Mavericks rookie Olivier-Maxence Prosper astounds NBA coach in offseason pro run

Noah Weber

2023 NBA Rookie Photo Shoot / Jamie Squire/GettyImages

One of the best moves of the Dallas Mavericks' offseason was drafting Olivier-Maxence Prosper with the No. 24 overall pick.

No one expected the Mavs to be making two selections in the first round of the draft, but the traded player exception from their trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder earlier that night made all the difference.

They used the traded player exception to acquire the draft rights to Prosper while taking on Richaun Holmes' contract. It looks like both players will be essential rotation pieces for the Mavs next season, and Prosper was precisely what the Mavs needed on the wing.

Mavericks rookie Olivier-Maxence Prosper astounds NBA coach in offseason pro run

He defends, hustles, stretches the floor, and attacks closeouts. Prosper has all the intangibles to be a terrific wing in the NBA and has even been compared to Toronto Raptors star Pascal Siakam by Jared Dudley.

Although the last action that fans got to see Prosper in was the NBA Summer League, he has been grinding in the gym and already seems to be turning some heads.

Prosper was at the Rico Hines pro runs last month, and he played so well that an NBA coach thought he was a seasoned veteran.

"I didn't know Prosper was a rookie," the coach said. "I assumed he was a vet I just didn't recognize at first after watching him play."

David Thorpe also talked about how he thinks Prosper is going to be a key piece for the Mavs next season as they push for the playoffs. He also said that Prosper impressed as a "pure athlete."

Dallas will need him to be at his best, as they need more versatility and defense on the wing.

In three seasons in college, Prosper averaged 8.0 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 0.7 steals per game. The best season of his collegiate career came in his junior year when he averaged 12.5 points and 4.7 rebounds per game at Marquette.

Prosper will be a guy that Mavs fans could see early and often, and everyone can't wait to see O-Max take the floor for the first time in his NBA career.

We'll have you covered with all the latest news and rumors surrounding the Dallas Mavericks and Olivier-Maxence Prosper this summer, so stay tuned.

Noah Weber

Noah Weber is the Site Expert for The Smoking Cuban, covering the Dallas Mavericks as a credentialed media member since the 2022-23 season. With a Bachelor of Science in Sports Media from Oklahoma State University, Noah has worked in sports journalism since 2019. While he's covered the Dallas Cowboys and Oklahoma State Cowboys, he has now established himself as a go-to voice for Mavericks coverage. Noah's expertise includes in-depth game analysis, social media content creation, and offering unique perspectives through his reporting. His work has been featured on major platforms such as ESPN, Bleacher Report, and Overtime. During his time at Oklahoma State, Noah won first place in the Oklahoma Broadcast Education Association Awards for a show he co-produced. Outside of covering the Mavs, Noah enjoys working out, playing basketball and Spikeball, and spending quality time with friends and family.