# Mavs rookie off to strong start



## Tersk (Apr 9, 2004)

Maurice Ager has been enjoying a hot summer, and it's looking like he might find himself in a position to help the Mavericks right away


*02:07 AM CDT on Wednesday, July 12, 2006

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*By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News* 

The story, apparently, was either embellished or flat-out exaggerated. 

It happened in Maurice Ager's junior season at Michigan State. He was getting ready for a big regular-season game against Duke and, by some accounts, began hyperventilating. 

This was not out of character for Ager. He's an emotional person. Sometimes, he gets too excited, which he admits works for and against him. 

As his college coach, Tom Izzo, once said: "Maurice would hyperventilate if he was going to the prom. He's just excited about life." 

Ager, of course, doesn't think the story has been accurately portrayed. 

"Sometimes before games, you're just excited to play," he said. "But I don't know about hyperventilating. I think that's a little extreme. Hyperventilating, you're shaking and stuff. I don't think it came to that. 

"But I'm always excited to play. That can be my strength and it can be my weakness. Sometimes I go off too fast. But I'm learning every day." 

He's doing so with the Mavericks' summer-league team. He has averaged 20 points in three games to lead the Mavericks in the Toshiba Vegas Summer League. 

Ager, the 28th pick in the NBA draft last month, appears to be headed toward a significant role with the Mavericks next season. With the trade of Marquis Daniels, Ager has a chance to earn minutes in the backcourt. 

Summer league is nothing more than a chance for a young player to get a feel for the NBA. It's like training wheels. 

But the Mavericks are genuinely high on Ager because of his athleticism, his slant toward the defensive end of the court and his fortitude, which is considerable. 

"He's talented enough for this league and will be able to make an impact, simply because of the four years he had in school and his attitude and confidence," said Rolando Blackman, who is coaching the Mavs' summer squad. "He'll be able to help." 

Emotion is a big part of the 6-5 Ager's life. He broke down and cried when the Mavericks selected him late in the first round. 

Ager has felt the tug of emotions in other directions, too. His father died of lung cancer when Ager was a college freshman. Before that, the two weren't exactly close. But Ager learned to deal with it. 

"He moved away when I was younger to take care of his father down south," Ager said. "I never held it against him. He had to do what he had to do. And my mom did a good job of raising me." 

His mother, who is moving from Detroit to Dallas later this summer, and Izzo were the primary reasons Ager embraced the concept of accountability in life. He believes in looking at himself when things go wrong rather than blaming outside influences. 

He knows Avery Johnson coaches the same way. 

"That's cool," he said. "I can use that. Hopefully, he thinks I can take that and will treat me the same way. I think I did a good job with Coach Izzo, knowing what to take and what not to take." 

And his religious upbringing won't hurt him with Johnson, either. Both coach and player know that having a hard edge and being spiritual aren't mutually exclusive. 

"You can still be a Christian and still be tough," Ager said. "I play hard every day and don't take anything on the court." 

Ager says he always knew he would be an NBA player. But a couple of games in his senior season solidified him as a legitimate pro prospect. He had 36 points in a triple-overtime loss to Adam Morrison and Gonzaga in a holiday tournament. 

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More impressively, he came back the next night with 20 points in an overtime win over Arizona. 

Two nights, two games. Those are NBA conditions, and Ager performed well in both. 

"I'd forgotten how good he is," said Pops Mensah-Bonsu, who while at George Washington played against Ager and now is his teammate in the summer league. "I forgot how unstoppable he is when he gets the ball." 

There is more good news for the Mavericks about Ager – he didn't end up in San Antonio. The Spurs wanted him and apparently tried to trade up to draft him. 

"I've heard they're very disappointed that he ended up in Dallas," said Jim Boylen, the Michigan State assistant coach who spent 13 years in the NBA as an assistant. 

That's interesting because the last time the Spurs were upset about the Mavericks taking a player they wanted, it was Josh Howard. He turned out to be a rising star and a key reason the Mavericks beat the Spurs in the second round of the playoffs last season. 

If Ager can approach Howard's success, the Mavericks will have found another gem late in the first round of the draft.


