‘He Plays So Hard On Both Ends’: Ryan Nembhard Details Morez Johnson Jr.’s Standout Two-Way Impact

LAS VEGAS — Ryan Nembhard shared the floor with Morez Johnson Jr. for the first time Thursday, and what stood out to the Dallas Mavericks‘ second-year point guard wasn’t just the scoring.

“I love him already,” Nembhard said. “He plays so hard on both ends and impacts the game somehow, whether his shot is falling or not. Rebounds, blocked shots, switching one through five, he had some really good floor game getting us into our next actions. I loved watching him last year at Michigan, and it’s been great playing with him today.”

What Ryan Nembhard Saw From The Point Guard Spot

Johnson’s box score, a game-high 27 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists in the Mavericks‘ 101-90 Summer League loss to the Golden State Warriors at the Thomas & Mack Center, backs up part of what Nembhard was describing. But Nembhard’s praise centered more on the possessions that don’t show up in a stat line: closing out on shooters, switching across positions, and finishing plays other people started.

The clearest example came with 6:03 left in the second quarter, when Johnson chased down Golden State’s Jack Clark for a highlight-reel block, one of several defensive plays that had him affecting the game independent of whether his own shot was falling.

Nembhard finished with 15 points and 11 assists, frequently setting up Johnson for looks around the rim. Dallas trailed by double digits for much of the first half before a second-half push cut the deficit to 3, but Nembhard’s postgame comments stayed focused on his new running mate rather than the final score.

Building Chemistry On Short Notice

Nembhard arrived in Las Vegas after a stint with Canada’s National Team and said he only met most of his new teammates a day before Thursday’s game. He said building a rapport with a rookie like Johnson happened faster than the circumstances would suggest.

“They definitely wanted me to come out here and play some games, and it’s been good,” Nembhard said. “Then coming here, I met the guys yesterday and I’m trying to get acclimated to what we’re doing. It was a good first game to get under my belt.”

Nembhard’s stint with Canada ran right up until Summer League, giving him little time to learn a roster that includes multiple new faces from June’s draft and a coaching staff still settling in under first-year head coach Dusty May.

A Mutual Compliment

Johnson said afterward that the feeling was mutual.

“It was great,” Johnson said. “It was our first time on the court together. I’m glad we got the first game out of the way. Now we’ve got some chemistry going into the second game, and I’m looking forward to building that chemistry with him throughout the season.”

Nembhard’s reference to watching Johnson “last year at Michigan” points back to the Wolverines’ national championship run in April, which Johnson helped deliver before Dallas selected him ninth overall in June.

Nembhard and Johnson will look to build on their on-court connection Saturday when the Mavericks face the Los Angeles Lakers.