Dallas Mavericks forward Naji Marshall was recently asked to create an all-time starting five featuring Mavs players. In the process of listing the players to his team, Marshall excluded his former teammate, Luka Doncic. He responded to the question with:
“JKidd, Kyrie, Michael Finley, Dirk, Tyson Chandler.”
Naji Marshall names his all-time starting five:
• Jason Kidd
• Kyrie Irving
• Michael Finley
• Dirk Nowitzki
• Tyson Chandler
(🎥 @noahweber00)
pic.twitter.com/J8gcSKJSpp
— Kyrie Center (@kyriecenterig) July 28, 2025
The mention of players like Jason Kidd, Kyrie Irving, Dirk Nowitzki, and Tyson Chandler are justified. Given that Kidd, Nowitzki, and Chandler helped bring the team its first title, the three cemented their place as franchise legends.
In this regard, Irving joins the list simply because of how great a player he is. Although his time in Dallas has been brief, the nine-time All-Star has been spectacular.
Selecting Michael Finley over Luka Doncic raises eyebrows, especially considering Doncic’s impact on the franchise. When factoring in what Doncic meant to the organization before being traded to the Lakers, it was clear that he was expected to be one of their all-time greats.
The Doncic-Davis trade was viewed as one of the most shocking deals in league history. Many viewed the deal unfavorably, especially since Doncic had no role in orchestrating it, making Marshall’s omission all the more puzzling.
With Doncic expected to sign his contract extension with the Lakers, it is evident that his NBA journey will take him in a different direction. Meanwhile, Marshall remains with the Mavs, as they aim to be a more competitive team next season.
Naji Marshall Opened Up On Missing Luka Doncic
Marshall’s latest display may hint at some amount of pettiness, but the forward has been quite expressive in detailing his friendship with Doncic. On an episode of “The Young Man And The Three” podcast, the forward opened up on missing his teammate and said:
“I mean, I understood that, like, business is business as far as the NBA, but I was hurt, man. Luka’s my dawg, for real. And I love AD. That’s my guy right there. Like, he’s been great with us. You know, he welcomed us with open arms… But as far as just personally, like, I just was hurt to lose Luka, man.”
“Luka is just the chillest guy ever, bro. You just feel like his best friend from day one,” he added. “He’s just a great dude. Never mad, just always happy. And just a Hall of Fame flamethrower when it comes to basketball.”
Marshall, who spent the 2024-25 season with the New Orleans Pelicans before being traded, played just 17 games with the Mavericks before the Doncic-Davis deal occurred.
In that short span of time, the forward seemingly became close friends with the superstar, even admitting that the consequences of the trade did hurt him. Regardless, the 27-year-old will look forward to the upcoming season with Dallas.
The outlook for the Mavericks even after the trade hasn’t been the worst. With a superstar pairing of Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, alongside a gifted rookie in Cooper Flagg, Dallas is poised to be intriguing.
Although injuries could be a setback, players like Marshall will be crucial in keeping Dallas afloat as impactful two-way contributors.
