| A Pick for the Age(r)s Authored by Andrew Theodosi - July 3, 2006 - 12:00 pm
“With the 28th pick in the 2006 Draft, the Dallas Mavericks select Maurice Ager out of Michigan State” David Stern bellowed out in front of the rowdy crowd in New York. Tears were rolling down the shooting guards face as he strolled to shake the hand of the NBA Commissioner. Mavs' fans around the world were logging onto the internet to find as much about him as possible (and Knicks fans were crying, Renaldo Balkman?).
He decided to partake in 23 (!) workouts, but surprisingly did not workout for Dallas since they didn’t believe he’d be available at #28. Coach Avery Johnson said, “We run a battery of interviews but he wasn’t one of the guys. This is a guy who could have gone as high as 10 or 12 so we’re glad to have him.” Johnson went on to say, “We're fortunate to fill a need at the 28th pick. We’re really excited to have a four-year player who improved each and every year.” Indeed, the Mavericks once again picked a successful college player in the hopes he could contribute straight away.
Similar thoughts were echoed in 2003 when the Dallas Mavericks selected Josh Howard at #29. Howard has grown into the Mavericks starting small forward role with his defensive and offensive abilities being instrumental for Dallas’ success.
Maurice Ager possesses one of the deadliest offensive repertoires out of all the to-be rookies. He averaged 19.3 PPG on 46% FG, 76% FT and 38% 3PT in his final season with Michigan. His three-point shooting form rivals that of Duke’s JJ Redick, in that he has a quick release and his elevation is high. Jonathon Watters described him correctly, he is a “volume scorer” – he is capable of getting hot and unleashing a fury of three’s – even with hands in his face. This will surely come in handy since the Mavericks shot an abysmal 28% during the NBA Finals. Ager is a player with a great work ethic who has developed and matured every year in college. Ager expressed his fondness for the college experience saying, “It was fun and it helped me grow up to be a man.”
Despite measuring in at an undersized 6’5, Mo’s athleticism (in which he recorded a 35” vertical) and long arms allow him to have the option of getting to the hoop. He regularly throws down highlight reel dunks partly due to his slashing ability and his athleticism/wingspan. When asked about his biggest strength, Ager replied “Getting to the basket. Driving. It’s kind of hard in the Big Ten because the defense packs in but I feel that’s one of my strengths along with athleticism and quickness.”
Avery Johnson summed up the pick perfectly “Coming out of last year, we’re pretty good defensively at the point guard spot and at small forward but we thought we had to get better defensively at the shooting guard but also have someone that can score.” Ager has all the tools which, if he wants, will allow him to excel as a defender in the league. Long, athletic and strong.
Unfortunately for Dallas, Ager does not always utilize all of his tools. He often relies upon his three-point shooting (6.5 attempts per game in college) and can struggle in a half court situation. Ager is a bit one-dimensional, so once his shot is off he will likely get benched by Johnson. NBA defenses will focus on taking away his abilities by going right for Ager which could strongly hinder his performances. His passing ability, despite improvement, is almost woeful – he likes to take his fair share of shots and has never really developed the instincts to become a good passer. But even with these shortcomings, Ager will thrive when Dallas takes to the break.
“Yes. I think from what we’ve seen, he can give us a few minutes next year” said the Mavericks coach. Ager should be able to compete with Marquis Daniels for the majority reserve minutes. However, that could change if the Mavericks bring back Adrian Griffin and pick up Rawle Marshall’s team option.
Apart from his game, Ager is a wonderful person in real life. He is close friends with sophomore Devin Harris and a devout Christian. He declined a workout session on a Sunday morning because of church and had Michigan State practices moved to a Sunday afternoon as to not coincide with his church attendance. Avery Johnson, who is also a Christian, described Ager as a “strong character” – a great compliment from a Saint like Avery.
His strong Christian values have been shining his whole life, through them – Ager made it out of the Detroit projects to Michigan State. “He comes from a rough place” said Jim Boylen, former coach of the guard. Ager had developed a reputation at MSU for being extremely quiet and humble.
“He's NBA-ready,” Boylen said. “And he's Avery's kind of guy. He can shoot the ball, and he's very athletic.”
However, things haven’t always been this way for the newest Mav. Mattie Ager, his mother, described him as the “class clown” who was constantly in trouble and in the principal’s office. Apparently he frequently scrunched up paper and shot it into a trash can…how ironic. "He was talking all the time in class," Mattie Ager said of her son. "It's hard to believe it, but he was. He was always disturbing the class."
There was one reason he stopped acting up in school – basketball. He was never eligible to play in middle school because he was in trouble so much. Reforming your attitude in school is extremely hard, speaking from experience. This shows his maturity level, but get ready for his determination. He wrote a letter to the editor of a high school basketball magazine asking to be written about (some exposure). He put on 12 pounds and vastly improved his point guard skills in the offseason before his senior year. Teammate Paul Davis describes him as a gym junkie. He learns from his mistakes and is willing to listen.
One comparison I haven’t seen for Ager is Cuttino Mobley, but with athleticism. I think that’s reasonable. Others say Morris Peterson or Derek Anderson.
Look for Ager to make an immediate impact with Dallas on their road to (hopefully) the NBA title. Even if you dislike the pick, there is no doubt he is saying all the right things in interviews. Here are some examples "It's a perfect situation going on [with the Mavs]. I love the way they play." “I’m glad I’m here.” “I feel that way because of Avery Johnson. I know he’s a tough coach.” “I always looked at Dallas as being a great place for me.” The list goes on.
I, for one, am excited to see what he brings to the table. Many are calling him the Wade-stopper, but that seems a little far-fetched to expect from a rookie. What you can expect though, is for Ager to be able to come in and make some shots, steal some minutes from the aging Adrian Griffin, and give 100%.
In other news:
- The Mavericks took Dannilo (J.R) Pinnock with the #58 pick and then traded him to the Los Angeles Lakers for (Miami's) second-round pick next year. Donnie Nelson said the Mavs strongly considered taking Damir Markota – who was taken right after them.
- The DMN states that the Mavericks will extend Nowitzki and Howard
- Click here for the Summer League Roster
- The Mavericks Summer League team defeated the Nigerian National team 89-95. Maurice Ager had 23/9 and Powell had 16/10
- However, Pittsnoggle will only be playing for Dallas in the Rocky Mountain Revue (July 14-21) – he will be playing for the Heat in VSL
- Maverick's Assistant coach Charlie Parker will not be returning next season.
- Maurice Ager will earn roughly $755,500 in his first year
- Terry was resigned for roughly 6 years/50 million
- DJ MBenga signed a multiyear contract
- Dallas has offered full MLE to Mike James for 3 years, the holdup is he wants 5. |
