LAS VEGAS – Ryan Nembhard continues to check many of the key boxes for the Dallas Mavericks during his first full week as a two-way player in the NBA.
Playing off the gravity of Cooper Flagg, the former Gonzaga point guard was able to assert himself as a productive scorer, instinctive passer and hard-nosed defender in Dallas’ first two games at Las Vegas Summer League.
The Mavericks shut down their top overall draft pick for the remainder of Summer League, stacking more responsibility on Nembhard’s shoulders ahead of Monday’s game against the Charlotte Hornets.
Nembhard’s adaptability and leadership were some of the key talking points for the Flagg-less Mavericks in an 87-69 loss to Charlotte at Thomas & Mack Center.
The former Zag knocked down a pair of 3-pointer inside the first 56 seconds and directed traffic for the Mavericks, scoring 11 points while dishing out eight assists despite playing a Summer League-low 25 minutes on Monday.
Nembhard also had three rebounds and three turnovers while making 4 of 8 shots from the field and 2 of 3 from the 3-point line.
“He did a really good job. I think the one thing for him is he keeps trying to run the team,” Mavericks Summer League coach Josh Broghamer said. “He’s kind of been asked to be off the ball with Cooper and tonight I think he almost had a double-double in limited minutes.”
Flagg, coming off a 31-point game in Dallas’ most recent Summer League game against San Antonio, wore street clothes and with a diamond-studded No. 32 chain, supporting his Maverick teammates from the bench at Thomas & Mack Center.
The Duke star and reigning national player of the year was Dallas’ primary ball-handler for long stretches in the team’s first two games and commanded defensive attention from opponents, freeing up other Mavericks.
Without Flagg, floor general duties landed on Nembhard’s lap – not an unfamiliar or uncomfortable assignment for the former Creighton and Gonzaga guard, who had 882 assists in four college seasons and set the Zags’ single-season record twice, totaling 344 assists as a senior.
Nembhard’s now had seven assists in two games and was averaging 6.7 after Monday, ranking No. 4 among all Summer League players and No. 1 among those with three games under their belt.
“You see he can run the team or he can play off the ball,” Broghamer said, “so that’s something going forward that’s going to be really, really good for him and really, really good for us as an organization where he can play with multiple guys and whether he has to run the show or play that off-ball guard, play the second side, you see he’s capable of doing both.”
Gonzaga teammate Nolan Hickman made his Summer League debut for the Mavericks, entering with 7 minutes, 12 seconds remaining in the fourth quarter. Hickman and Nembhard shared the floor for 34 seconds before Nembhard checked out for the final time.
Hickman made one 3-pointer, finishing 1 of 3 from the field with three points, three rebounds and two turnovers.
Gonzaga coach Mark Few was in attendance for the second straight day, sitting near the top of the lower bowl for Monday’s game featuring both of his starting guards. Nembhard’s older brother, Andrew, a former GU point guard, arrived in the second half after watching the Indiana Pacers’ Summer League team at Cox Pavilion.
### Other locals…
– Ben Gregg didn’t see any time for the Boston Celtics against former Gonzaga teammate Oumar Ballo and the Miami Heat. Ballo also received a “DNP” for Miami.