Mavericks quietly uncovered a diamond in the rough this offseason

The Dallas Mavericks struck gold immediately after the 2025 NBA Draft ended, as they promptly signed Ryan Nembhard to a two-way deal along with Miles Kelly. Nembhard was easily one of the best undrafted players of this year's draft class, and the rest of the NBA will quickly realize that Cooper Flagg isn't the only Mavs rookie with star potential.

As a senior at Gonzaga, Nembhard led the nation in assists with 344, and this ranked fifth all-time for assists in a single season in NCAA history. Nembhard's final season as a Bulldog was historic, and he'll have the chance to carry this positive momentum into his first season with the Mavericks as they try to return to the NBA Playoffs after a disappointing season.

The Mavs' backcourt is stacked, as Jason Kidd has Kyrie Irving, D'Angelo Russell, Brandon Williams, Nembhard, and Dante Exum to choose from when it comes to who will run the show, and the first half of the season will be Nembhard's chance to prove that he is ready for the big moment.

Ryan Nembhard could be Dallas' next hidden gem

Irving is set to miss multiple months with a torn ACL that he suffered back in March, and this could lead to Nembhard having a role in the rotation right away. He will immediately be one of the best passers on the team as soon as he steps onto the floor, and his play while in Las Vegas at NBA Summer League showed just that.

Even though Flagg was the primary creator when he shared the floor with Nembhard, Nembhard showed that he can be an elite passer and make the right read time and time again. One of his best plays of the week was a lob pass to Flagg against the San Antonio Spurs, and it didn't take those two very long to get on the same page. Nembhard was praised for his poise, basketball IQ, and passing all week long by Mavs Summer League head coach Josh Broghamer, and he stepped up to the plate in big moments.

He capped off his Summer League debut against the Los Angeles Lakers with a go-ahead 3-pointer from the wing, which ultimately won the Mavericks the game, and it didn't take long for Mavericks fans to realize that they had gotten a steal in Nembhard. Dallas was so impressed with his performances in Las Vegas that they shut him down after three games, which isn't typical for an undrafted player, and his rookie season has the potential to be a special one.

He likely won't be the type of rookie who is playing every single night and making an All-Rookie team, but he definitely should be someone whom Kidd can rely upon on special occasions while getting to simultaneously develop with the Texas Legends. We saw Williams go through a similar developmental path, as he didn't play much for the Mavs during his first season with the team, but during his second season, he outplayed his two-way contract and earned a standard deal with the team.

Nembhard could end up developing in a similar way, and he could even have a standard contract by the time that the 2025-26 season ends. He is a special player, and if injuries continue to rain down on the Mavericks, he could find himself having a much bigger role than he even expected.

The Mavericks focused on adding experienced rookies this summer, which is a good thing considering that they are trying to win right now, and Nembhard will bring Dallas the ball handling, passing, and shooting that they need from him as he embarks on his first NBA season.

He isn't going to be the rookie whose highlights are getting clipped on SportsCenter every night, but he is going to be the youngster who lays a foundation to have a great career in Dallas and shows the rest of the league that they shouldn't have passed up on him.