LAS VEGAS -- Since NBA free agency started June 30, Mavericks officials, fans and the media have focused on how the organization will use its salary cap space to upgrade the roster.

But a large contingent of Mavericks followers during summer league over the weekend weren't too interested in Dallas acquiring point guard Delon Wright in a sign-and-trade with the Grizzlies.

Instead, many Japanese media members have swarmed Yudai Baba, a 24-year-old national star who's a rookie on the Mavericks' summer league roster.

Baba most likely won’t be a Maverick after the tournament in Las Vegas, but his hustle has drawn praise from the coaching staff and his national stature has created a frenzy each outing.

“His hard play, he’s one of the foundational guys with that on our team so far,” Mavericks assistant and summer league head coach Mike Weinar said. “It’s infectious, infectious in a positive way.”

Two years ago in Orlando, Mavs had Chinese sensation Ding. Here in Vegas, Japanese reporters clamor for every morsel of Yudai Baba’s reaction after his Summer League debut. pic.twitter.com/3PNbnOnwBM — Brad Townsend (@townbrad) July 6, 2019

Baba plays for Alvark Tokyo in Japan’s B.League and has played for the Japanese national team. Baba is the first active B.League player to appear in the NBA’s summer league, according to The Japan Times.

While Baba’s statistics during summer league haven’t been “overly impressive,” Weinar said, the team has appreciated hard-charging efforts. In three games, Baba has averaged 5.3 points a game on 6 of 11 shooting and totaled nine rebounds, three steals and one block.

“He’s bringing that juice every second he’s on the floor,” Weinar said.

That’s meant reporters from Japan have had several highlights to capture.

After the Mavericks beat the Nets, 96-92, on Friday, the group of cameras and writers surrounding Baba during a makeshift press conference stretched several lines deep. A similar set-up happened Saturday after the Mavericks’ 113-81 win over the Rockets.

A few reporters waited Monday by the Thomas & Mack Center entrance Monday to film Baba entering the arena.

Isaiah Roby might be the team’s only 2019 draft pick and Kostas Antetokounmpo might be part of a popular NBA family, but Japan’s Yudai Baba is the Mavs’ summer league media darling.



Several Japanese outlets captured his entrance before Mavs-Kings. pic.twitter.com/XPrHPJLDNH — Callie Caplan (@CallieCaplan) July 8, 2019

The national attention toward Japanese basketball players isn't new.

After the Wizards selected Rui Hachimura at No. 9 in the draft last month -- the highest slot for a Japanese-born player to become a first-round NBA pick -- Washington credentialed at least 17 Japanese news outlets and 41 reporters for his introductory press conference, according to The Washington Post.

Hachimura, Grizzlies second-year forward Yuta Watanabe and Pelicans rookie guard Makoto Hiejima are the other Japanese-born players playing in this year's summer league.

Baba's summer league Mavericks teammates, including second-round pick Isaiah Roby and two-way contract players Daryl Macon and Kostas Antetokounmpo -- haven't drawn similar hype.

But Baba said he's not fazed.

"It was so fun," Baba said. "But we have four game, so [each] game I will improve."

On Twitter: @CallieCaplan