Mavericks' hidden gem just unlocked a new power to finally become a star

P.J. Washington has always been a fan-favorite in Dallas, especially after his iconic "standing on business" moment during the Mavericks' first-round series against the LA Clippers in 2024, but his play this season is exceeding even the highest of expectations. And that is largely due to his improvements as a finisher around the rim and overall dominance in the paint.

He isn't just considered an enforcer anymore, who can have big games here and there. Washington is turning into a star in Dallas, and fans should be excited about his future with the team after he signed a four-year extension this offseason.

Last season, Washington took a needed step as a jump shooter, as his 3-point percentage jumped from 32 percent to 38.1 percent year over year, and now we've seen a similar drastic improvement with his play down low. Even though he gets caught trying to bulldoze defenders and occasionally misses a shot at the rim or turns the ball over, more often than not, he is converting once he gets near the basket.

His added strength seems to be the biggest difference here, as he seems unaffected by defenders who are on his hip, especially in transition. He just gives them a bump with his shoulder to create some space and finishes right over the top of them with either hand.

P.J. Washington has turned into a paint beast

Smaller guards hate to see Washington coming toward them in transition, and Jason Kidd spoke about this after the Mavericks' loss to the New Orleans Pelicans on Wednesday night.

"I think he worked extremely hard on his body," Kidd said when asked about Washington's improved efficiency in the paint. "Being able to in transition to handle, gives us another dribbler, and then he's taken full advantage of strength against smaller guards and taking the hit and getting and-ones."

Washington isn't even having to knock down multiple threes per game to make a major impact for his team. His emphasis on getting to the bucket and drawing fouls is evident, and the numbers show that.

Through eight games, Washington is tied for second in the NBA with Pascal Siakam, DeMar DeRozan, and Paolo Banchero for made 2-point buckets while also drawing a foul (an and-one regardless of whether he sinks the free throw or not) with 10, only trailing Julius Randle of the Minnesota Timberwolves. Washington is averaging over one and-one bucket per game, and this is a major improvement from last year.

In the 2024-25 season, Washington only made 19 2-point shots after drawing a foul over 57 games. This means that he converted an and-one every three games on average. Now, he's seemingly doing it every game.

He is also getting to the free throw line much more often this season, as his free throws attempted per game rose from 3.5 per game last season to 4.9 this year. Washington is living at the free throw line, and this is helping him get some easy points for his team.

Last season, Washington shot 57.9 percent on shots that were less than five feet away from the basket and 38.2 percent on shots 5-9 feet away from the rim, which were both in the bottom half of the team. While he was forced into a tough spot with all of the injuries, his floater and overall scoring around the bucket were not where they needed to be as a true power forward in today's NBA, and this was clearly an area that needed to improve if he wanted to take the next step in his development.

Now, he seemingly can't be stopped in the paint, and his ability to finish through contact has shone through.

Washington is shooting 62.1 percent on shots less than five feet away from the rim and 51.7 percent on shots 5-9 feet away from the basket, which are both considerable improvements from the numbers he put up last season. He has been a monster in transition this season, averaging 4.9 points per game in transition, which leads the team.

This ranks just outside the top 30 in the NBA, and his play this season has been one of the few bright spots amid a dark 2-6 start for Dallas. Washington is averaging career-highs across the board with 15.8 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game, and Kidd is slowly being able to rely upon him more and more.

"He’s playing unbelievable," Kidd said on Wednesday evening. "He’s been playing at an All-Star level. 38 minutes a night, has been playing the five, four, three, two, one. He’s playing them all and guarding everybody."

He took his game to the next level over the offseason, and his focus on his touch around the rim and getting stronger has helped turn him into one of the Mavericks' most consistent players. Washington is doing whatever he can to help his team win, and Dallas is in deep need of those around him to step up before the seemingly promising 2025-26 season turns into more of a disaster than it already has.