Despite being waived by the Dallas Mavericks as part of its roster revamping at the trade deadline, big man Salah Mejri found his way back to the team soon afterward.
According to Mike Fisher of 247Sports, Mejri's decision to return to the Mavs was based solely on his relationship with prized rookie Luka Doncic:
Lotsa stories out there about why Salah Mejri — released in the roster-move frenzy at the trade deadline — returned to the Mavs. We believe he did so despite having offers to sign elsewhere, yes. But we also believe Salah boomeranged back to the Mavs for one reason and one reason only. Believe what you like … but this was entirely about his friendship and mentorship and brotherhood with Luka. Entirely.
Despite only having spent a few months with Doncic following the 19-year-old's arrival last June, an unbreakable bond has apparently formed between the two. It's quite an odd pairing, to be honest — a 7-foot-2, 32-year-old veteran who has barely figured in the team's rotation, and a teenage phenom who is already touted as one of the greatest Europeans to ever play in the league.
However, what these Mavs players do have in common is the fact that they are both immigrants trying to make a living in a foreign land. Mejri hails from Tunisia, while Doncic is Slovenian. While these two nations are literally oceans apart and barely have anything in common, perhaps this is still what brought these two together.
As it turns out, the bond they have formed both on and off the court was enough motivation for Mejri to make his decision to return to Dallas. Maybe — just maybe — he ends up playing a crucial role in the development of Doncic into a bona fide NBA superstar.
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