Jason Kidd and the Dallas Mavericks may have finally found a solution to their point guard woes in the form of Ryan Nembhard.
Though 18-year-old phenom and former No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg is off to a promising start, it’s been his undrafted rookie teammate Nembhard stealing the spotlight this week.
Nembhard, 22, has recorded consecutive double-doubles and became the first point guard in NBA history to record 25+ points and 10+ assists without a turnover on 100 percent true shooting in the Dec 1 victory over the Denver Nuggets. His 13 assists in Wednesday’s matchup against the Miami Heat were the most by a Mavericks player since Luka Dončić matched that total in December 2024.
With Kyrie Irving still sidelined with injury and Flagg transitioning to his more natural wing position, Nembhard is evolving into the dynamic floor general Dallas desperately needs.
Flagg heaped praise on the undrafted rookie, highlighting his importance both on and off the court as they navigate their debut seasons together.
“Ryan’s just the type of player where it’s just easy to be alongside,” Flagg said postgame. “He just makes everybody better out there. I love playing with Ryan. He’s a great player and a great person.”
“Me, Ryan, Miles [Kelly] as well, Moussa [Cisse]. The four of us coming in here, even though we’re all at different stages of our lives. We’re all kinda going through the same thing, you’re a rookie together, and you’re only a rookie once. Just trying to build that continuity and go through it together and not feel like we’re alone out here.”
Ryan Nembhard Has Been an Undrafted Gem in Dallas
GettyRyan Nembhard has provided a spark for the Mavericks starting unit
Coming from Gonzaga, Nembhard inked a two-way contract with the Mavericks in June and quickly began to turn heads.
In the Mavericks’ first Summer League game against the Los Angeles Lakers, Nembhard displayed his scoring prowess. He played on and off the ball, with Dallas giving heavy point guard reps to Flagg. Nembhard finished with 21 points on 8-of-14 shooting and five assists.
While he was viewed as a depth piece entering the regular season, injuries and rotation changes led to an expanded role, and the Canadian guard has seized the opportunity.
Nembhard was efficient in his first start for the Mavericks, finishing with 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting and nailed three of five attempts from beyond the arc. The 5-foot-11 guard impressed once more a couple games later, when he exploded for 28 points and 10 assists against Denver. That performance made him the first undrafted rookie in the modern NBA era to post at least 25 points and 10 assists without a single turnover.
“I thought he was great the whole game,” Mavericks HC Jason Kidd said of Nembhard. “He’s been great since we put him in the starting lineup. Being able to find guys, also his shot as we talked about. To have 28 & 10, he controlled the game. Big play down the stretch. The ball touches the paint & he finds Christie in the corner for a big 3. He took what the defense gave him. He was really good tonight.”
Though injuries and rotation changes inspired Nembhard’s entry to the Mavs’ starting lineup, his stellar play could make him a long-term fixture there.
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