DALLAS — The Dallas Mavericks shocked the NBA world by trading Luka Doncic to the Los Angeles Lakers a season ago. At 6'8″, Doncic may not have been a traditional point guard — but he was a point guard nonetheless. Since moving on from the superstar, Dallas has struggled to find an answer at the position, but it appears Ryan Nembhard may be the answer.
Kyrie Irving ran the point for a month or so after the trade before going down with an ACL injury. Irving is still recovering from ACL surgery and is not expected to return until early 2026. The Mavs have tried various solutions at the position since — including a questionable decision to have forward Cooper Flagg run the point — but now Nembhard is receiving an opportunity.
In Wednesday's 118-108 win over the Miami Heat, the 22-year-old recorded 15-point, 13-assist double-double. The 5'11” floor general is taking control of the offense. The box score does not fully display his complete impact, as he often makes the extra pass, looks for the open man, and makes the right decision on the floor.
Asked Ryan Nembhard, who had a 15-point, 13-assist double-double, about his confidence level and how much pride he takes in finding the open teammate. pic.twitter.com/POWVQ86NH1
— Joey Mistretta (@JoeyMistretta_) December 4, 2025
“Very high, always,” Nembhard told reporters after the game in reference to where his confidence level is at the moment. “I just feel like I put the work in. When you do that, you can be confident in your work… I'm really confident.”
Ryan Nembhard can learn from Mavs' Hall of Fame point guard coach
One has to imagine that Jason Kidd — who is a Hall of Fame point guard himself — is a fan of Nembhard's game. Kidd was an exceptional passer, and while comparing a 22-year-old undrafted rookie to a Hall of Famer isn't fair, Nembhard's passing ability is impressive without question.
“It does a lot,” Kidd said of what having a true point guard like Nembhard does for the offense. “… Being able to play at that level, make plays for his teammates and for himself. And his teammates and the coaching staff trust when he's out on the floor, and you can see that.”
Nembhard looks like the real deal. He went undrafted in the 2025 NBA Draft and later landed a two-way contract with the Mavs — a deal that looks like a huge win at the moment. If Nembhard continues to display impressive prowess at the point guard position, one has to imagine Dallas will offer him a standard NBA contract.
Nembhard and the Mavericks will look to earn a fourth consecutive victory on Friday against the Thunder in Oklahoma City.
