Mavericks Rookie Sergio de Larrea Has Found His Mentor in Kyrie Irving
Dallas Mavericks rookie Sergio de Larrea, acquired via a three-team trade after being drafted 25th overall by the Lakers, has identified Kyrie Irving as his ideal mentor, and Irving responded by praising the young Spanish guard as a high-IQ, hard-working winner.
Mavericks Rookie Sergio de Larrea Has Found His Mentor in Kyrie Irving
Sergio de Larrea hasn't played a regular-season minute in the NBA yet, but the Dallas Mavericks rookie already knows whose example he wants to follow.
At Mavericks Media Day, the 20-year-old Spanish guard pointed to Kyrie Irvingas the "perfect" teammate to learn from as he starts his career. With de Larrea adjusting to running the point at the NBA level, he said sharing a locker room with Irving gives him a chance to keep growing his game every day.
Irving, one of the most skilled ball handlers of his generation, heard about the compliment and couldn't resist a joke first.
Then the veteran got serious, and his answer made it clear the admiration runs both ways.
"He's a high-IQ player already. He's a winner, comes from a winning franchise overseas, and you can tell he's thirsty for knowledge," Irving said. "He can always lean on me. We're rooting for him, and he works his butt off."A Winding Road to Dallas
De Larrea's path to the Mavericks took a few turns on draft night. The Los Angeles Lakers selected him 25th overall, then sent his rights to the New York Knicks in exchange for the draft rights to Cameron Carr. His stay in New York didn't last either, as the Knicks moved him to Dallas in a three-team trade.
For the Mavericks, the end result was a young guard who arrives with real professional experience and a track record of winning.
A Breakout Season at Valencia
De Larrea made a name for himself as one of Spain's brightest young guards with Valencia Basket, and his most recent season did plenty to raise his draft stock.
In 34 Liga ACB games, he averaged 9.6 points, 3.7 assists and 3.0 rebounds with a 12.7 efficiency rating. That production earned him the Liga Endesa Best Young Player award, which he won in a runaway with 203.4 voting points.
He also played a starring role in Valencia's Spanish Super Cup title, taking home MVP honors for the competition.
Learning From the Best
That background is exactly what Irving was talking about. De Larreais used to high expectations and meaningful games, and he's arriving in Dallas eager to absorb as much as he can.
Few guards in the league have more to teach than Irving, whose handle, finishing and command of the game have made him a star for more than a decade. For a young point guard learning to run an NBA offense, having that kind of resource just a few lockers away is a rare advantage.
De Larrea has already made his choice of mentor. Irving has made it clear the door is open.