Mavericks' Undrafted Rookie Guard Dazzles in First NBA Start

The Dallas Mavericks have been searching for consistency at the guard position this year.

Ever since superstar Kyrie Irving suffered a torn ACL during the 2024-25 season, Jason Kidd's group has looked for answers at guard, even trying rookie Cooper Flagg out as the team's lead ball handler.

Other players like D'Angelo Russell and Brandon Williams have stepped in and notched a few solid performances, but neither has been consistent enough to maintain a spot in the starting lineup. As a result, the Mavericks have struggled, holding a 6-15 record as of Sunday morning.

The team may have started to find answers, though, in the form of rookie point guard Ryan Nembhard. The younger brother of Indiana Pacers' guard Andrew Nembhard, Ryan went undrafted over the summer, but inked a two-way deal in Dallas.

After a solid showing in the summer league, Nembhard has started to crack the team's rotation over the past few contests. Against Miami on Nov. 24, Nembhard got nearly 17 minutes on the floor, a new career high for the young guard.

In that contest, the Gonzaga product accumulated 2 points, 7 assists and 3 rebounds while committing 0 turnovers and finishing as a +9 in the box score.

Nembhard entered the Mavericks' starting lineup against the Los Angeles Lakers on Nov. 28, tallying 17 points, 4 assists, 2 rebounds, a steal and 2 turnovers in a 129-119 loss. The 22-year-old shot 7-of-11 from the field, 3-of-5 from beyond the arc and 4-of-6 from the free throw line.

In Dallas' matchup with the LA Clippers the following night, Nembhard earned another start, finishing with 8 points, 3 assists, a rebound and 2 turnovers.

In the first 8 games of his NBA career, the undrafted rookie guard is averaging 5.4 points, 2.9 assists and 13.3 minutes per game. Those numbers could continue to increase, however, if recent trends are any indication.

After a productive college career, Nembhard's size was likely the biggest concern from NBA teams that led to the four-year player going undrafted. At the NBA Combine, Nembhard measured at 5-foot-11 without shoes, the second-shortest measurement in Chicago last summer.

Despite that, though, Nembhard has found success early in his NBA career, like he did in college.

As a senior at Gonzaga, the former Montverde Academy standout averaged 10.5 points, 9.8 assists, 3 rebounds and 1.7 steals per game while shooting 44.6% from the field and 40.4% from 3-point range. So far, Nembhard's feel for the game and shooting ability has translated to the NBA.