Mavericks' Undrafted Rookie Dominates in Recent G League Contest

The Dallas Mavericks have gotten solid seasons from the team's rookie class.

Of course, top pick Cooper Flagg has stolen most of the headlines with an impressive first year, living up to his position as the No. 1 overall selection. In addition to Flagg, the Mavericks seem to have found a gem in undrafted rookie Ryan Nembhard.

Nembhard has become a regular contributor for Dallas, starting 20 of his first 48 NBA games and potentially carving out a spot in the Mavericks' organization for the coming years.

Flagg and Nembhard aren't the only first-year players who have performed well in Dallas this year, though, as undrafted rookie Miles Kelly has shined for the Mavericks' G League affiliate.

The sharpshooting wing is averaging 22.1 points, 4.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists and a steal while shooting 45% from the field and 39.2% from 3-point range on 8.6 attempts per game. Most recently, Kelly notched 37 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists and a steal while shooting 13-of-22 from the field, 5-of-8 from beyond the arc and 4-of-4 at the free throw line in a 116-108 win.

A high-volume perimeter shooter with solid efficiency, Kelly has one of the most valuable skills in the NBA.

Every team across the league is in need of reliable perimeter shooters, and Kelly can provide that along with decent size on the wing. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds, Kelly went undrafted after spending the final season of his college career at Auburn.

With the Tigers, Kelly averaged 11.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 1.1 assists and a steal per game while shooting 40.6% from the field and 37.8% from beyond the arc and 90.9% from the free throw line. Prior to his time at Auburn, Kelly spent three years at Georgia Tech, starting 60 games for the Yellow Jackets and 96 throughout his college career.

The rookie wing has developed well as a rookie, performing well enough to earn 14 NBA appearances with the Mavericks. In those contests, Kelly is averaging 3.1 points and 1.7 rebounds per game while shooting 36.4% from the field and 30.3% from 3-point range.

Kelly's NBA stats may not be eye-catching, but the rookie likely needs more opportunities to showcase his skill set. If Kelly continues to improve, though, it would not be surprising to see Dallas or another team around the league add the 23-year-old to a two-way or standard contract.

If Kelly sticks around in Dallas, the Mavericks will have a trio of rookies who showed significant upside during their debut seasons. While Kelly likely won't be the star Flagg has proven to be, the young wing player could still be a helpful role player in the NBA.

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