Labaron Philon, a Mavericks draft target, is defended by Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg

Alabama's Labaron Philon (0) is defended by Michigan's Yaxel Lendeborg (23) during the first half of a Sweet 16 game in the 2026 NCAA Tournament at the United Center on March 27, 2026, in Chicago. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

Tracking The Dallas Mavericks’ 2026 NBA Pre-Draft Workouts

James Baxley-CrossJune 22, 2026 12:18 AMJune 22, 2026 12:18 AM

DHJ Quick Take: Tracking the Dallas Mavericks’ Pre-Draft Workouts Ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft

The Dallas Mavericks have hosted a wide range of pre-draft workouts ahead of the 2026 NBA Draft, spanning lottery locks, lottery hopefuls, and second-round and undrafted free-agent candidates.

Which picks do the Mavericks hold in the 2026 NBA Draft? Dallas owns the 9th, 30th, and 48th selections.
Who is the highest-ranked prospect the Mavericks have worked out? Keaton Wagler, the 6-foot-6 Illinois guard, is the consensus top name among Dallas’ workouts.
Which national champion worked out for Dallas? Yaxel Lendeborg, the 2026 Big Ten Player of the Year, won a national title at Michigan.
Which prospect shares a hometown with a Mavericks legend? Hannes Steinbach hails from Würzburg, Germany, the home of Dirk Nowitzki and Maxi Kleber.
What’s next? The Mavericks will make their three selections when the 2026 NBA Draft is held.

The 2026 NBA Draft is rapidly approaching. With the 9th, 30th and 48th picks, the Dallas Mavericks have hosted a number of pre-draft workouts as they hone in on their favorite prospects.

After working out groups headlined by Texas Tech’s Christian Anderson, Dallas has hosted more first-round prospects, including Mikel Brown Jr. and Ebuka Okorie.

Lottery Locks Who’ve Worked Out

Keaton Wagler is the consensus highest-ranked player of the Mavericks’ workouts. The 6-foot-6 Illinois guard is expected to be off the board by the time Dallas picks at nine, but the draft is always full of surprises and a drop for Wagler isn’t out of the realm of possibility.

Kingston Flemings is another of the top guard prospects whom the Mavericks have worked out. The speedy guard from Houston has some questions about his skinny frame and short wingspan, but was considered by some a top-five talent early during last season.

Lottery Hopefuls Who’ve Worked Out

Four lottery hopefuls have also been to Dallas. Labaron Philon is one who also falls under the umbrella of small guards like Flemings and Okorie. After returning to Alabama for his sophomore season, Philon was one of the best scorers in the country.

Despite everything Philon showed as a playmaker and finisher, his size and unexceptional athleticism have held him back. He’s seriously skinny. Weighing 176 pounds at the NBA Combine, Philon will come into the NBA as one of the lightest players in the league.

Yaxel Lendeborg, though one of the oldest players in the draft, is coming off a Big 10 Player of the Year award and national championship with Michigan.

Lendeborg is a do-it-all forward, with strength going downhill and the touch to make connective passes and hit short jumpers. His three-point shot is still a work in progress, but he’s shown improvement in each of his years in college. With the jumper getting better and his defensive tenacity, Lendeborg could be an instant-impact player.

Hannes Steinbach is on track to be the third NBA player ever from Wurzburg, Germany.

Dirk Nowitzki was the first, followed by Maxi Kleber. Considering the former is the greatest player in the history of the Mavericks’ franchise and the latter was a valuable role player in Dallas for eight seasons, Steinbach would be following quite the lineage if he landed with the Mavericks.

As a freshman at Washington, he averaged 18.5 points and a nation-best 11.8 rebounds while displaying a blend of skill and toughness. At 6-foot-11, Steinbach showed tremendous offensive upside. His touch around the rim and 75.9% clip from the free-throw line suggest potential as a shooter, but if it doesn’t come around, he still seems like a safe bet to be a good player for many years.

The last of Dallas’ workouts that could reasonably hear their name in the lottery is Bennett Stirtz, a 22-year-old guard out of Iowa. Stirtz was a lead initiator with the Hawkeyes but expects to play a more off-ball style at the next level.

Scouts seem convinced by his ability as a catch-and-shoot player and off-ball roamer. Paired with his experience with the ball in his hands, Stirtz projects as a reliable combo guard in the NBA. What might hold him back from a higher draft position is his perceived lack of upside as an older prospect.

Second Rounders and Undrafted Free Agents

The Mavericks have also hosted a horde of players expected to go in the second round or sign deals as undrafted free agents.

Those players include St. John’s big and Garland native Zuby Ejiofor, Cincinnati’s Baba Miller, UConn’s Alex Karaban, Northwestern’s Nick Martinelli, Duke’s Maliq Brown, Kentucky’s Otega Oweh, Houston’s Milos Uzan, Grand Canyon’s Jaden Henley, George Washington’s Rafael Castro, Oostende’s Noam Yaacov, Utah State’s Drake Allen, Drexel’s Shane Blakeney, Tulane’s Rowan Brumbaugh, Kansas’ Melvin CouncilJr., Pittsburgh’s Barry Dunning Jr., BYU’s Keba Keita, South Carolina’s Mike Sharavjamts, Miami-Ohio’s Peter Suder, Texas’ Chendall Weaver and Florida State’s Chauncey Wiggins.

More Mavericks Coverage on Dallas Hoops Journal

James Baxley-Cross

James Baxley-Cross joined Dallas Hoops Journal as a contributor in 2026. He graduated from the University of Missouri with a Bachelor's of Journalism degree in 2025, where he also covered high school sports for the Columbia Missourian. Since, he has done work as a freelance sports reporter for the Lake Highlands Advocate. You can follow James on X @jamescross_.

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