Mark Cuban demands respect for Mavericks' overlooked fan favorite

Naji Marshall has been a revelation this season. He’s been one of the lone bright spots in an otherwise challenging season for the Dallas Mavericks. His stellar play has earned the admiration of Mavs minority owner Mark Cuban, who believes Marshall’s name should be in the hat for the NBA’s Most Improved Player award.

Cuban has been one of the NBA’s most vocal owners in recent memory, and he hopped on Twitter/X earlier this season to tell respected NBA analysts Bill Simmons and Tim Legler that Marshall’s name should be at the top of the Most Improved Player list this season.

Mark Cuban knows Naji Marshall deserves more credit

Cuban said, “I know you and @LegsESPN are putting @marshall_naji8 right near the top of that MIP list. Just look at his in-the-paint stats. Plays both ways. Passes. Defends. He lets his game do all the talking. Mavs fans know. Time you all learned!”

That’s a huge endorsement from Cuban, who has seen it all since he first purchased a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks in January 2000. Cuban quickly transformed the Mavs from a struggling team into a consistent contender, ultimately guiding them to their first and only NBA Championship in 2011.

Cuban knows that players like Marshall move the needle in ways the casual eye may not see. Marshall plays both ends and knows how to cut to the basket for easy layups. He can also play without the ball, making him an excellent complementary player alongside players like Cooper Flagg and Kyrie Irving.

Marshall has been Dallas’ most consistent role player this season, averaging 15.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, and 3.1 assists per game on 53.1 percent shooting from the field. That’s an improvement from his 13.2 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.0 assists per game on 50.8 percent shooting from last season. Plus, Marshall is shooting a career-best true shooting percentage of 61.3 percent and scoring a career-best 20.6 points per 40 minutes.

Naji Marshall's rise could force Dallas into a tough decision

Marshall’s game is trending in the right direction, and he also possesses another very important quality. He’s extremely loyal. He wants to stay in Dallas and play with Flagg for the rest of his career. 

After a gritty 116-114 overtime win against a very good Detroit Pistons team on December 18, in which Flagg poured in 23 points, and Marshall chipped in with 16 points, Marshall seemed excited for the future and a continued alliance with Flagg.

“Coop is really amazing at basketball. He’s a dog on both ends of the floor… Pledge allegiance to the Flagg,” said an effusive Marshall.

Dallas would be wise to surround Flagg with players like Marshall. He’s willing to do the dirty work, but he’s also showing a penchant for stepping up offensively in a more featured role when it's required. 

Marshall has eclipsed the 30-point mark three times in Dallas’ last 10 games and five times this season. The most recent was a season-high 36-point explosion (just two points under his career high) on a scorching 14-23 from the field in a tough 130-121 loss to the Sacramento Kings.

He’s shown that he’s capable of having that occasional big game on offense when Flagg or Irving don’t have it going. But what doesn’t change is his effort on defense. That’s how you build a winning culture. Cuban knows that, and so do the Dallas fans.

However, Marshall’s ascension as a player puts the Mavs in a tricky position. Marshall is in the second year of a three-year, $27 million contract he signed with Dallas in July 2024. It’s fully guaranteed, and Dallas will have to decide whether to use Marshall as a trade piece for future assets or negotiate an extension.

Only time will tell what Dallas decides to do. But Marshall’s evolution as a player is something Mark Cuban and Dallas fans have known for quite some time.