Marshall's gritty defense and efficient scoring on the break has surprised even the Mavs. Discover why this overlooked talent is a crucial piece for Dallas.
When the Dallas Mavericks signed Naji Marshall to a three-year, $27 million deal in 2024, it wasn’t the splashiest move of the offseason. But as the 2025-26 campaign unfolds, Marshall has steadily proven that Dallas may have landed a steal.
In a recent article by Bleacher Report's Greg Swartz, he outlines who he thinks are the most underrated players in the NBA right now. And at the No. 10 spot in his ranking, he has Marshall because of the impressive season he has been having.
"A physical defender, Marshall uses his body well by creating contact without fouling, forcing opponents to alter their shots," Swartz writes. "His long arms create deflections often leading to transition opportunities, where Marshall ranks No. 6 in the NBA in field-goal percentage, even above players like Jaylen Brown, Cade Cunningham, Tyrese Maxey and other 2026 All-Stars. If Dallas had better point guard play, we'd likely see Marshall's three-point accuracy rise as well, perhaps the only thing holding him back from being a full-time starter."
Marshall has never been the kind of guy who grabs highlight reels with thunderous dunks or weekly viral performances. Instead, he excels in the gritty areas that help teams win: finishing through contact, navigating mid-range and interior defense, and using his 6-6, 220-pound frame to make life difficult for opponents on both ends of the floor.
Defensively, Marshall brings the kind of energy that doesn’t always show up in a box score, but makes a tangible difference on the court. He’s capable of guarding multiple positions, and that versatility has been a key part of why he’s seen as undervalued relative to his contract and contributions.
The one thing about Marshall that could use a bit of work is his three-point shooting, which is at just under 30 percent right now. He shot almost 40 percent in his final season with the New Orleans Pelicans, so the Mavs know the talent from outside is absolutely there.
But perhaps it has something to do with the team not having a true starting point guard to give him passes into the corners for wide-open 3s.
Marshall’s steady all-around game has quietly become one of the more reliable pieces for the Mavericks this season. For a team chasing depth and balance, having an underrated contributor like Marshall could be a difference-maker in the coming seasons.