'He’s so Damn Tough:' Dallas Mavericks Exec Issues Strong Statement on Ryan Nembhard

The Dallas Mavericks signed Ryan Nembhard to a two-way contract on July 3 after the guard went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft.

Nembhard played well for the Mavericks at Summer League in Las Vegas. He averaged 11.3 points, 2.7 rebounds, 6.7 assists and 0.7 steals in three games while shooting 40.6% from the field, 33.3% from beyond the arc and 83.3% from the free-throw line.

“We were so excited to get him as a two-way guy,” a Mavericks front office executive told NBA reporter Keith Smith of Spotrac. “He’s so damn tough. A lot like his brother (Pacers guard Andrew Nembhard) in that way.”

Ryan Nembhard played college basketball at Creighton and Gonzaga. He averaged 11.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 6.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.1 blocks in 134 NCAA games.

“You guys saw it,” Mavericks Summer League head coach Josh Broghamer said. “Ryan didn’t have to prove anything else. Everyone knows we got a steal in him. He can play on the ball, off the ball, he’s going to be a hard-nosed defender — and we’re very excited about him going forward.”

NBA scouts in Las Vegas took notice of Nembhard, who could play for the Mavericks next season since Kyrie Irving is out with a torn left ACL.

“He was one of the best pick-and-roll decision-makers I saw in this class before the draft,” one Western Conference scout told Grant Afseth of DallasHoopsJournal.com. “He’s undersized, but he’s really crafty. He doesn’t just make the simple read — he waits for the big to commit, manipulates the tag, and can make the pocket pass, the spray out, or look to score himself. … He checks a lot of boxes.”

It will be fascinating to see if Nembhard plays for the Mavericks next season. The youngster is clearly hungry to make noise in the G League and NBA.