The Dallas Mavericks have seen their fair share of highs and lows during the ownership of Mark Cuban. They have also seen a range of top-class players playing for the franchise, from Dirk Nowitzki to Luka Doncic to now Cooper Flagg.
However, the Mavs have also missed out on several big names over the years, and part of the reason has been choosing the wrong players in various drafts. When asked about their biggest misses over the years, owner Mark Cuban gave two very legitimate responses, in the form of Giannis Antetokounmpo and Tyrese Maxey.
“Oh, there's so many of them. Tyrese Maxey was a big miss for us recently. Greek Freak [Giannis Antetokounmpo] was probably the biggest,” he said on The Adam Friedland Show, per HoopsHype.
And well, that is perfectly understandable. Dallas had the No. 13 and No. 18 picks in the 2013 and 2020 drafts, in which Antetokounmpo was selected as the 15th and 21st overall picks, respectively. Instead, Dallas chose the likes of Kelly Olynyk and Josh Green in the respective drafts.
Regardless, both Giannis and Maxey have gone on to establish themselves as All-Stars at their eventual homes in the Milwaukee Bucks and the Philadelphia 76ers. However, missing out on the Greek Freak is surely bound to hurt more.
The Bucks’ talisman has gone on to become a 10-time All-Star as well and is a two-time MVP. He is well on track to be a Hall of Famer and may as well be seen as one of the best players in modern NBA history by the time he hangs up his boots.
On the other hand, Tyrese Maxey has also gone on to establish himself as one of the best young offensive stars in the NBA. The 2024 Most Improved Player of the Year has kept improving his averages year after year, and Cuban has every right to see the two players as his biggest misses.
