GRAPEVINE – The NBA’s 2K24 Summer League is important to a lot of players, but perhaps no one has a bigger opportunity when the games start in Las Vegas next week than McKinley Wright IV.
The Mavericks’ point guard, who played on a two-way contract last season, is intent on showing that his skills have taken the next step. And with the team the Mavericks are sending to Las Vegas, Wright should have ample chances to show that he can lead a team that puts up a lot of points on the board.
“I’m super-excited for summer league,” Wright said Wednesday. “We got a lot of explosiveness in the backcourt, and the frontcourt. So I’m looking forward to it. It should be really fun.
“And we’re going there to try to win the summer-league championship. I don’t see why we can’t do it with the pieces we have.”
Those pieces will include Jaden Hardy and A.J. Lawson, who along with Wright form the “three musketeers,” as the trio has dubbed itself.
Also set to be on the team, which will be announced ahead of July 4, when summer training camp begins, are first-round draftees Dereck Lively II and Olivier-Maxence Prosper.
A fairly stacked team that will be at the disposal of summer-league coach Jared Dudley.
“It’s going to be real fun,” Wright said. “. We got a lot of guys who can go get a bucket. It’s going to be a real fun summer. The (summer) championship. That’s the only thing on our mind.”
It’s never too early to start building championship habits.
Wright, who played just 27 games for the Mavericks last season but flashed his potential by scoring 13 points in each of the last two games of the season.
The 6-foot 24-year-old split time Wednesday at two Mavs Academy Hoop Camps, presented by Chick-fil-A DFW. On the day, he signed over 300 autographs and got to play games and answer questions from the teenaged and pre-teen campers.
It was something near and dear to Wright’s heart. He has a similar setup in North Minneapolis, which is where he grew up.
“It’s big for me,” he said. “Every time I go home, we have a spot called Hospitality House, a program for kids that aren’t as fortunate. I try to do something for Thanksgiving and Christmas. It’s always been big for me because I never really had something like this for me growing up. I just try to give back to the kids that are in the position I was in as a kid.
“That’s what it’s all about. We’re their role models. All kids want to be NBA players when they grow up, so we got to show them the right way.”
Which is the same way Wright is going about his business this summer as he looks to earn a full contract with the Mavericks after his year working on a two-way deal.
And he knows everybody will be watching in Las Vegas.
“It’s all in the air right now,” he said of his future. “Obviously, the plan is to have me stick around and play summer league, play well and hopefully get converted (to a full veteran’s contract) from there.
“My mindset is to continue doing what I do: defend, pick up full court, be more aggressive on the offensive end, show what I’ve been working on in the summer, my consistency with the three-ball and how much better it’s gotten. And show I can continue to run a team. I’m looking forward to what’s next.”
To that end, he’s been keeping a rigid routine this summer of two weeks working in the gym and/or on conditioning and one week off. He did find some time to visit his family in Minnesota, which reminded him about how hot it really is in Texas.
But then again . . .
“I’ve been there most of my life and when that winter time comes, it’s no joke,” he said. “I’d rather be here.”
That goes for his playing career next season, too. He showed plenty of promise last season. Now comes the question of whether he can supply the energy and speed that the Mavericks need from a third point guard.
“Having an opportunity last year with some injuries, that’s really all you can ask for (as a two-way player),” he said. “I just tried to take full advantage of it. It’s been fun and I’m thankful for the opportunity.
“Those two guys (that he played behind, Luka Dončić and Kyrie Irving) are two big iso scorers and guys that can get a bucket at any time. I just try to bring a different pace to the game. Coach (Jason) Kidd always stresses how he wants that second group to run.”
Something Wright and the young Mavericks’ summer team will get plenty of chances to do at the summer league.
Twitter: @ESefko
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