Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall almost forgot to turn on his TV to watch the NBA draft lottery Monday.
“I forgot it came on. I turned on ESPN. It was on top five [when] I seen us across the board,” Marshall said on a recent appearance of “The Young Man and the Three” podcast.
“It just kept going down. Three, two, one. I started jumping in the air. I couldn’t believe it. Like ‘how?’” he added. “But I’m excited bro, so excited.”
Add Marshall to the list of people with ties to the Mavs’ organization who were hype after the Mavericks landed the top pick in the upcoming draft. Team governor Patrick Dumont and former majority owner Mark Cuban screamed like “teenagers at a Taylor Swift concert” when they learned of the Mavs’ extraordinary good fortune.
Marshall also shared his thoughts on Duke phenom Cooper Flagg, the Mavs’ projected No. 1 pick.
“I love his game honestly, like for real. He’s a winner. I love how he hoops. I love the dog he has. You know I’m a dog, so that’s really what I’m looking for. He’s a dog too, so I’m excited bro. To see him grow, become a star in this league,” Marshall said.
"I'm excited to see him grow, become a star in the league." -- Naji Marshall on the Mavs winning the NBA Draft lottery + Cooper Flagg potentially becoming a Mav pic.twitter.com/FQTbbRDEEE
— TheYoungManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) May 17, 2025
The nearly hourlong podcast touched on a variety of topics and eventually turned to Luka Doncic and the blockbuster trade that sent him to Los Angeles. Marshall was candid about his feelings in the immediate aftermath.
“I understood that business is business as far as the NBA, but I was hurt,” Marshall said. “Luka’s my dog, for real.
“And I love AD, that’s my guy right there. He’s been great to us,” Marshall continued. “But as far as just personally, I just was hurt to lose Luka, man. I mean, it was a great time spent with him, the short time we did, and I was just hurt to see him go.”
"I was hurt man. Luka is my dog, for real." -- Naji Marshall speaks on the Luka trade 🚨 NEW YM3 WITH NAJI MARSHALL & TREY MURPHY IS LIVE EVERYWHERE 🚨 pic.twitter.com/3l39ZEOBZD
— TheYoungManAndTheThree (@OldManAndThree) May 17, 2025
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