Dorian Finney-Smith's Mentorship Helping Mavs Rookie Jaden Hardy

Dallas Mavericks wing Dorian Finney-Smith had to earn his success after going undrafted. His mentorship has been valuable to rookie Jaden Hardy.

The Dallas Mavericks hold high hopes for what Jaden Hardy can achieve in his NBA career. So far, he's made a strong impression for what may be on the way with a strong training camp and some nice preseason moments.

The Mavs traded a pair of future second-round selections to acquire the No. 37 overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft in order to be in position to select him. It didn't take long to get a showcase of his potential. 

In Hardy's preseason debut against the Oklahoma City Thunder, Hardy scored 16 of his 21 points in the fourth quarter to rally the Mavs to a comeback 98-96 win. The team's top talents watched from the sidelines.

“Once I get locked into a zone like that it’s hard to get me out of it,” Hardy said. “I’m just thinking that I’ve got it going, so I’m just thinking about making the right play. I’m just trying to make the right play, make the right read.”

Before the Mavs' preseason finale against the Utah Jazz, coach Jason Kidd revealed that Hardy is not in the team's rotation to begin the season. However, Hardy worked hard to stay ready for when his time comes. 

“Hardy’s done an incredible job since summer league. He didn’t take a vacation during the middle of the summer. He stayed in the gym and that hard work is paying off. He’s done everything we’ve asked. Right now, he’s just on the outside looking in on the rotation but that doesn’t mean he’s not going to get a chance to play.”

Achieving success in the NBA comes in many ways. One way to leave an impression as a rookie is to bring a high level of energy and impact defensively. For a talented player like Hardy, the rest should come. Those types of insights have been offered to the rookie by veteran teammate Dorian Finney-Smith. 

“Obviously, we’re two different players,” Mavs forward Dorian Finney-Smith said. “I just try to tell him, ‘Defense is going to get you on the court.’

“We know he can fill it up, but we’ve got Luka (Doncic), ‘So, we don’t really need you to fill it up that much. So, for you to get on the court you’re going to have to change the game. And that could be with your energy and stuff you can control, like your defense.’

While high school recruiting rankings only mean so much, there is reason for Hardy trailing only Paolo Banchero in his class. He can produce dynamic results offensively and that's been shown. On the Mavs? Again, it starts with establishing himself as an impactful defender. That's how Finney-Smith got the job done himself to earn his way after going undrafted.

“We know he can score, we know he can get in the paint, we know he’s a young talent,” Finney-Smith said. “So if he builds trust on the defensive end, it’s easy for him to get in the game.”

Mavs newcomer Christian Wood has been another veteran presence for Hardy to learn from. Wood has gone out of his way to proclaim Hardy as a steal to the media and was a fixture in offseason runs with him.

“I’ve been saying for a long time, Jaden Hardy is a steal,” Wood said. “His confidence and his energy has been so great, and I’m really proud to see that.”

There is a strong support system in place for Hardy to have a successful NBA career. If he can emerge as a long-term complementary talent next to Doncic, the Mavs will have found an absolute steal, as Wood says. 

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