Yogi Ferrell Was The Most Overlooked Star of Summer League

The Mavs have every right to be excited about their top pick, Dennis Smith Jr.. But Yogi Ferrell should be just as exciting for the team going forward.

Despite the flurry of attention being given to Dennis Smith Jr., the Dallas Mavericks enjoyed an equally impactful performance from this past summer league out of Yogi Ferrell. While Smith has solidified his spot as the team’s starting point guard, Ferrell will be right there behind him and has the chance to be one of the best backup point guards in the NBA.

Ferrell has surprised scouts around the NBA. For a player so overlooked after going undrafted, Ferrell blew away the Mavericks after his stellar performance this past season. Ferrell’s understanding of a pro NBA offense compared with his strong sense of confidence, has made him a valuable piece to the Mavs’ rebuild.

A competent three-point shooter, willing passer and focused defender, Ferrell has an incredibly high ceiling for someone with as little experience as himself. With remarkable open floor speed and surprisingly bulky strength, Ferrell’s athleticism complements his on court abilities extremely well.

While Ferrell’s willingness to simply run the offense and not be caught up in looking for his own numbers have been impressive, the best thing about Ferrell has been his production on the defensive end of the floor. Ferrell has been an absolute pit bull defensively.

Only 6”0 tall, Ferrell can only be so impactful defensively. There will never come a time where he is the primary defender against the opposition’s best scorer.

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Fortunately for Dallas, he does not have to be. With Wesley Matthews, Harrison Barnes, and Nerlens Noel in the lineup, Ferrell has little pressure on him to excel defensively on the perimeter.

What Ferrell does provide for Rick Carlisle, is a focused, determined defender off the bench. Combined with Dorian Finney-Smith and Salah Mejri, the Mavs may have one of the best defensive bench units in basketball. Not to mention a stout group of defenders in the starting lineup.

Dallas’ lineup is in good shape for the future. What they are simultaneously looking to develop is their bench. Seth Curry’s offensive progress this past season was beautiful to watch, as was Ferrell’s two-way development.

If Dennis Smith Jr. becomes what the Mavericks think he will become, the combination of him, along with Ferrell, will be among the deadliest one-two punches from the point guard position in the NBA.

Next: Ten Potential 2018 NBA Free Agents

The Mavs may only be a .500 team this season, but this could be the most encouraging offseason in quite some time for the team.

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