3 NBA Draft picks Mavs rookie Olivier-Maxence Prosper should have been taken over

The Dallas Mavericks surprised many when they traded back into the first round to select Olivier-Maxence Prosper with the 24th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. But after watching how Prosper played in the NBA Summer League, some teams are probably going to regret passing on him in the first round.

Prosper showed flashes of the asset he will end up being. He was a force on the boards, grabbing offensive and defensive rebounds. He also created plays to give the Mavericks some momentum when they weren't making their shots.

Mavericks Summer League Coach Jared Dudley was so impressed with how he played after the first game that he gave Prosper more minutes. Prosper rose to the occasion and looked like he could start as a power forward on some NBA teams.

There were 23 other players that went before him which was kind of surprising. Most teams had him in the 12-18 range in the first round. At 6-foot-8 and with a 7'1 wingspan, I'm surprised more teams weren't interested in drafting him.

Throughout the season, Dallas will see most of these players, including the number one overall pick, Victor Wembanyama, whom the Mavericks will play first to open up their 2023-24 season.

Mavericks General Manager Nico Harrison apparently saw enough at Prosper's NBA Draft workouts that he was okay trading back in and drafting him. Let's take a look at some of the players that were drafted that Prosper and why he should have been taken ahead of them.

3. Taylor Hendricks, Utah Jazz

I think one of the first-round draft picks that was drafted too high in comparison to his value is Taylor Hendricks. Hendricks sat out of the entire NBA Summer League with a hamstring injury and we didn't a look at what he can do.

With how easily he got injured, Hendricks could end up being a bust if he keeps getting hurt. There were also many NBA scouts that mentioned that Taylor Hendricks went a tad high due to his height and the lack of experience in college.

He only attended UCF for one year and entered his name in the NBA Draft once the season was over. He is going to have some big-time growing pains transitioning to the NBA. Spending another year in college could have helped Hendricks grow into a more sure-fire player.

Prosper could have easily fixed the Utah Jazz's rebounding issues right away during the Summer League. It would probably have put the Jazz fanbase at ease knowing that Prosper could have easily fit in with their lineup getting rebounds and making three-pointers.

I'm not saying Hendricks is a bad player. He is a good fit for the Jazz. I just think that he was just rated high, and Prosper could have been a better pick for the Jazz with the ninth overall pick.

2. Jalen Hood-Schifino, Los Angeles Lakers

Jalen Hood-Schifino was another player that was drafted way ahead of Prosper and could be on the road to being a bust. He has a rough Summer League with the Los Angeles Lakers, shooting 34% from the floor and 21% from beyond the arc.

I don't know how long the Lakers are going to give him to develop, considering they are a powerhouse in the NBA and want to win titles. He may struggle to earn minutes.

Prosper would have probably put up better counting stats than Hood-Schifino if he got more minutes in the first Summer League game. Mavericks Summer League Coach Jared Dudley had them on a minutes restriction because Prosper and Lively signed their rookie contracts in Vegas before the first game. They were waiting on both trades to get finalized, and they only had one practice before getting their first taste of NBA action.

Prosper showed he was a lot more versatile than Hood-Schifino in the games that he played in Vegas. He was all over the boards, grabbing rebounds and making his shots.

If the Lakers had a mulligan for the NBA Draft, they would probably draft Prosper over Hood-Schifino. He would have been a workhorse for their second-string offense, and if there was an injury during the season, he would fit in with the Lakers starting lineup.

1. Noah Clowney, Brooklyn Nets

The final prospect that Olivier-Maxence Prosper has already outplayed is Noah Clowney. He had a terrible Summer League, averaging five points a game in the five games that he played. When a prospect only shoots 22 percent in Vegas, it's not looking good. If he wants a job in the NBA, he has to shoot a lot better than that.

Prosper outshot him and was way better in all categories. With the Brooklyn Nets looking for someone who can rebound and consistently make baskets, they probably would have been better off drafting Prosper.

He was consistently making his shots and creating plays in Vegas. I even think Prosper would have got more playing time right out of the gate in Brooklyn compared to the minutes he will get with the Mavericks next season.

In conclusion, Prosper is already making NBA Scouts kick themselves for not including him on their NBA draft boards. Prosper is probably going to end up having a better career than most of the players that were drafted in front of him.

Harrison was smart enough to trade back into the first round of the draft and get him before he ended up with another team in our conference. With Prosper signed to the Mavericks, he's going to play an important role with the team as they make their way to the NBA Finals this season.