Meet Mavericks Second Round Draft Pick Melvin Ajinca

The second round of the NBA draft concluded Thursday, with 28 prospects selected to various teams around the league.

The Dallas Mavericks chose to move up in the draft to select French forward Melvin Ajinca with the 51st overall pick.

Ajinca is a 6-foot-8 forward who is just 20 years old and has spent the last year playing for Saint-Quentin BB in the LNB Pro A, which is the top league in France.

Dallas acquired the rights to Ajinca in a trade with the New York Knicks. The Mavericks received Ajinca and sent Ariel Hukporti, the rights to Petteri Koponen and cash considerations to New York.

Despite only playing 24.5 minutes per game in his team’s final season, Ajinca averaged 9.3 points and 3.3 rebounds per game, putting him in the top half of his team. team.

Ajinca is currently an underdeveloped player and could still use some time to develop his skills, although his ability to compete in one of the most competitive leagues in the world seems to be a good sign for his future in the NBA.

His tall frame gives him the potential to be an incredibly versatile defender on the wings. At 218 pounds, the 20-year-old already has a strong build and can continue to bulk up as he gains more experience in the league.

While Ajinca has the physical tools to be an impressive defender on the wing, his basketball IQ has room to grow, which isn’t surprising given his age.

One of the most intriguing aspects of the forward’s game comes from his ability to shoot the ball from behind the three-point line, already showing himself capable of making an open shot from farther away than one might expect .

However, Ajinca shot just 30.9 percent this past season due to some cold streaks in various games, with consistency in his jump shot being the main concern moving forward.

Fortunately, Ajinca was able to hit 79.7 percent of his free throws during the season on 2.1 attempts per game, meaning the Mavericks likely believe he already has a foundation for his jump shot mechanics which will translate as he becomes more comfortable at a deeper distance.

Many potential concerns will be addressed as Ajinca continues to age and play basketball at the highest level more regularly. Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison said the team would evaluate all options and could allow him to stay in the French league for another. season so he can see audience time more frequently.

“I think the beauty of him being a European player is that we have a lot of options and I think both things are on the table. We don’t have a lot of places available in our squad,” he explained.

“So I think that’s the beauty of his age – and the fact that he’s playing in Europe – that we can kind of understand him. »