Tarik Biberovic already knows his Mavericks fate rests on more than shooting

Dallas Mavericks fans can't wait to see Tarik Biberovic take the court for the first time in his NBA career later this week, and his 3-point shooting is easily the most exciting part of his game. The 6-foot-7 sharpshooter knocked down 48.9 percent of his 3-point attempts for Fenerbahce in the BSL last season, and he is poised to translate this skill to the NBA.

He is lethal off the catch and remains unfazed when defenses are closing out on him. Biberovic is also a good shooter when coming off screens, and defenses can never afford to leave him open.

Tarik Biberovic wants to be more than a shooter

Despite being one of the best shooters in the world last season for Fenerbahce, Tarik knows that he has to do much more than make open shots to stick in the NBA. The EuroLeague-to-NBA transition isn't always the smoothest for some players, and Biberovic understands that he isn't going to be gifted a role. He's going to have to fight for it.

Biberovic talked about this before the team left for Macao, China, and MFFLs should be encouraged by his eagerness to make an impact.

"Everybody knows that I came here as a shooter, but to stay on the court, you have to do multiple things," Biberovic said. "Obviously, it's an everyday fight. Like, we're here together to make each other better, but still, you're competing every single day."

He continued to talk about how he wants to bring physicality, strong defensive rebounding, energy, and high basketball IQ, and Dusty May will have a hard time keeping him off the court if Biberovic brings all of these things.

The importance of Biberovic's defense

May has already talked about how Biberovic's defense has been better than expected during training camp, and this will be one of the many keys to him being part of the rotation.

He already plays with good physicality and has the strength and frame to guard up when needed, but the real test will be when he is forced to guard on the perimeter. Biberovic has struggled in some isolation situations as well as when navigating screens in the past, but playing with elite defensive talents such as Cooper Flagg, Morez Johnson Jr., and Dereck Lively II should help him play with more confidence when he's on an island and forced to sit down and guard one-on-one.

Tarik holding his own on that end will be key, and could help him grow into a solid 3-and-D option, but he brings much more than size and shooting on the wing.

Biberovic's intangibles will help everything else fall into place

As he said, he wants to bring energy, smart basketball, and physicality to the floor. His energy and physicality will naturally help him become a stronger defender, as he is already prioritizing defensive rebounding. As long as he brings good effort, crashes the glass hard, and doesn't shy away from physicality, he'll be in a good spot.

His focus on playing smart is also worth noting, as it'll make the game easier for everyone else. Biberovic is already a good off-ball mover, and him knowing when to cut or fill an open spot on the perimeter will help make the offense run more smoothly.

Biberovic isn't just depending on his 3-point shooting as he enters his rookie season for the Mavericks, and his fate with the team will come down to whether he can do more than spread the floor and make open shots.

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