Dallas Mavericks sign player development expert to Jason Kidd's coaching staff

Long-time Utah Jazz assistant Ryan Jensen has agreed to join Jason Kidd's coaching staff on the Dallas Mavericks, according to ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.

Over the past few years, Jensen has interviewed for a multitude of head coaching jobs at the collegiate and NBA level including the Cleveland Cavaliers and Memphis Grizzlies openings in 2019, and the head coaching spots at BYU and Utah.

During his tenure with the Jazz, Jensen was credited with developing Rudy Gobert into the three-time Defensive Player of the Year he became in Utah, and has since been heralded as an elite player development coach.

Under Jensen's mentorship, Gobert went from the 27th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft, who averaged 2.3 points per game his rookie season, to a max-contract player.

Gobert has been very vocal about the appreciation he has for Jensen. He mentioned that Jensen helped him "grow as a person and a player," going on to say that Jensen's guidance is "one of the main reasons [he] was able to get better year after year."

ESPN's Tim MacMahon mentioned how the addition of Jensen could pay dividends for Dereck Lively II, who the Mavs used a first-round pick on in last month's draft. Having that presence next to Lively could help elevate his game, which would be a huge boost for Dallas as they attempt to reshape their center rotation.

This move, along with Tyson Chandler mentoring Lively II during Summer League and beyond, proves the Mavs are taking a serious approach to player development.

If Lively II manages to follow a career path similar to Gobert's, the Mavs would be ecstatic. Pairing Luka Doncic with an athletic and defensive-minded center would pay dividends to the Mavs' future successes.