DALLAS (105.3 The Fan) - The Dallas Mavericks got the type of player they wanted when they selected Arizona freshman forward Josh Green with the 18th overall pick in the first-round of the NBA draft on Wednesday night.
Dallas was looking to improve their perimeter defense and their shooting around star point guard Luka Doncic, and that's exactly what they got in Green.
"Terrific two-way player. Terrific athlete. We had a terrific interview with him about two weeks ago," Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said after the pick was made. "What we needed first for our roster were wing defenders who can shoot, score and hopefully make plays. We feel he's a ready-to-go 3-and-D guy."
Green, 19, is a 6'6" shooting guard from Sydney, Australia. He was named a McDonald's All-American while playing for IMG Academy in Florida in 2019.
Green averaged 12 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game in 30 starts for the Wildcats last season. He shot 36.1% from three-point range and 42% overall.
He was also among the best defenders in the Pac 12, ranking sixth in the conference in steals with 1.5 per game.