Mavericks' unorthodox rookie plan is the risky gamble they desperately needed

Usually, NBA teams are looking for teenage rookies who have high ceilings and can develop within the organization. It's uncommon for teams to take on multiple college seniors as rookies, but that's exactly what the Dallas Mavericks did in the 2025 NBA Draft.

And it's bound to pay off next season.

Of course, Dallas drafted 18-year-old Cooper Flagg with the No. 1 overall pick, but they made some moves immediately after the draft ended for older players that could end up working out quicker than anyone could've imagined.

Why the Mavericks' 22-year-old rookies will be game-changers

Dallas signed Ryan Nembhard and Miles Kelly shortly after the second round of the draft ended, two four-year college players, and both players may have real roles in Jason Kidd's rotation by the time the season ends. Nembhard played four seasons for Creighton and Gonzaga (two seasons at each school) while Kelly spent three years at Georgia Tech and one year at Auburn. Some teams could be scared away by both players being 22 years old, but not Dallas.

The Mavericks are trying to win right now, and that's why it made the most sense to bring in Kelly and Nembhard. Dallas could've taken a chance on an unproven teenager who would've likely spent the entire year in the G League, but they decided to bring in two proven former seniors who already seem like they have what it takes to make a potential impact in the NBA right away.

Dallas is excited about both Kelly and Nembhard, and it seems like both players will fit into Mavericks culture perfectly. They both defend at a high level and put the team first, and this summer was a great preview of what they will bring to Dallas.

Both players thrived at NBA Summer League, and Mavs fans began to fall in love with different parts of each of their games over the nine days the Mavs spent in Las Vegas.

Nembhard's passing, 3-point shooting, and skill were evident in all three of the games that he played, and Dallas shutting him down after three games tells you everything that you need to know about how they feel about him. The Mavericks know they got a steal in him, and considering their guard rotation will be thin to begin the season with Kyrie Irving sidelined, Nembhard could be thrown into the fire right away.

On the other hand, the Mavericks also need some 3-point shooting, and that's where Kelly's impact will be felt. Kelly shot 37.8 percent from downtown as a senior at Auburn, and over 67 percent of his field goal attempts were from beyond the arc.

Kelly would keep the defense honest by attacking a closeout or scoring a bucket in transition occasionally, but the entire basketball world knows that his game is all about shooting. His incredible range and confidence are what set him apart as a senior at Auburn, and he'll have the perfect shooter to learn from in Dallas in Klay Thompson. Kelly's game at Summer League showed serious shades of Thompson, and his fearlessness did not look like that of a rookie.

The Mavericks will be hoping that Nembhard and Kelly can have as much success as some of their two-way players last season, as Brandon Williams and Kessler Edwards were two of the best two-way players in the league last year, and their strategy to bring in two older undrafted rookies perfectly fits their current plan.