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Dallas Mavericks' Carlisle compares point guard to Celtics' Rondo

08:30 PM CDT on Friday, June 26, 2009

By EDDIE SEFKO / The Dallas Morning News
esefko@dallasnews.com

The Mavericks aren't expecting the second coming of Tony Parker with their acquisition of French point guard Rodrigue Beaubois.

They'll settle for a reasonable facsimile of Boris Diaw.

Beaubois, a 6-2 point guard with great quickness and leaping ability, was acquired Thursday night by the Mavericks from Oklahoma City in a swap of picks taken one after another late in the first round of the NBA draft.

The Mavericks originally took Ohio State center B.J. Mullens with the 24th overall pick, but when the Thunder took Beaubois with the 25th pick, they exchanged the picks, with the Mavericks picking up a future second-rounder from the Thunder.

Beaubois, who worked out for the Mavericks a couple weeks before the draft, has a wingspan of 6-11 and is considered a supreme athlete.

The Mavericks have no intention of stashing him in Europe next season, coach Rick Carlisle said. Beaubois averaged 10 points for Cholet Basket in the French League last season.

"You'll probably hear rumors that he'll stay in Europe, but that's not the plan at all," Carlisle said. "The whole thing went absolutely as we had prepared for. We targeted a guy that we wanted and we felt we could get him a little lower than our pick.

"He's a dynamic athlete. He just looks like a basketball player with his length."

Carlisle compared Beaubois to Boston point guard Rajon Rondo. And Beaubois said he has heard that comparison, too. He does not consider himself comparable to fellow Frenchman Tony Parker, who Beaubois idolized growing up.

"I know it's a big challenge because I know there are very good point guards in the Western Conference," Beaubois said from New York. "But I will play as hard as I can. I think I can do a couple of things on offense, too. I've got long arms. I would say I can finish strong close to the basket."

That's got to be music to the Mavericks' ears, given their sometimes timid nature when it comes to slashing to the basket.

Mavs snag Calathes: The Mavericks did some dealing in the second round, acquiring Florida point guard Nick Calathes, who was taken by Minnesota at No. 45, for a 2010 second-round pick.

Calathes was believed to be first-round material by many experts but kept falling, and the Mavericks now will have the chance to keep him or allow him to gain seasoning in Greece.

Calathes already has signed with Olympiakos, and the Mavericks will retain his rights if he decides to play in Europe.

The Mavericks also drafted Ahmad Nivins, a 6-9 forward from St. Joseph's, with the 56th pick.

Briefly: The Mavericks were working on moving high into the second round to try to select Pittsburgh's DeJuan Blair but were unable to swing a deal. He was chosen by San Antonio with the 37th pick.

OUI, OUI
Players with French ties taken in the first round of the NBA draft:.
Year Player Pick Team
2001 Tony Parker 28 San Antonio
2003 Boris Diaw 21 Atlanta
2003 Mickael Pietrus 11 Golden State
2005 Ian Mahinmi 28 San Antonio
2005 Johan Petro 25 Seattle
2007 Joakim Noah 9 Chicago
2008 Nicolas Batum 25 Houston
2008 Alexis Ajinca 20 Charlotte
2009 Rodrigue Beaubois 25 Oklahoma City*
* Traded to Mavericks
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