Marcus Sasser Impressing Dusty May With Cutting, Defense at Mavericks Camp

MACAO - Dallas Mavericks coach Dusty May singled out Marcus Sasser's cutting after the first week of training camp workouts.

A Houston history is part of the reason May trusts Sasser's effort on defense.

"Sass, first of all, I've been impressed with his cutting," May said. "He's been a real contributor when he wasn't even directly involved in the play. He's had a lot of those hidden plays that really make the team go. His shooting, his decision-making has been very sound, and defensively, he played at Houston, so we know we're going to get his best effort."

Sasser played four seasons at Houston for Kelvin Sampson. The Cougars reached the Final Four in 2021, and Sasser was a consensus All-American and the Jerry West Award winner as a senior in 2022-23. Memphis took him 25th overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, and Detroit acquired his rights on draft night.

The offseason trade that sent Sasser from Detroit to Dallas on July 8 involved six teams. Santi Aldama came over from the Memphis Grizzlies in the same deal.

Sasser was born in Dallas on Sept. 21, 2000, and played at Red Oak High School for his uncle, Jason Sasser. As a senior in 2018-19, he was named District 14-5A Most Valuable Player and made the Class 5A All-State team.

His mother now lives right up the street.

"It was exciting when I first heard the news — just coming back home to Dallas," Sasser told Mavs.com's Dwain Price. "I talked to my parents about it and they were super-excited just to have me right up the street, basically. For me it's a new start, so everything's exciting and a blessing."

John Barber, Sasser's great-grandfather, was drafted by the Minneapolis Lakers in 1956. He played five games for the St. Louis Hawks in 1956-57.

Jason Sasser was the 1996 Southwest Conference Player of the Year at Texas Tech and a second-round pick of the Sacramento Kings that June. Another uncle, Jeryl Sasser, played at SMU and went to the Orlando Magic in the first round in 2001.

Sampson's advice still reaches Sasser from Houston.

"He always tells me the only thing you can control is your attitude and your effort," Sasser explained. "That's the two things I try to go onto the floor with my mind every night."

"I try to control those two things, and everything else will take care of itself," Sasser continued.

As a rookie on April 12, 2024, Sasser scored 24 points at American Airlines Center in a 107-89 win over Dallas. He scored 13 straight Detroit points during one stretch of the third quarter and went 9-of-20 from the field. The Pistons finished that season 14-67.

Sasser had 20 to 30 people at that game and expects it to be like that every night now.

"It was my rookie year," Sasser told Price. "We came here and I probably had 20-30 people here. It's probably going to be like that every game."

"It's a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. I feel like, to play for your hometown and your parents still blessed to be able to come see me right up the street … It kind of puts an extra chip on your shoulder," Sasser added.

Last season, Detroit came back from a 3-1 deficit to beat Orlando in the first round before losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the second round.

Sasser came into camp in better shape so he can pick up the ball 94 feet from the basket and play at a fast tempo for longer.

"I experienced the playoffs last year, so I kind of know what that's like," Sasser said. "It's a different game. I took some things from the playoffs last year and added it to my game this summer. [I'm] really just trying to come in a lot better shape so I can sustain picking up 94 feet and playing a fast tempo game for a longer period of time."

Dallas has 20 players in camp and has until Oct. 19 at 4 p.m. CT to set its opening-night roster. Two preseason games against the Houston Rockets here in Macao come first, on Oct. 9 and Oct. 11.

Sasser's first game at American Airlines Center as a Maverick is Oct. 14 against the New Orleans Pelicans.