Dallas Mavericks rookie Finn Delany (6-7, 225) is currently in his first NBA Summer League training camp, and Wednesday, Mavs.com caught up with the New Zealand native to talk about his off-court passions and hobbies. Delany, along with the rest of the team, will leave Dallas on Thursday for Las Vegas to prepare for their opening summer league game against the Brooklyn Nets on Friday at 6 p.m., Dallas time.
After the opener on July 5th, Dallas will then face division-rival Houston on Saturday at 8 p.m. and Sacramento on Monday at 2:30 p.m., before wrapping up the prelims with a matchup with Croatia on Wednesday at 2:30 p.m.
Before Delany left for Vegas with his teammates, Mavs.com chatted with him about all the important things in life…like food, music and his favorite hobbies. Delany also explained what he’s learned from watching forward Kostas Antetokounmpo and guard Daryl Macon:
What’s your favorite American food?
I actually love the Tex-Mex type food — that’s Mexican food. Tex-Mex I really like.
What’s the best thing you’ve done since you’ve been in Dallas?
Train with the Dallas Mavericks.
What type of music do you like to listen to?
I like New Zealand music, so I like…I don’t know how to explain it. New Zealand music is a mix between kind of jazz, reggae, some modern hip-hop. It’s cool. You should check it out.
What’s your favorite sport besides basketball?
Besides basketball, my favorite sport is surfing.
What are your favorite hobbies?
I love art, I love being on the beach, being outside, being in the water. I’m from New Zealand. We grew up being in the water, so swimming, jumping off stuff into the water, surfing, playing in the waves, that sort of thing.
So, you’re not scared of sharks or anything?
No. Sharks are your friends.
What’s your all-time favorite movie?
That’s a tough one. Maybe Inception. I’m a big Leonardo DiCaprio fan.
What’s your favorite video game?
I don’t play video games. Maybe Fortnite.
Do you have a favorite TV show you like to watch?
Game of Thrones.
How many countries have you visited?
I’ve visited a lot of countries. Twenty to 25.
What was your favorite country that you visited?
Japan or Germany.
How many languages do you speak?
I speak one language. Just English.
At what age did you decide that you wanted to be a pro basketball player?
As soon as I started playing I think six years old. Maybe. Maybe a little older than that — seven years old.
Are you a Star Wars or a Star Trek fan?
Star Wars. I haven’t watched Star Trek.
Have you ever been to Las Vegas?
I’ve been to Vegas before. There’s a lot of lights — (Laughter) – a lot of slot machines, But it’s a business trip.
Forward Kostas Antetokounmpo and guard Daryl Macon were in the Summer League last year. Have you gotten a chance to talk to them and learn anything from them so far?
Yeah, a little bit. I think I’m just learning how they come into work every day. You know, I see them doing extras in the weight room, working on their bodies, and getting their shots. So, you know, just learning how to be a pro.
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