Dallas Mavericks Second-Round Pick Already Creating Believers Around NBA

Vsevolod Ishchenko could be a real player in the NBA.

Jun 29, 2026; Dallas, TX, USA; Masai Ujiri, Dallas Mavericks’ President of Basketball Operations, provides an opening statement during an introductory press conference for new head coach Dusty May at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Dallas Mavericks left the 2026 NBA Draft with four players that they feel really good about, and all four players had strong contributions in the Summer League in Las Vegas.

While the headliners were first-round picks Morez Johnson Jr. and Sergio De Larrea, who each had big performances, second-round pick Vsevolod Ishchenko could be the most intriguing of the bunch.

Ishchenko got more comfortable scoring as the Summer League progressed, but he was always moving without the ball, often guarded the other team's best player, and showed the ability to put the ball on the floor.

Fans and draft analysts didn't know a lot about Ishchenko because he played in a smaller league in Russia and wasn't that productive, all things considered. While his raw stats of 9.6 PPG, 4.4 RPG, and 3.0 APG may not be that eye-popping, he left an impact on people around the NBA.

Keith Smith of Spotrac does a great job of gathering intel while at Summer League, and multiple people told him they expect Vsevolod Ishchenko to turn into something.

"Don’t sleep on Seva (Vsevolod Ishchenko)," A Mavericks executive told Smith. "It might be a year or so, but he’s a player too.”

"Ishchenko might end up being a really good player too,” an overseas scout told Smith.

Smith even said on his own admission that all of the Mavericks' draft picks this year "looked really good."

What Do Mavericks Have Planned for Vsevolod Ishchenko?

As intriguing as Ishchenko was in the Summer League, it's looking unlikely that he's in the Mavericks system this year. They're already at 16 roster spots, so they have to waive or trade someone to be roster-compliant, and all of their two-way spots are currently filled.

They could always waive John Poulakidas from his two-way spot to make room, but Ishchenko is under contract overseas, and NBA rules dictate that teams can't buy someone out of a contract to put that on a two-way deal.

Ishchenko could always buy his own contract out, but it may just be better for him to stay overseas another season to improve. It'd be better if he could go up a step in competition somehow, but he still just needs a little more development.

The Mavericks would love to have him in their system, and being on a two-way contract would be perfect for a guy like him, but the rules may dictate otherwise.

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