Following the 2025 NBA Draft, the biggest storyline for the Dallas Mavericks was nabbing another cornerstone prospect in Cooper Flagg. However, they made an under-the-radar move after the second round concluded that many are high on. That being signing point guard Ryan Nembhard to a two-way contract after he went undrafted.
Upon transferring to Gonzaga, Nembhard emerged as one of the top facilitators in the nation. As a senior, he led all of college basketball in assists, averaging just under 10 a night. Despite his masterful play at the point guard position, Nembhard still didn't get to hear his name called on draft night.
Landing with the Mavericks, Nembhard has a chance to make teams across the league pay for passing up on him. As he prepares for his Summer League debut, the rookie guard touched on parts of his game that get overlooked. While he's at his best when setting up those around him, he is more than capable of being a scorer when the moment calls for it.
“Absolutely. I think I definitely have the ability to score," Nembhard told reporters. "I have the ability to put the ball in the rim and create my own shot when it’s needed, so I think that’s something I can build upon in these next few weeks.”
Ryan Nembhard on if his scoring is overlooked:
— Noah Weber (@noahweber00) July 8, 2025
“Absolutely. I think I definitely have the ability to score…I have the ability to put the ball in the rim and create my own shot when it’s needed, so I think that’s something I can build upon in these next few weeks.”
Nembhard's scoring never jumped off the page in college, but he did average double-digits across all four years. His career high came as a junior when he posted 12.6 PPG across 35 appearances.
Nembhard is a player who has a lot riding on performing well in Summer League, as he'll want to start building momentum heading into his rookie year. With Kyrie Irving set to miss extended time to start the year, playing time is up for grabs at point guard. If he can play well this summer, Nembhard could make a strong case for Jason Kidd to give him opportunities as a backup. This opens the door for him to showcase his talents at the NBA level and potentially land a standard contract.
The Mavericks are set to kick off their Summer League schedule Thursday with a nationally televised matchup against the LA Lakers.