The spotlight was supposed to be on Cooper Flagg during the Summer League clash between the Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks, but it was Ryan Nembhard who stole the show.
While fans tuned in to watch Flagg’s much-hyped pro debut, they were treated to a breakout performance from the younger Nembhard, who was clearly “cooking with gasoline.”
The former Gonzaga standout dropped 21 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 steal, shooting 8-of-14 from the field, including the game-winning three that sealed an 87-85 victory for Dallas. His older brother, NBA guard Andrew Nembhard, was in attendance cheering him on.
It’s a tough pill to swallow for the Lakers, who could have easily given Nembhard a shot after he went undrafted in 2025. With glaring issues at the backup guard spot—especially following Gabe Vincent’s disappointing campaign—the opportunity was right there.
Nembhard wasn’t just any undrafted player either. He led the nation in assists in his final NCAA season, averaging 10.5 points, 9.8 assists, 3.0 rebounds, and 1.7 steals with 45/40/77 shooting splits. Despite his elite playmaking, concerns over his size kept teams at bay.
Now, the Mavericks, who will be without Kyrie Irving for a while due to his ACL injury, might have found a hidden gem—and potentially got one over on the Lakers and the rest of the league.
Los Angeles continues to struggle with depth and lacks the draft capital to build young talent. Taking a chance on Nembhard could’ve filled a key void—instead, they’re watching him thrive in another jersey.
