3 Best Dallas Mavericks Draft Picks

The Dallas Mavericks are famous for two reasons in the NBA: defying the basketball odds in 2011 and beating the super team of the Miami Heat to engineer one of the top five NBA Finals upsets in history, as well as executing draft night trades to find the cornerstones of their franchise (the case of Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic).

Apart from these two reasons, Dallas is also known for drafting notable players that led them to future success. Players like Mark Price, Samaki Walker, Robert Traylor, Josh Howard, and Jalen Brunson made important contributions to the team. But three players have emerged as the three best Dallas Mavericks draft picks.

Jason Kidd

Jason Kidd had two different stints with the Dallas Mavericks ever since the team drafted him as the second overall pick in 1994. In his first two-and-a-half seasons from 1995 to 1997, Kidd had a decent production, which saw him win the co-Rookie of the Year award with Grant Hill and was selected to play in one NBA All-Star Game in 1996. He was dealt to the Phoenix Suns in December 1996 in a massive six-year player trade.

44 all-time #NBADraft picks 👀

Who is your favorite Golden Bear to have his name called on Draft Day? pic.twitter.com/vBoch0Yj7G

— Cal Basketball (@CalMBBall) June 23, 2022

Ten years later, the 6-foot-4 playmaker was reunited with the Mavericks after the Nets traded him back to the team that initially drafted him. His second stint with Dallas produced an NBA title in 2011, where he played an important role. Kidd played in two more NBA All-Star Games as a Maverick in 2008 and 2010 before signing with the Knicks in 2012. Overall, “J-Kidd” played 500 games for Dallas and averaged 10.5 points, 8.4 assists, and 5.5 rebounds.

Mark Aguirre

Mark Aguirre was the first and only top overall pick in Dallas Mavericks franchise history as he was selected number one overall in 1981. The 6-foot-6 forward out of DePaul instantly showed his scoring ability by averaging 18.7 points with 4.9 rebounds and 3.2 assists in his first year with the team. He even improved on these numbers when he was promoted to the starting lineup in his sophomore year.

HBD Mark Aguirre!

◾ College great
◾ 1st pick in the 81 Draft
◾ Avg 24 PTS over 8 seasons in Dallas
◾ 2 x All-Star
◾ 2 x NBA Champion with Detroit
◾ Owner of some of the shortest shorts in NBA history pic.twitter.com/xz9KxMzOh6

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) December 10, 2020

Aguirre continued his fine play and became one of Dallas’ leading scorers. He also helped them clinch a spot in the postseason in five consecutive seasons from 1984 to 1988, and they reached the Western Conference Finals in 1988. Before Aguirre was traded to the Detroit Pistons in the midseason of 1989, he racked up an average of 24.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists in 566 games.

Rolando Blackman

After selecting Aguirre as the number one overall pick in 1981, the Mavericks chose another player who turned into a star in the same class by drafting Rolando Blackman as the ninth overall pick. The shooting guard out of Kansas State had a similar route with Aguirre, as both came off the bench in their rookie season. But when they were moved as starters the following year, they increased their production.

Rolando Blackman of the Dallas #Mavericks scored 15 points on 7-of-9 shooting for the West All-Stars in a 130-113 loss to the East at the 1990 #NBAAllStar Game in Miami. It was the 4th and final ASG for Blackman, who was added to the team in place of injured Jazz PF Karl Malone. pic.twitter.com/6pKLZ8PF5E

— NBA Cobwebs (@NBACobwebs) February 11, 2020

Blackman and Aguirre transformed into a lethal duo for the Mavericks and alternated in leading the team in scoring. The 6-foot-6 guard was also an integral part of their playoff campaigns in the 1980s. Because of his consistent numbers, Blackman represented Dallas in four NBA All-Star Games. In 1992, Dallas finally moved on from Blackman, as he was dealt to the New York Knicks via trade. He finished his Mavericks career with stats of 19.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in 865 games.