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The NBA season is back with the full force of a Kostas Antetokounmpo dunk. By all accounts the Mavericks had a blast this summer, but now that the offseason is over let’s look back at 10 things that the Mavs did to get ready for the season.
“Welcomed the future”
Luka Doncic finally made it to Dallas and learned that being an NBA player has some pretty awesome perks. From this sick new gold plated custom phone case and a Framed copy of NBA 2k19 and his jersey to hanging out with some NBA legends, Luka looks like he had a great summer.
Workout SZN
Remember when everyone had a Furby? They had to learn English and some of them got really creepy and almost demonic? Now everyone has a workout video.
Ray Spalding continues to put in the work with @DJAlmonds this summer pic.twitter.com/dbTvovQhv7
— Isaac Harris (@IsaacLHarris) September 1, 2018
And if they didn’t have a workout video then there was some sort of documentation that they were working out.
Here’s one for almost every Maverick: Maxi, DeAndre, Harrison, Kostas, Wes, Brunson, Dirk, Dwight, Salah, Broekhoff, Dorian, J.J.
But none of them were better than this epic shot of Dirk Nowitzki absolutely slaying in his workout.
Playing overseas
Several Mavericks played for their country this summer in various tournaments. Maxi Kleber played for Germany in the VTG Supercup. Here’s Maxi swatting this shot attempt from Clippers big man Boban Marjonovic.
My guy @MaxiKleber swatting Boban Marjanović pic.twitter.com/cj1x1ueL8d
— Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) September 7, 2018
Both J.J. Barea (for Puerto Rico) and Salah Mejri (for Tunisia) played for their countries as part of the FIBA World Cup qualifiers. Here’s Salah Mejri chasing down this layup attempt and crushing it.
Where we dropping?
Fortnite is consuming the lives of any no-skin it can get its hands on. Mark Cuban had an unidentified 14-year old slide into his DMs to ask Cuban if he’d fork over some cash so the kid could buy a skin.
Blowing up my DMs like pic.twitter.com/F1Ckah95WW
— Mark Cuban (@mcuban) September 5, 2018
Dennis Smith Jr. and Luka’s Fortnite relationship has already been widely publicized but DSJ didn’t get his first win until recently.
He’s growing up pic.twitter.com/CrQyTCtfiI
— Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) September 21, 2018
Here’s Luka, Dennis, and Kostas playing with a streamer named Tony Plays.
Serving and swerving
Dwight Powell, Devin Harris, and more joined Dirk in his Annual Pro-Celebrity Tennis Event for the Dirk Nowtizki Foundation. There’s not much more the Big German can do to steal our hearts, but signing this girl’s cast may just do it.
This little girl will NEVER take off this cast after this... @swish41 #DirkTennis @FoundationDn #GOAT #ClassAct #texasmetronews #garlandjournal #IMessenger @dallasmavs #MFFL pic.twitter.com/3ycIQxWThg
— Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) September 15, 2018
The Mavericks also had their Hackberry Creek Charity Classic golf event where Dennis took the wheel of the golf cart and made some bold claims.
We’re going to see a whole new side of @Dennis1SmithJr this year. He’s not a rookie anymore. pic.twitter.com/nN6yVLaBH3
— Locked On Mavericks (@LockedOnMavs) September 21, 2018
Also, in what appeared to be another team sanctioned event, a couple of the Mavs went to the Dallas Zoo together.
(Still not sure what the joke is here)
Dennis, JJ, Maxi, and Dirk at the @DallasZoo pic.twitter.com/T1YLPKaTqU
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) August 31, 2018
Mavs rookies
The Mavs rookies have been hanging out this summer as well. Ray Spalding and Kostas got pedicures together.
Mavs Rookies @Kostas_ante13 @RaySpalding_4 doing some foot work pic.twitter.com/OVuapx9wmN
— Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) September 5, 2018
And Luka, Kostas, and Jalen Brunson (plus a few more Mavs) had dinner as a team.
Mavs Rookies @Kostas_ante13 @luka7doncic @jalenbrunson1 (and maybe Harrison Barnes and others) having dinner together pic.twitter.com/9tRLzIaVK7
— Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) September 8, 2018
How ‘bout them Cowboys
DeAndre Jordan is a unabashed Cowboys fan but some of the other Mavs have been joining him at games in Jerry’s World.
Luka, JJ, Deandre, Maxi, and Broekhoff are all at the Cowboys game today pic.twitter.com/mVF4v6Axfi
— Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) September 30, 2018
Luka even seems to be becoming a fan himself.
Lets go!!! @dallascowboys pic.twitter.com/PZEtwmfHmz
— Luka Doncic (@luka7doncic) September 30, 2018
Bad and Bougie and in my feelings
On Media Day, Luka, Dennis, and Dorian Finney-Smith were on the Ben & Skin show and Skin asked if anyone was going to the Drake and Migos concert at the AAC. Luka perked up and said he didn’t know about the concert but he wanted to go. Well, he went, and so did a few more Mavs.
Luka, Dodo, and Maxi (probably more Mavs) are at the Drake/Migos concert tonight pic.twitter.com/tmYh8ytR7Z
— Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) September 27, 2018
*pop*pop*pop*splat*
Last season we learned about Dennis Smith Jr.’s love of paintball and this summer he got to put those skills to the test when most of the Mavs went and played together.
Also, according to Harrison Barnes, they had an age limit.
The Mavs went paint balling but there was one condition pic.twitter.com/lNUonhieId
— Nick Angstadt (@NickVanExit) September 8, 2018
Mavs Day on NBA TV
NBA TV had a whole day dedicated to the Mavericks this summer and our own Brice Paterik wrote about it. It was a fun look back on some of the best Mavs teams.
.@swish41 is ❄️ down the stretch. #TeamDay | @dallasmavs pic.twitter.com/aow3SEFjlL
— NBA TV (@NBATV) August 26, 2018