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## Saint Baller (May 3, 2006)

I'm glad of his performances thus far, especially the fact that we pissed San Antonio off again :biggrin:


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## Dre (Jun 20, 2003)

Good to hear. I really think he's can't miss as at least a roleplayer in the NBA. Anytime you have good size, and can score, you're can't miss in the NBA. You'll make it _somewhere_.


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## The Future7 (Feb 24, 2005)

I didnt know that SAS wanted Josh Howard too. They got robbed twice and we gave them Finley lol.


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## thrillhouse (Apr 18, 2003)

good article, i love mo and think he will do very well for you


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## mff4l (Dec 31, 2004)

The Future7 said:


> I didnt know that SAS wanted Josh Howard too. They got robbed twice and we gave them Finley lol.



yep the spurs were trying to trade up to get josh howard. both him and tim went to wake forest so tim knew he was a star in the making


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## edwardcyh (Dec 13, 2005)

The Future7 said:


> I didnt know that SAS wanted Josh Howard too. They got robbed twice and we gave them Finley lol.


They got a Finley who can contribute from the bench. They didn't get a Finley that needed to warm up for 10-15 minutes each game and then start nailing those shots... They got a Finley who took the ball to the rim and DUNKED!

All said and done, Spurs ended with the laughs in the Finley deal....


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## The Future7 (Feb 24, 2005)

Not really because they still lost with him and we prospered.


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## TiMVP2 (Jun 19, 2003)

The Future7 said:


> I didnt know that SAS wanted Josh Howard too. They got robbed twice and we gave them Finley lol.


 not to mention them and the refs robbed us of our 4th championship.
and juwan howard robbed us of our 2001 championship


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## StackAttack (Mar 15, 2006)

MDIZZ said:


> not to mention them and the refs robbed us of our 4th championship.
> and juwan howard robbed us of our 2001 championship


*LEAVE, A-HOLE*


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## Tersk (Apr 9, 2004)

StackAttack said:


> *LEAVE, A-HOLE*


Hey man, no need for that.

He is suspended so he got what he deserved


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## Saint Baller (May 3, 2006)

Thank god he got banned, he was pissing me off bad


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## t1no (Jul 10, 2005)

Yes the Mavs got robbed!!! There you go, i said it.


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## Jet (Jul 1, 2005)

I honestly find it pathetic that he has to keep reminding us about how the Mavs lost and how much "better" the Spurs are than the Mavs, and that the Spurs were forced out of the playoffs by refs and stuff.. I mean, honestly. The Spurs were down by 14 at half, and they came back to have a lead in the last minute, and he honestly thinks that the refs lost the game for the Spurs? Oh and the fact that hes using a Heat logo as an avatar... Thats a little bandwagon esque... Sorry for my rant, but that guys been bothering me forever

Anyways.. This is great news to hear about Ager. I hope he gets to play some next season. Its possible he may start as a rookie. Devin did and no one thought he was going to start over Jason, and he did. so you never know..


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## Tersk (Apr 9, 2004)

Jet said:


> Anyways.. This is great news to hear about Ager. I hope he gets to play some next season. Its possible he may start as a rookie. Devin did and no one thought he was going to start over Jason, and he did. so you never know..


I think Devin Harris starting hurt his confidence.

He started the season as a starter so his confidence was extremely high, then he was suddenly pushed out of the lineup and got almost zero minutes. Nelson would sub him out the moment he made a mistake. I'm glad Avery came in, because I believe he saved his career.

On a related note, opposite to what happened with Marquis Daniels - Avery subbed MD out the moment something bad happened.


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## StackAttack (Mar 15, 2006)

Jet said:


> Anyways.. This is great news to hear about Ager. I hope he gets to play some next season. Its possible he may start as a rookie. Devin did and no one thought he was going to start over Jason, and he did. so you never know..


That had more to do with Nellie being crazy confident in himself thinking he just drafted the ROY (again). He struggled, and I think that hurt him, like Tersk said.


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## Jet (Jul 1, 2005)

Im not expecting Ager to start.. but I didnt expect Devin to either.. Yeah, I dont think that starting Devin was a good idea. in his rookie year. He even has said that he likes coming off the bench more. As the years have passed though (lol like 2 of them), I think Devins more capable of starting though, hes improved a whole lot.


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