The Dallas Mavericks are bringing in a young piece with a familiar last name to NBA fans.
Per Michael Scotto of HoopsHype, Dallas is signing Gonzaga’s Ryan Nembhard — brother to Indiana Pacers swingman Andrew — to a two-way contract.
Dallas enjoyed an active 2025 draft, having utilized its surprise No. 1 pick on high-flying 18-year-old Duke forward Cooper Flagg, seen by many to be a superstar in waiting.
Nembhard could wind up being a value find. He had been ranked at No. 57 on the final pre-draft big board of The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie.
The younger Nembhard paced Division I in assists last year, with 9.8 per. He logged two seasons with Creighton before moving on to Gonzaga, Andrew’s alma mater, from 2023-25.
A two-time All-WCC honoree, the 6-footer averaged 10.5 points on .446/.404/.770 shooting splits, 3.0 boards and 1.7 swipes in his 35 healthy bouts last season.
Ryan Nembhard logged 11 double-digit dimes in 2024-25, and his play as a passer could hold some major appeal for a Dallas squad led by an aging Kyrie Irving in the distribution department.
Older brother Andrew was selected by Indiana with the No. 31 pick in 2022. Despite being a second round flier, the 6-foot-4 wing quickly became a critical two-way contributor for one of the East’s best teams.
During Indiana’s playoff run this year, Andrew averaged 12.5 points on .471/.465/.804 shooting splits, 4.7 assists, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 steals, while often guarding the opposing club’s best perimeter player. In the NBA Finals, that meant Andrew had to defend MVP Oklahoma City Thunder Shai Gilgeous Alexander during the Finals.
The Mavericks can only hope the smaller Ryan emulates his big brother’s output defensively, but regardless he could be an intriguing passer.
