By Dorothy J. Gentry
Photos: Dorothy J. Gentry
The Dallas Mavericks had a short summer. And that was just fine by them.
They played well in to June after a surprise trip no one saw coming to the NBA Finals. They lost to the Boston Celtics but were three games from winning only their second franchise championship.
Fast forward 2 ½ months and the team assembled at the Mavs practice facility on Monday for the annual NBA Media Day when all the teams showcase players, coaches and executives and their outlook for their team’s season.
The day began with sad news that NBA legend Dikembe Mutombo had passed away at the age of 58 of brain cancer. The entire league and its coaches and players took time to mourn and pay tribute during their media availabilities including Mavs Head Coach Jason Kidd, a former teammate of Mutombo.
“When you talk about the new of Dikembe passing it’s sad. When you talk about a great human being on and off the floor, the things he did for his country, the hospital (he built), he’s going to be dearly missed.” Kidd said. “When you talk about an angel, unfortunately he was taken a little bit too soon from us.
“What he was on the court – Defensive Player of the Year, protecting the rim, playing the game the right way – that was Dikembe,” Kidd continued. “I got to play with him in Jersey (New Jersey Nets) and he was an incredible teammate. One of the best teammates I’ve had. He’ll be dearly missed.”
As the players began their Media Day duties, they all expressed the same desire and team’s season-long goal which Luka Doncic put in to one word: “Championship.”
And they believe they have the missing piece:14-year NBA veteran Klay Thompson who, at the age of 34, signed with the Mavericks this summer after spending his whole career with the Golden State Warriors. They all see the four-time champion as the missing piece to their own Championship puzzle.
“I can’t wait to play with him,” Doncic said.
Thompson is “rare air,” said Kidd.
“We haven’t had a Jason Terry or a Klay Thompson here for a long time,” Kidd said, alluding to his former teammate in Dallas when the Mavericks won an NBA championship in 2011. “You’re talking about rare air here when it comes to shooting.”
Ironically, Thompson’s jersey number is 31 – the same number Terry wore for the Mavs when they won that championship.
“When you talk about Klay, he’s going to go down as one of the best shooters of all-time. To have him on our side makes the game offensively easier,” Kidd said.
Kyrie Irving, an NBA champion himself with the Cleveland Cavaliers who was drafted in the same NBA Draft class as Thompson, was key in recruiting him to the team. He believes Thompson is just what the Mavs need to get over the hump.
“I feel like our dreams can be possible because he’s here now,” Irving said.
And what does Thompson have to say about all of this?
“It gives me confidence to keep working hard and be myself,” he said. “Obviously Kyrie and I have a deep history being drafted together to competing against each other in finals and the (Olympic) Gold medal victories. He’s a huge reason why I am here.
“Also Mr. Kidd, well I grew up watching him. You watch his highlight tape and there are still passes that he was doing that are wild. I am so excited to learn from him,” Thompson said. “It means a lot that they believe those things because I do too and I’m so excited to get to work.
“I love this team and being around these guys the last 8 or 9 days has been amazing and I think we have all the ingredients for a championship.” The Mavs left Dallas Monday evening to travel to Las Vegas for the start of their training camp. They will return for their first preseason game on Monday, Oct. 7 at American Airlines Center against the Memphis Grizzlies.
