Mavericks Summer League Roster: A Mavs fan's guide to all 16 players

The Dallas Mavericks kick off Summer League with a bout against the Oklahoma City Thunder on July 8 at 2:30 p.m. CT on ESPN2. The Mavs are guaranteed five games, with four exhibition games and then the playoffs to follow. The Summer League playoffs begin on July 16.

The rest of their schedule is as seen below.

Now that we know when the Mavs play, let's take a look at who will be participating for the Mavs Summer League team.

The team will be led by Mavs assistant coach Jared Dudley, who has been with Dallas since 2021. The rest of the coaching staff is highlighted by former Mavericks' Darrell Armstrong, God Shammgod, and Tyson Chandler. George Galanopoulos is also a part of the staff. He has coached the Mavs' G League affiliate Texas Legends since 2019.

The Mavericks Summer League roster includes 16 players: Kaodirichi Akobundo-Ehiogu, Marcus Bingham Jr., Myles Burns, Jaden Hardy, Braxton Key, A.J. Lawson, Dereck Lively II, Mike Miles Jr., Taze Moore, Olivier-Maxence Prosper, Brandon Randolph, Nike Sibande, Chris Silva, Chandler Vaudrin, Jordan Walker, and McKinley Wright IV.

The roster is highlighted by last year's second-round draft pick, Jaden Hardy, who has recently received glowing reviews from Coach Dudley. The Mavs plan on refining Hardy's shot selection and focusing on his defense during Summer League. Dudley expects Hardy to take 18-20 shots per game while emphasizing that 15-16 of those shots should be good looks.

Furthermore, Mavs fans will get their first glimpse at rookies Lively II and Prosper, chosen 12th and 24th, respectively, in last month's draft. Look for both players to stand out on the defensive end.

Now, let's take a closer look at each player on the Mavs Summer League roster.

The guards on the Mavericks Summer League roster

1. Jaden Hardy

Jaden Hardy is a 6-foot-4, 198-lb. guard who just turned 21 years old on July 5. According to ESPN, Hardy was the #2 recruit in his class coming out of high school.

He entered the NBA by way of the G League Ignite. The Mavs selected Hardy with the 37th overall selection in 2022. He went on to average 8.8 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game in 48 appearances last season for Dallas.

Hardy's best attribute is his shot-making. While playing for the Texas Legends last season, he averaged 28.8 points per game, shooting 54.6% from the floor and 49% from three.

Look for Hardy to score in bunches in the Summer League. He can score using a vast arsenal of moves, from step-back threes to crafty finishes around the rim.

2. Mike Miles Jr.

Mike Miles Jr. is a 20-year-old guard out of TCU. He stands at 6-foot-2 and weighs 205 pounds. Miles Jr. is a local product, as he graduated from Dallas-suburb Lancaster High School in 2020. He went undrafted in the 2023 NBA Draft but signed a two-way deal with the Mavericks immediately after the draft's conclusion.

Miles Jr. possesses a well-rounded offensive game. He is a solid scorer from all areas of the court, although he prefers attacking the basket. In his Junior season, he averaged 17.9 points and 2.7 assists per game, leading TCU to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.

3. Taze Moore

Taze Moore is a 25-year-old 6-foot-5, 195-lb. guard who played for the Texas Legends this past season. Moore is a late-bloomer amongst NBA circles, as he became noticed when he transferred to the University of Houston as a fifth-year senior when he helped the 2021-22 Cougars reach the Elite 8.

While playing for the Cougars, Moore demonstrated a well-rounded game, averaging 10.4 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.9 assists, 1.6 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game. Last season with the Legends, Moore's all-around game continued to shine. He averaged 13.9 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 3.6 assists per game.

4. Nike Sibande

Nick Sibande was a late addition to the Mavs Summer League roster. He is a 6-foot-4, 185-lb. guard who last played for the Pittsburgh Panthers. Sibande excelled during his first three collegiate seasons when he played for the University of Miami, Ohio. Sibande came off the bench during his final two seasons at Pitt.

