Bleacher Report just confirmed what Mavericks fans already knew about Naji Marshall

It's that time of the offseason. The NBA Draft, free agency, and Summer League are now behind us, which means lists and rankings galore. One of those rankings rightfully shined a light on some of the NBA's most deserving, yet least-heralded players: Bleacher Report's top-10 most underrated players. Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall came in at No. 6, confirming what Mavericks fans have known all along: that he is one of the most underrated and underappreciated players in the league.

Naji Marshall's breakout season deserves more attention

Marshall has steadily improved his game over the past few seasons, culminating in a breakout 2025-26 campaign in which he averaged 15.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 51.0 percent from the field.

But there's more to his game than just his raw counting stats. Marshall is one of the NBA's rare do-it-all wings, which has rightfully earned him the nickname "The Knife."

Even though Marshall doesn't necessarily love his aptly fitting nickname, it suits him. He's like a Swiss Army knife, doing a little bit of everything on the floor.

Marshall was one of just 17 qualified players to average at least 15.0 points, 4.5 rebounds, 3.0 assists, and 1.1 steals per game last season. Add in a field-goal percentage of at least 50.0 percent, and that list shrinks to just seven players, including All-Stars Nikola Jokic, LeBron James, Kawhi Leonard, and Alperen Sengun.

The 28-year-old was part of a prestigious group, yet he's hardly talked about outside Dallas' fanbase. Perhaps it's Marshall's gradual yet significant ascension or his relatively unflashy game. He only connected on 62 threes at a 29.1 percent clip and recorded just 10 dunks a season ago.

Marshall's impact goes far beyond the box score

Nevertheless, that doesn't mean Marshall should be overlooked. Being able to do practically anything on the floor is almost unheard of for a player typically grouped alongside role players.

Moreover, despite splitting time between the starting lineup and the bench over the past two seasons, Marshall has consistently been tasked with defending some of the NBA's best players.

Just last season, Marshall spent most of his time defending James Harden, Deni Avdija, Jamal Murray, Keyonte George, Amen Thompson, and Kevin Durant. While helping initiate offense and contributing in a variety of ways on that end of the floor, he's still asked to defend at a high level night in and night out.

While the common NBA fan might not be all too familiar with Marshall's impact, it's reassuring to see Bleacher Report providing some Marshall propaganda.

The media outlet lauded Marshall's game, writing, "[Marshall] can shape-shift on defense and then handle, create and finish on offense. That sounds like a star, right?" Bleacher Report finished its blurb by adding, "If Cooper Flagg and a healthy Kyrie Irving can help the Mavericks make noise next season, don't be surprised to see a lot of overdue praise come Marshall's way."

What Mavericks fans have already known, Bleacher Report is shedding some light on. Although he wasn't ranked as the most underrated player in the NBA, it's still a worthwhile list to be a part of — one that yields Marshall as one of the league's lesser-known, better players.

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