The temptations were out there for the Mavericks to make a move or move their pick, but with Shan Foster still available when their turn came up in the second round, the decision was made to hold steady.
"It was a very long wait," Rick Carlisle said after making his first draft selection as Mavs coach. "We're very happy with the guy we got. We had a list of 'A' candidates, 'Bs' and 'Cs' and Shan Foster was the last 'A' on our list." Carlisle was referring to the list of players the Mavs thought might fall to the 51st pick in the 2008 NBA Draft. The 6-6 swingman out of Vanderbilt was the SEC Player of the Year as a senior, averaging 20.3 points while shooting 52 percent. The Mavs were sold on his combination of 3-point range, maturity and athleticism.
"We are really excited about Shan Foster," president of basketball operations Donnie Nelson said.
Foster is excited about joining a perennial playoff team with playing time available. The 21-year-old is headed to Dallas despite not working out for the Mavs in the weeks leading up to the Draft.
"They definitely have a great team, great defensively and a superstar in Dirk Nowitzki," Foster said. "Brandon Bass is one of my good friends."
SEASON HIGHLIGHT: The Mavs locked down their eighth consecutive postseason trip with their only solid stretch against playoff contenders since adding Jason Kidd. After dropping 10 in row to winning teams, Dallas knocked off Golden State, Phoenix and Utah over a nine-day period in April. The victory over the Jazz on April 10 clinched the playoff berth.
TURNING POINT: The front office tried to find answers with the trade for Jason Kidd during the All-Star break. With less than 30 games left in the regular season to work with, the blockbuster deal didn't have the impact the team hoped. Recognized as perhaps the best pure passer in the NBA, Kidd never brought the dynamic dimension Johnson's system needed.