The Pitt product is an athletic guard who routinely gets out in transition looking to throw down emphatic dunks.

Fun fact: Sibande finished 3rd in the 2023 NCAA Dunk Contest.

5. Chandler Vaudrin

Chandler Vaudrin is one of the less-heralded players on the Mavs Summer League roster. He stands at 6-foot- and weighs 210 lbs. Vaudrin played his initial collegiate seasons at Division II school Walsh College before finishing his career at Winthrop.

Vaudrin went undrafted in 2021 and has since played for the Canton Charge of the NBA G League and recently, the Edmonton Stingers of the Canadian Basketball League.

Vaudrin does it all on the basketball court. Although not the most efficient scorer, he affects the game in a myriad of ways. As a Senior for Winthrop, Vaudrin averaged 7.3 rebounds and 6.9 assists. He recorded 4 triple-doubles in his two seasons at Winthrop.

6. Jordan Walker

Jordan "Jelly" Walker's name may ring a bell. The 5-foor-11, 170 lb. guard was known amongst basketball fans when he became a part of the "Jelly Fam," a basketball collective known for performing a type of layup closely related to the finger-roll.

Walker played five seasons of college ball for three different squads: Seton Hall, Tulane, and UAB. His most successful seasons were his final two for UAB. Walker averaged over 20 points in both seasons at UAB.

The former UAB standout is especially lethal from downtown. He averaged 4.1 three-pointers per game as a senior while shooting 37.8% from distance.

7. McKinley Wright IV

McKinley Wright IV is a 5-foot-11, 192 lb. guard from the University of Colorado. The 24-year-old guard appeared in 27 contests last season for the Mavericks while playing on a two-way contract.

Wright IV scored 13 points in each of the Mavs' final two regular season games. He is a solid floor general who averaged 19.0 points and 6.8 assists per game in limited action for the Texas Legends this past season.

During his collegiate days, Wright IV took control of the Buffaloes' offense. He started 130 out of 131 games for Colorado and averaged more than 4.8 assists per game every season.

The Wings

8. Myles Burns

Burns is a 6-foot-6, 210 lb. forward from Ole Miss. He is 23 years old and was born and raised in Houston, Texas. Burns played four years collegiately at Loyola New Orleans before completing his graduate season at Ole Miss.

The former Rebel is a defensive ace. Throughout his four seasons at Loyola New Orleans, he compiled a program-record 358 steals. During his lone season with Ole Miss, Burns averaged an absurd 2.4 steals in 27 minutes per game.

9. Braxton Key

Braxton Key is a 26-year-old forward who stands at 6-foot-8 and weighs 225 lbs. He began his collegiate career with the Alabama Crimson Tide in 2016 before transferring to Virginia in 2018, where he won an NCAA Championship.

The former Cavalier is already an NBA journeyman. Since going undrafted in the 2020 NBA Draft, Key has played for the Philadelphia 76ers and the Detroit Pistons. In the G League, Key has appeared in games for the Deleware Blue Coats and the Motor City Cruise.

Key is a utility player who does a little bit of everything on the court. While not known for his shooting in college, Key has improved mightily over the past few seasons. He knocked down 40.2% of his 3.2 attempts per game from behind the arc last season for the Blue Coats.

10. AJ Lawson

AJ Lawson is a 6-foot-6,185 lb. guard/forward from the University of South Carolina. The 22-year-old spent last season on a two-way contract with the Mavs, splitting time with their G League affiliate Texas Legends.

In limited action (14 appearances), Lawson averaged 3.9 points while shooting 48.8% from the floor. In college, Lawson proved himself to be a versatile scorer, averaging 14.2 points per game during his three seasons with the Gamecocks. Last season, playing for the Legends, Lawson averaged 20.1 points and 8.8 rebounds per game.

11. Olivier-Maxence Prosper

O-Max, as he is often referred to, was the 24th pick in the 2023 NBA Draft by the way of Marquette. Prosper is a 6-foot-8, 215 lb. forward who just turned 21 years old on July 3rd.

