Top 10 Dallas Mavericks draft day pickups since 2000

3. Jalen Brunson

Unlike Devin Harris, Jalen Brunson was drafted by the Dallas Mavericks during the 2018 NBA Draft. Dallas selected him in the second round with the No. 33 pick. This was considered a steal for the Mavs, as Brunson had a stacked resume in college.

In three seasons at Villanova, Brunson won two NCAA Championships and was named the 2018 National College Player of the Year. The problem was the draft was already loaded with high-caliber points guards such as Trae Young and Luka Doncic.

Brunson, however, made the most of his rookie season. He averaged 9.3 points per game and 3.2 assists in his first season. His numbers leaped in his third year when he averaged 12.6 points per game and shot 52.3 percent.

His big break came during the 2022 NBA playoffs. In round one, Dallas faced the Utah Jazz without Doncic. Brunson stepped up in his absences, scoring 24 points in Game 1 and 41 points in Game 2.

He played a pivotal role in helping the Mavs advance to the Western Conference Finals, as Brunson averaged 21.6 points in the playoffs.

Brunson left Dallas to sign with the Knicks after the 2021-22 season. His 2022 playoff performance is something that Mavs fans will never forget.