The Dallas Mavericks are still searching for stability without Kyrie Irving, but the All-Star guard hasn’t let his ACL rehab keep him from impacting the team.
While Irving remains sidelined since tearing his ACL on March 3 against the Sacramento Kings, his presence is still being felt behind the scenes, especially by young guard Brandon Williams, whose rise has become one of the lone bright spots in a brutal start for Dallas.
Jason Kidd Calls Kyrie Irving’s Impact on Brandon Williams a Masterclass
Speaking to reporters, head coach Jason Kidd praised Irving’s commitment to mentoring Williams despite his long recovery. Kidd didn’t hold back in describing how hands-on Irving has been.
“Kai’s leadership has been huge,” Kidd said via reporter Noah Weber. “Them talking and walking through different pick-and-roll coverages. Just being able to have a voice, someone who’s done it at a very high level, and someone that you can see doing it in practice. So you get to learn on-job training, visual, and being able to hear Kai’s voice, and so I think it’s incredible of a masterclass of what Kai has done so far with B-Will.”
Williams, who went undrafted out of Arizona before signing a two-way deal with the Mavericks in 2023, grew up modeling his game after Irving. Now he’s getting daily instruction from his basketball idol, and it has accelerated his growth.
After Irving went down last season, Williams stepped in and averaged 15.5 points in his final 15 appearances with Dallas, flashing poise and shot creation that Dallas desperately needed.
This season, he’s carried that momentum forward. Through 14 games, Williams is averaging 10.8 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists on 41.3% shooting — production that has kept him ahead of Jaden Hardy as the team’s most reliable reserve guard.
Mavericks Struggle While Williams’ Role Expands
Despite Williams’ progress, the Mavericks have spiraled without Irving’s on-court presence. Dallas sits 13th in the West with a 4-12 record and has dropped four of its last five games. Injuries continue to shape the rotation: Anthony Davis remains unavailable, while top prospect Cooper Flagg, who missed Wednesday’s (Nov. 19) game against the Knicks, was back for Friday’s NBA Cup matchup against the New Orleans Pelicans.
Williams’ role is only increasing as Kidd and Co. try to stabilize the spiralling season. His contract for 2025-26 is non-guaranteed but comes with key trigger dates: $200,000 locked in on July 7, another $850,000 became guaranteed on opening night, and the full salary becomes guaranteed on January 10.
With Irving projected to return in January, Williams’ development could end up being the biggest long-term win in an otherwise bleak stretch for the Mavericks. And as Kidd made clear, the credit starts with Irving, even if he has yet to take the court.