Prosper, who was born in Canada, played high school basketball in Illinois before transferring to play for the NBA Academy Latin America in Mexico City as a high school senior.

O-Max is a late bloomer. He began his collegiate career at Clemson, before transferring to Marquette. After entering the draft, Prosper was unsure his name ould be called. However, after dominant NBA Combine showings, Prosper received an invite to the NBA Green Room.

Look for Prosper to provide high-energy and continuous hustle. He is insanely athletic and uses his athletic ability to defend at a high level and score opportunistically on the offensive end. It will be intriguing to see how Prosper's game grows on offense.

12. Brandon Randolph

Brandon Randolph is a 6-foot-6, 190-lb. guard/forward from the University of Arizona. Randolph is 25 years old and recently played for the Austin Spurs in the G-League.

Randolph has improved every season since leaving Tuscon after his sophomore season. He averaged 14.3 points per game on 50% shooting last season, splitting time between two G League teams, the Wisconsin Herd and the Spurs.

Randolph loves to attack the rim. He uses his athleticism to throw down put-back dunks and score over defenders in the paint.

The Bigs

13. Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu

Kaodirichi Akobundu-Ehiogu, another late addition to the roster, stands at 6-foot-10 and weighs 210 lbs. The 24-year-old forward is a local product, as he attended Mesquite Poteet high school and played his college ball at UT-Arlington before transferring to the University of Memphis.

As a red-shirt senior, Akobundu-Ehiogu averaged 1.6 blocks per contest in only 10.5 minutes per game. Per 40 minutes, the former Tiger averaged six blocks per game. If he had qualified (minimum of 15 minutes per game), Akobundu-Ehiogu would have led the NCAA in blocks per 40 minutes.

14. Marcus Bingham Jr.

Marcus Bingham Jr. joined the Texas Legends after Summer League last offseason but suffered a season-ending injury before the G League season began. It was an ankle injury that ended the opportunity for Bingham Jr. last year, but now, he's ready to go.

The former Michigan State Spartan is 22 years old. He is listed at seven-foot and is 230 lbs. Bingham Jr. played four seasons for the Spartans in a limited role, only starting 53 out of 117 possible games. Bingham Jr. never played more than 20 minutes per game, but he made the most of his time.

In his senior season, Bingham Jr. shot 53.4% from the floor and 41.5% from three, albeit on low volume. Another per-40 minutes star, it will be interesting to see if the big man can maintain his efficiency in an increased role.

15. Dereck Lively II

Dereck Lively II is arguably the second-most notable player on the roster behind Hardy. The former Duke Blue Devil stands 7-foot-1 and weighs 234 lbs. Another thing to take note of is Lively's enormous 7-foot-7 wingspan.

Lively II came off the board to the Mavs at the number 12 overall selection. Coming out of high school, he was ESPN's top-rated prospect. At Duke, Lively II had an uneven start to his collegiate career but improved throughout the season.

The big man averaged only 5.2 points and 5.4 rebounds per game, but his shot-blocking is what makes a difference. Lively II averaged 2.4 blocks per game in only 20.6 minutes of action. During Duke's two NCAA Tournament games, Lively II scored only four points, but he collected 23 rebounds and blocked eight shots.

A major Summer League storyline for Lively II will be his ability to affect the game on offense. Although he has a raw offensive game, averaging more than 10 points and showing some offensive creativity would be a huge plus for Lively's development.

16. Chris Silva

Earlier, Braxton Key was referred to as a journeyman, but Chris Silva ultimately takes that prize. Silva has suited up for four different teams throughout his short career. The 6-foot-8, 234 lb. forward was born in Gabon and played his college ball for the South Carolina Gamecocks alongside AJ Lawson.

Silva played a big role for the Gamecocks, increasing his scoring average in every season. After going undrafted in 2019, Silva began to bounce around the league. He even suited up for one game with Mavs last season

The former Gamecock is a staunch interior presence. In 22 G League games last season, he averaged 14.8 points and 9.3 rebounds while recording eight double-doubles.