Terance Mann Opens Up About What He Hopes to Bring to the Nets

Terance Mann has emerged as a leader for a young Brooklyn Nets squad this season. In fact, he's one of two players on the roster that will turn 30 years old later this calendar year, if you include Haywood Highsmith.

Mann has gained incredible wisdom throughout his journey in the league, which includes a stint with the Kawhi Leonard and Paul George-led Los Angeles Clippers, a team that advanced all the way to the Western Conference Finals during the 2020-21 season.

He's seen firsthand how championship-contending teams operate at the NBA level, which is exactly the type of mentor the Nets' young guns can learn from.

"Not every night is gonna be your night," Mann said. A lot of these young guys come from situations where they have the ball most of the time. They're the main guy on the team. They're expected to always play well and expected for shots to always go in and always expect to have every play called for them. There's a lot of money to be made in this league not being that person, but being a guy that's waiting on his turn, being a guy that comes every day on time, being a guy that gets extra shots, being the guy that stays late, comes in early, being a great locker room guy, respecting everybody in the locker room.

"There's a lot of money to be made when you're that guy. And a lot of people come to this league and they just want to be the guy, they all want to be that All-Star. They all want to take 10-plus shots a game, they all want to play 30 minutes, but that's not what it's all about. And a lot of championship teams understand that, and that's really what I want to bring to this organization."

Mann has had to play several different roles this season for the Nets. The 6-foot-6 guard is best utilized as a two-way wing who can provide timely 3-point shooting and on-ball defense, but he's also thrived as a point guard whenever he's been asked to take on that responsibility.

Playing within the confines of a team isn’t always easy, especially when players are competing for their next contract, expanded roles, popularity, or All-Star recognition.

Ultimately, though, players are judged by winning, and that often requires sacrificing personal ambitions for the chance to compete for a championship.