As we all know, Dirk Nowitzki's time is fleeting with the Dallas Mavericks, as he is potentially entering his twentieth season with blue and silver. His dedication and leadership for the Mavs is something the organization is used to, and it will certainly force them to readjust their lineup without their 7-foot hero in the fray.
Apparently, Mavericks' president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson and international scout Tony Ronzone are trying to mitigate this inevitable issue before it smacks the team in the face.
The power of diversity in any form of team setting can prove to yield benefits for overall team cohesion, as learning from one another can boost the breadth of knowledge you can potentially gain. The Mavericks have been ahead of the curve when it comes to picking up players from all around the world, as they have scored the likes of Salah Mejri from Tunisia and Nicolas Brussino from Argentina over the past few years. Now, it seems they are scouting for young talent in West Africa.
“We got guys everywhere,” Nelson told Sports Day on Dallas News. “We're scouting third-graders in Nigeria. There's millions of kids who play basketball around the world, outside of the U.S. that people question their competition and whether they can play. We keep on investing in our player development so we can take chances on those guys and take them to the next level.”
As the competition for an NBA title continually supports the narrative that the Golden State Warriors will be wrecking havoc in the Western Conference for many years to come, it is a smart move to start developing young talent early on. Whether these international projects flourish into NBA stars or not, Nelson is just optimistic to see what he can do.
“At some point, you have to say, OK, I may not be able to develop somebody into a star, but can I develop them into a rotation player or a starter?”
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