Dallas Mavericks: Isaiah Roby continues to work hard on his game

Dallas Mavericks’ second round pick Isaiah Roby was the last one in the gym after Thursday’s practice. Read more about the rookie’s growth.

The Dallas Mavericks only had one selection in the 2019 NBA Draft. They traded their first round pick as part of acquiring the draft rights to Luka Doncic from the Hawks. The Mavs had their target heading into the night, though. Dallas even traded down and still got their man in Isaiah Roby.

The 21-year-old forward played three seasons of NCAA basketball at Nebraska. During his final year, Roby averaged 11.8 points, 6.9 rebounds, 1.3 steals, and 1.9 blocks in 31.2 minutes per game. He is 6’8 with defensive versatility. Roby can also handle the ball a bit.

His shooting was the biggest knock heading into the draft. Roby only hit 33.6 percent of his 146 3-point attempts at Nebraska. The NCAA line is shorter than the NBA’s as well.

Dallas Mavericks fans got their first glimpse of Isaiah Roby in the summer league. He played well in Las Vegas over the five games. Relive his highlights in the video below.

Putting in work

Roby has been in Dallas putting in work ever since the draft. Supporters saw him playing pickup with Luka Doncic and other Mavs weeks before training camp opened. The Mavs gave him the final roster spot for a reason.

Training camp is in full swing, and Roby continues to be one of the hardest workers on the team. He was the last one on the practice court after Thursday’s session. Roby practiced free throws, another area where he struggled in college. The forward hit just 70.2 percent over the three years.

Coach Carlisle even praised the rookie and his improvements since the draft. Fans can listen to Carlisle’s comments here.

Isaiah Roby will see most of his minutes with the Texas Legends in the G-League this season. The rookie will continue working hard on his game. Expect him to practice with the Mavericks most of the season. He needs that valuable game time, though. The only available minutes will be in Frisco.

The Smoking Cuban will be back with more on Isaiah Roby plus all the analysis on the 2019-2020 Dallas Mavericks that supporters desire, so please return frequently to never miss a post.