Mavericks reserve center Salah Mejri made friends and family proud
When Dallas Mavericks center Salah Mejri checked his smartphone after Wednesday’s 108-89 loss to Oklahoma City, it was filled with folks congratulating him for his sterling performance against the Thunder.
Mejri finished the game with 17 points and nine rebounds in 25 minutes.
Family, friends and people who follow me on social network were telling me I did a great job and to keep working hard.
Mavericks backup center Salah Mejri
“Family, friends and people who follow me on social network were telling me I did a great job and to keep working hard,” Mejri said. “Everybody is happy for me; I was happy, too.”
Born in Tunisia, Mejri’s breakout game came at the most opportune time.
Mejri said: “It was nice for me and nice for all my country, because the 14th of January was the celebration of the revolution that happened five years ago, and everybody was like that’s the best thing you can make for us on the revolution day.”
His performance caught a lot of folks by surprise. Coach Rick Carlisle wasn’t one of those.
When you work hard to stay ready and you get an opportunity, you’re in a much better position to succeed.
Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle on Salah Mejri
“I was impressed, but it wasn’t unexpected,” Carlisle said. “The guy’s a good player and that’s why we signed him
“Our developmental people have been working hard keeping him ready. When you work hard to stay ready and you get an opportunity, you’re in a much better position to succeed.”
Mejri got an opportunity to put up big numbers because all five Mavs starters sat out, either to rest or because of injury (center Zaza Pachulia).
“It was a real 17 and 9,” owner Mark Cuban said of Mejri’s outing. “It wasn’t like it just fell to him. It wasn’t garbage time and a couple of quick buckets because he was standing under the basket.”
Mejri, 29, played nine years professionally overseas before the Mavs signed him to a contract on July 30. Before Wednesday, most of his playing time this season had come with the Texas Legends in the D-League, where he didn’t put up any impressive numbers.
He just got an opportunity to play and he took advantage of it to show everyone that he can play out here.
Mavericks guard Raymond Felton on Mejri
“You can’t really judge it from the D-League, because I went to the game down in the D-League and saw him and Justin [Anderson] play and everybody is after their own, because everybody wants to be seen, everybody wants to get called up,” guard Raymond Felton said. “So to see him out there with us with some structure and the way he played, Salah can play this game.
“He’s been playing professional basketball overseas for years now, so this isn’t really nothing new to him. He just got an opportunity to play and he took advantage of it to show everyone that he can play out here.”
The highlight of Mejri’s night was a dunk over Serge Ibaka, one of the NBA’s best shot blockers.
“If you’re a shot blocker — I’m a shot blocker — one day people are going to get you,” Mejri said. “That’s basketball. Maybe next time he’s going to dunk on me or block my shot.”
The Oklahoma City game was just his sixth Mavs game, and he showed that Dallas can count on him if needed.
“I love what he did,” Carlisle said. “He played very well and he rebounded well. He did the things that our centers need to do within our system.”
Dwain Price: 817-390-7760, @dwainprice
This story was originally published January 15, 2016 at 8:56 PM with the headline "Mavericks reserve center Salah Mejri made friends and family proud."