Jalen Brunson Taken by Mavs, Teams Up with 2018 NBA Draft Pick Luka Doncic

After an outstanding career at Villanova, Jalen Brunson is headed to the pros after the Dallas Mavericks selected him at No. 33 overall in the 2018 NBA draft Thursday night. 

The move came hours after the Mavericks acquired Real Madrid guard Luka Doncic at No. 3 overall following a trade with the Atlanta Hawks. 

Bleacher Report's Jonathan Wasserman ranked the former Wildcat as the No. 25 overall prospect in April.

The 6'2", 198-pound guard saved his best for last at Villanova. This past season, the junior set career highs in scoring (18.9 points per game), three-point shooting (40.8 percent from beyond the arc), assists (4.6) and rebounds (3.1). Those numbers, along with his team's performance, earned him a number of accolades.

Jalen Brunson Game Highlights

In his final season as a Wildcat, Brunson was named a first-team All-American while winning Big East Player of the Year, the Bob Cousy award—nation's top point guard—and the Naismith National College Player of the Year. He also won the national championship, his second in three years.

Brunson's two biggest attributes—shooting and winning—are what every NBA team looks for in a point guard. He shot 51 percent from the field and 39.3 percent from deep in his career. Not only that, but he also racked up a .888 winning percentage in his college career by going an astounding 103-13.

It also doesn't hurt that his dad, Minnesota Timberwolves assistant coach Rick Brunson, once played in the league.

"Brunson doesn't have great size, as we all know, but he can score, he can shoot, he could be a leader on your second unit," an NBA general manager told Sporting News' Sean Deveney in April. "His dad stuck around a long time because he worked hard and was smart enough to find his role wherever he was. Jalen can probably do better than that."

The 21-year-old figures to be a better scorer than his father (3.2 points per game in his nine-year career), although being a college star does not guarantee success at the next level.

Dallas likes what it has seen on film. Now it's up to Brunson to prove he can continue to shoot the ball as a pro.