3 Reasons the NBA should secretly want Dallas Mavericks to pick 1st in 2023 NBA Draft

2. International fan base

Mavericks GOAT Dirk Nowitzki changed the game and the narrative on European players. The German was a fan favorite that helped eliminate that overseas players are "soft". Dirk helped pave the way for all of the top international players in the game right now, and the Mavs still have one of the most popular Europeans.

In Nowitzki's final season, Dallas brought in Luka Doncic. The Slovenia prodigy was immediately the team’s best player, and he quickly took over as one of the best in the NBA. Doncic is one of the most popular in Europe too. He played professionally from the moment he became a teenager, and his time at Real Madrid helped make him a massive star.

The Dallas Mavericks are one of Europe’s most popular teams, and the next European star will be the number-one pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Victor Wembanyama is a player nobody has ever seen that will again change the game. He can stretch the floor like Dirk, but will Luka’s stepback and the ability to protect the rim. The French teenager could become an all-time great.

The Mavs already have a massive international fan base and putting the next international superstar in Dallas would only make it bigger. They could quickly become Europe’s team, which makes marketing and scheduling easier for the league.