal Siakam.
Back in his days in Canada, Ujiri picked up Anunoby 23rd overall and Siakam 27th. He had to reach a bit deeper in his bag to snag Lawal in his first draft, leading the Mavericks, but the payoff could be just the same.
Keep in mind, Siakam and Anunoby were both underrated players coming out of college, drafted in part thanks to their defensive prowess and two-way potential. Since then, they've both become star players and champions, although they both started their careers fighting for garbage-time minutes.
Behind Cooper Flagg, PJ Washington, and perhaps Klay Thompson in the lineup, Lawal will have plenty of time to improve his already eye-popping athleticism and hone his game. He is far from a polished product, but in the second round, that is to be expected.
Ujiri has long since proven that he has an eye for a certain type of talent, and Lawal could be the next great wing that the Mavs' new leader stole out from under the nose of the rest of the NBA.
