3 Reasons Dallas Mavericks fans should love Mike Miles Jr.

After signing a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks on July 18, Mike Miles Jr. had a solid Summer League stint. Despite how guard-heavy the Mavericks roster is heading into training camp, Miles Jr. has an opportunity to carve a role out for himself as a reserve if the Mavericks bare any injuries throughout the season or wish to consolidate one of their other guards in a trade.

Miles Jr. will likely be competing with Jordan "Jelly" Walker (who also had a strong Summer League) for the Mavericks "emergency guard" spot. That being said, he could elevate himself into a role player if he continues to develop and get better with the Texas Legends and Mavs this next season.

Here are three reasons why Miles Jr. will become a fan-favorite for Legends and Mavericks fans.

1. A homegrown product

Miles Jr. was born in Atlanta, Texas, about two and a half hours away from the Dallas area. However, he attended Lancaster High School, only 20 minutes outside of Dallas, and played on the famed Texas Titans, one of the premier AAU squads in Texas that competes in the Nike EYBL circuit.

The 20-year-old maintained his focus despite being in the spotlight at such a young age. He was named Class 5A Player of the Year in Texas, as well as the Dallas Morning News' SportDayHS All-Area Player of the Year.

Miles Jr. started on varsity throughout all four years of high school, and if it weren't for the cancellation of the 2020 5A high school state basketball tournament, he may of very well lead the 36-1 Lancaster Tigers to a state championship.

The point guard was ranked a four-star-ranked recruit by Rivals.com and had his fair share of schools to pick from heading into college, as he was one of the most highly-touted high school basketball players in the DFW area.

Despite offers from programs with better track records, such as LSU, Oklahoma State, and Oregon, Miles Jr. chose to attend school right down the street at TCU.

2. Continuous improvement in college

Mike Miles Jr. has made an immediate impact everywhere he goes, and this was absolutely the case when he stepped foot on the court at TCU as a freshman.

He started in 21 out of the 25 contests he played in that year and was one of only five freshmen to average more than 13 points, three assists, and three rebounds per game throughout the entire 2020-21 season.

The point guard also played in the U19 FIBA World Cup championship game against France and Victor Wembanyama during the summer ahead of his sophomore season at TCU.

In an interview with U-Sports Group Media on YouTube, Miles Jr. cited finishing through contact as one of his main areas of improvement throughout the 2021 summer. He also talked about the stark difference in pace and spacing at the international level compared to the college game, which helped prepare him for the NBA level.

His work clearly paid dividends, as Miles Jr. became progressively more explosive driving towards the rim and more comfortable getting to his spots in the half-court.

Miles Jr. played extremely well over the next two seasons at TCU, as he led them to two straight second-round appearances in the NCCA tournament after missing the event outright his freshman year.

In his sophomore season, he upped his scoring average to 15.4 points per game and went on to score 17.9 points per game during his junior season in 2022-23.

3. Impressive Summer League showing

After agreeing to a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks, Mike Miles Jr. blossomed when his name was called in Summer League. He averaged 12.2 points and 3.8 assists per game in five summer league contests.

He showed off his quick burst on dribble drives as well as his ability to weave and finish through traffic throughout his tenure in Las Vegas, especially in the last two games that he started.

With Jaden Hardy sitting out the final two games of Summer League, Miles Jr. was tasked with a more significant role as a primary creator and initiator. He stepped up to the plate as his shot diet expanded and he gained confidence.

Miles Jr. started operating more in the in-between game by getting defenders on his hip, which was vital in enabling him to get to his spots and finishing with a floater or step-back jumper.

Despite his potentially-lethal three-level scoring ability, Miles Jr. will need to shoot more efficiently, as he went just 4-for-15 from three-point range in Vegas. He will also need to become a better playmaker if he wishes to make a run at the Mavs rotation in the next few seasons.

However, the potential for Miles Jr. is undoubtedly there, and only time will tell if the once fourth-grade basketball phenom blossoms into a rotational piece, with him likely splitting time between the Texas Legends and Mavericks next year.