That's exactly what was on display when the Mavericks shared a video of practice on their official 'X' account. De Larrea gets the ball up top, makes a move, kicks it out to Johnson Jr., and he knocks down a 3-pointer.
Not only does Johnson Jr. answer all the questions of deep-range shooting, but these are the two rookies going hard in practice.
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) July 6, 2026
Morez Johnson Jr. and Sergio De Larrea make for a local viral moment in Mavs' practice
Usually, it would've been one of the rookies making a play, but this was the two rookies connecting in practice.
Just like Johnson Jr.'s question of deep range shooting, De Larrea answered questions about his playmaking. He comes up the court and makes a crossover and then finds the open Johnson Jr. Of course, this is just one practice, but the two rookies helped turn heads at the right time, when some were skeptical about the first-rounders.
Insert Cooper Flagg in that lineup, and you have two playmakers who can play at the same time. De Larrea is a Super Cup MVP who has already been playing for one of the best leagues. He looks comfortable, and he looks like he's already inserting his way to some decent minutes in the lineup.
Johnson Jr. is a tough-minded athlete who can play post defense, rebound, and score in the paint. But his deep-range shooting has been a liability to some. He's not necessarily going to be Keaton Wagler or Darius Acuff Jr., who lights it up from deep, but he's a work in progress.
There's every reason to be optimistic about Johnson Jr. The recent champions have had a physical asset to their team. For the Mavs, there's a long way to go, but Johnson Jr. isn't changing his identity. He's going to be the same guy he was in college, and those in the NBA media are already buying his stock.
These are baby steps, but this is still amazing to see. Two rookies who are already buying into each other, and I think it's safe to say the fanbase is already buying both of them.
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