NBA Draft 2013: Dallas Mavericks select Shane Larkin with No. 18 pick

Shane Larkin, a 6'0 point guard from the University of Miami, has been selected by the Dallas Mavericks with the No. 18 pick in the 2013 NBA Draft.

Larkin is undersized for an NBA point guard, but he makes up for his lack of height with superior quickness, surprising athleticism and deep shooting range. As the lead guard for a Hurricanes team that won the ACC regular-season championship and ACC Tournament championship in 2012-13, Larkin averaged 14.5 points, 4.6 assists, 3.8 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game. He made huge strides after a difficult freshman season and emerged as a team leader for Miami.

Larkin may struggle to finish in the paint and draw shooting fouls at the next level, but he can contribute in other ways. The 20-year-old guard is an active on-ball defender and an aggressive distributor who sees the floor well. He should be able to carve out a niche role in the NBA, and if things go well he could become a surprise player like Isaiah Thomas of the Sacramento Kings.

Larkin heads to a Mavericks team in transition right now. A couple of years removed from an NBA Championship, Dallas went 41-41 last season and is in need of young players to build around. With Darren Collison set to become a restricted free agent this summer, Larkin is a good insurance policy in case he leaves town.