Mavericks might lose forgotten draft pick to a college team in unprecedented NIL era

Heading into the Cooper Flagg era, it's been well documented how badly the Dallas Mavericks need to accrue more young assets and draft capital, given they don't own any of their first-round picks through 2031 besides this upcoming draft, but Dallas could lose some of the little young talent they already have around Flagg.

The No. 51 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Melvin Ajinca, has been draft-and-stashed by Dallas over the last two seasons, playing for French club LDLC ASVEL. However, less constrictive NIL regulations in the NCAA could provide Ajinca with a unique opportunity to come play college basketball, despite Dallas retaining his draft rights.

This is what happened with the No. 31 pick from the 2023 NBA Draft in James Nnaji recently, as Nnaji played in multiple Summer Leagues and has been playing professionally in the EuroLeague for the past few seasons, but still has NCAA eligibility left because of having never stepped foot on an NBA floor. Nnaji will be heading two hours down the road from Dallas to join the Baylor Bears for the rest of the season, and this unprecedented move has opened up the floodgates for someone like Ajinca.

How Melvin Ajinca could end up in the NCAA after being drafted by Dallas

With NIL money surpassing the amount of money players can make in the G League, or even overseas in some cases, college basketball is becoming a far more appealing route for overseas players to take. The exact stipulations that deem someone like Nnaji or Ajinca eligible in the NCAA still are a little unclear, but both guys have never stepped foot on an NBA or NCAA floor, as simply getting drafted is no longer a roadblock toward a player still maintaining NCAA eligibility.

Neither player signed an NBA deal, and Ajinca could likely explore trying to play in the NCAA if he likes.

Ajinca appeared in Dallas' 2024 Summer League and was with the organization for 2025 Summer League despite ultimately not playing in Las Vegas this past July due to a groin injury. He has a smooth handle for a wing his size, but his shooting efficiency has dipped this season after a promising campaign with LDLC ASVEL in the 2024-25 season.

With young wing Olivier-Maxence Prosper being waived to sign Dante Exum this past summer, Dallas may be interested in bringing over Ajinca this upcoming summer, given he's still only 21 years old. However, Ajinca seemingly has the opportunity to join a college in the States if he wants to now, and theoretically could re-enter the NBA Draft in 2026 or 2027 if he were to do this.

If Ajinca can't hone in on his shooting and become a more stout defender, this wouldn't be much of a crutch on Dallas' plans to build around Flagg anyway, but who knows how Ajinca's game could project if he were to come over and develop with a U.S. college. Dallas needs all the young talent it can get, even if it's on the fringes, so this new NIL era doesn't bode well for someone that they've draft-and-stashed.

All in all, Ajinca was a very low-stakes gamble, being that he was the 51st pick in the 2024 draft, but Nnaji joining Baylor has opened up the door for European or G League players to join an American college, so long as they haven't played in college or the NBA already.

There hasn't been anything official suggesting Ajinca is going to pull the same type of move that Nnaji did, but it should be something Mavericks fans keep on their radar at this point, especially if Ajinca wants to drive up his stock.