Two weeks after winning a Liga ACB title with Valencia, Sergio De Larrea opens Summer League trying to prove he belongs in the Mavericks' rotation.
Sergio De Larrea, who helped Valencia Basket win the Liga ACB title with a 3-1 series win over FC Barcelona, now aims to prove to the Dallas Mavericks' new coaching staff that he deserves a spot in the regular rotation.
De Larrea makes his first extended appearance Thursday as Dallas opens the 2026 NBA Summer League against Golden State at 6 p.m. at the Thomas & Mack Center. Coach Joe Boylan has been impressed after two days of practice, noting De Larrea has already thrown five alley-oops and shows a notable feel for the game.
"Sergio's got great energy," Boylan said. "When you see him, he's got this infectious smile, a lot of positivity on the court, a really high IQ player, can handle it, can pass. He's got a great chemistry with these guys we have."
De Larrea signed his rookie contract with the Mavericks on July 3, ending any chance he would spend the 2026-27 season overseas as a draft-and-stash prospect. He averaged 9.7 points, 3.0 rebounds, and 3.7 assists for Valencia last season, earning Liga ACB Best Young Player honors before their title run against Barcelona.
"It was a great experience," De Larrea said of the championship. "At the end we won the championship, so we're very excited and very happy about that. The thing that we had was we were together and that was the reason we won. It was a great achievement. Now it's on to the next chapter here, and I have to be the same way, and have the same focus."
The Los Angeles Lakers picked De Larrea 25th in the 2026 NBA Draft and traded his rights to the New York Knicks, who then sent him to Dallas. Growing up in Spain, De Larrea watched Luka Doncic make a similar move to the Mavericks.
"He was my idol in my young era, so for that reason I was a Mavericks' fan a long time ago and right now I'm a Maverick," De Larrea said. "It means a lot for me. That was a dream that I had before."
Boylan pointed to that maturity as a separator early in camp, calling De Larrea well-rounded on both ends and a joy to coach. Mavericks guard John Poulakidas, sharing the locker room with De Larrea for the first time, said the adjustment hasn't been visible on the floor.
"I've been really impressed with his ability to break down the defense," Poulakidas said. "He's really good in the pick-and-roll, he can make the open shot and he's also a great teammate."
De Larrea is also adjusting to life in the United States for the first time. He attended Monday's World Cup match in Arlington, where Spain eliminated Portugal 1-0 to reach the quarterfinals, and said Dallas has made a strong first impression during his time in the city with his girlfriend.
As for whether his game translates from Spain to the NBA, De Larrea sounds unconcerned.
"It's the same rhythm, same pace," he said. "Here, the boys are stronger, and I think that's the difference. But the play and the game is more of the same."
