The start of the 2024-25 regular season for the Dallas Mavericks is just over 72 hours away and fans can't wait to see what the team looks like after a busy offseason rebuilding the roster around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving .

Doncic, who missed the entire preseason due to a calf bruise, was one of the bigger stories from training camp for Dallas, and even though he missed the entire preseason, he has been practicing in the last few practices and it seems like he's leaning toward to play on Thursday night against the San Antonio Spurs.

Irving held the fort while Doncic was away and looked great in both games he played in, and fans got to see what he and Klay Thompson look like when they share the floor. Thompson's preseason was full of highs and lows, as he had some struggles on the field but also had some hot shooting stretches, and a recent quote from Irving shows why he was the perfect replacement for Dallas.

The chemistry and camaraderie between the Mavs players helped them make it to the NBA Finals last year, and it's important to enjoy the company of those you go to work with every day. Thompson dove headfirst into this new journey with the Mavs by taking his new teammates on a boat trip in California, and his impact off the field and as a teammate could end up being just as big as his impact on the field.

“He just keeps to himself, loves his family, loves what he does for a living, loves helping people, loves traveling,” Irving said of Thompson on Monday. “He’s just an overall good person. It’s a luxury we don’t take for granted, having that type of guy and that type of personality in our locker room.”

Irving was one of the biggest recruiters that helped bring Thompson to Dallas, and every time you ask him about him, it's clear that he thinks highly of him as a player, but also as a person. Irving's relationships with his teammates and his leadership skills on and off the field are some of the many highlights of his time with Dallas so far, and Thompson seems like a perfect fit when hearing about the kind of person he is from someone Irving knows well.

The players who have the most success in Dallas are the ones who don't bring big egos and embrace their role, and from what Irving said, it sounds like Thompson's personality is what sets him apart. The Mavericks pride themselves on signing these types of players, and Thompson's leadership should not be undermined early this season.

From what his teammates and coaches have said about him over the last month or so, Thompson appears to be an all-around great person, and this sets the stage for a great season for him in Dallas. Those who succeed in Dallas over multiple seasons typically all share this type of personality and demeanor, and success on the field will be icing on the cake.