Tyler Dorsey: The Mavericks' Secret Weapon In The G League
There is no right path to getting to the NBA, especially nowadays.
Some take the traditional collegiate path and wind up getting drafted, some have to prove themselves in the NBA G League before getting their shot at a real NBA contract and others go overseas, hoping to draw the attention of NBA front-offices with their play in other leagues.
Well, Tyler Dorsey was a standout talent with the Oregon Ducks in college, he was drafted in the second-round of the 2017 NBA Draft, he spent some time playing overseas in Israel and Greece and now, he is proving that he has what it takes to play in the NBA down in the NBA G League.
In college, Dorsey was known for being one of the best three-point shooting threats in the country and he led the Ducks to an Elite-8 appearance in 2016, followed by an appearance in the 2017 NCAA Final Four.
Following the 2018-19 NBA season, a season in which he played for both the Atlanta Hawks and Memphis Grizzlies, Tyler Dorsey signed a one-year deal with Maccabi Tel Aviv of the Israeli Premier League and the EuroLeague and after two years in Israel, Dorsey joined Olympiacos of the Greek Basket League and the EuroLeague on a one-year deal.
Playing in both Israel and Greece, Dorsey continued being a sharpshooter out on the perimeter and he was not only a two-time Israeli League champion with Maccabi Tel Aviv, but he won the Greek League with Olympiacos in 2022, he won the Greek Cup with Olympiacos and Tyler Dorsey was named the Greek Cup MVP.
Building off of his recent success with Olympiacos, Dorsey played for Greece in the FIBA EuroBasket 2022 championship this past summer, a tournament that has changed the path of his career.
NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo and his brothers highlighted the Greek national team roster, but Tyler Dorsey put together a really solid tournament for this group and he helped them reach the quarter-finals, averaging 13.6 points per game on 40.5 percent three-point shooting.
“It was a blessing just to play alongside Giannis and also all the great Greek players,” Dorsey said in an exclusive interview with Fastbreak on FanNation. “It helped me improve my game in the summer not only from a physical standpoint, but from a mental standpoint as well to understand the game from a bigger picture.”
Drawing a lot of attention with his play in this tournament, Tyler Dorsey became a player that a handful of NBA teams were eyeing ahead of training camp and ultimately, the Dallas Mavericks were the team that got him. Signing a two-way deal with Dallas, Dorsey went from playing with Greece to competing for an NBA roster spot in training camp with the Mavericks.
“Seeing a lot of other guys play in this tournament, whether they currently play in the NBA or in EuroLeague, was interesting to see,” Dorsey said. “I felt like because of this experience I had with the national team, I was already prepared and ready to go for this season from the start of training camp.”
While he has spent a majority of his time this NBA season in the G League with the Texas Legends, the G League affiliates of the Dallas Mavericks, Dorsey has made the most of his opportunities.
Dorsey’s basketball journey to this point has definitely been a roller-coaster ride, but it is far from over and currently on a two-way contract with the Dallas Mavericks, the 26-year-old guard has been unstoppable this season in the G League.
In 14 G League games this season, Dorsey has averaged 24.2 points and 5.1 rebounds per game while shooting 45.1 percent from the floor and 45.9 percent from three-point range. He currently ranks 8th in the league in scoring (min. 7 games) and he also ranks 6th in three-point shooting percentage (min. 50 attempts).
“For me right now, I am just waiting on my opportunity to prove myself at the next level,” Dorsey told Fastbreak. “I’ve played in the G League, I’ve played overseas and right now, I am just staying patient and being the best player and best leader I can possibly be for my team.”
Tyler Dorsey has truly made the most out of his opportunities in the G League this season, as he has scored at least 41 points in two of the fourteen games he has played to this point. On December 6, Dorsey scored 47 points, the most out of any player in the G League this season, on 8-13 shooting from three-point range, his third game with at least eight made three-pointers.
Coming off their run to the Western Conference Finals a year ago, the Dallas Mavericks once again have high title aspirations. Luka Doncic is a favorite for the MVP award this season and while they have a ton of talented, experienced players on their roster, they have still struggled finding consistent play from their bench offensively.
Dallas currently ranks 21st in the league in points per game (111.1) and they are a very average three-point shooting team, as they rank 15th in the league shooting 35.7 percent from deep as a team.
If there are two areas in which Tyler Dorsey can make an immediate impact with his team, it is on the offensive-end of the floor in terms of scoring and three-point shooting, two of the Mavericks’ weak points right now.
He is an experienced player, he is a very talented perimeter shooter and Tyler Dorsey has all the motivation he needs to be a contributor in Dallas once his name and number are called.
“Right now, I never know when that call up and next opportunity will come, so I am just staying prepared and playing with the Texas Legends is allowing me to be the best version of myself,” Dorsey stated. “Having the opportunity to be a part of a terrific organization like the Mavericks is a blessing and hopefully as I continue to work hard, my contributions won’t go unnoticed.
“I know that as soon as my number is called, I will be ready and I have to give a lot of credit to where I am currently in the G League for that.”
Who knows when the Dallas Mavericks will make a roster move and bring Dorsey up, utilizing the benefits of his two-way contract, but if there is anything one can take away from the G League early on this season, it is that the Mavericks have a very special player and a secret weapon in Tyler Dorsey.
Be sure to catch up on the newest episode of The Fast Break Podcast hosted by Fastbreak's own Brett Siegel!
Streaming on Apple Podcasts and Spotify, The Fast Break Podcast takes you inside the league with the latest news, intel, rumors and interviews from those close to the action for all 30 teams. Be on the lookout for a new episodes every Friday.
