If you were building a prototype of a perfect player for the Mavericks’ culture of 2024-25, you might not find a better fit than Naji Marshall.
A self-made rotation player for the New Orleans Pelicans, the 6-7 Marshall did it the old-fashioned way. The Maverick way.
He never got drafted. He started out in the G-League. He worked his way up to the Pelicans on a modest, multiyear contract.
Then, he showed he’s got what it takes for a lasting career in the NBA.
Sound familiar? It’s almost a duplicate of the journey Derrick Jones Jr.