“He’s just real energetic. He brings a lot of energy… He’s always ready to go,” these are some of the praises that Daniel Gafford showered for the 21-year-old Jazian Gortman. The Dallas Mavericks have had a disappointing preseason campaign, losing all three games. And, importantly, Luka Doncic is yet to set his foot on the floor. Despite this concerning situation, the team has one big positive, heading into the regular season. And that is Mavs’ under-review prospect, Jazian Gortman.
It’s safe to say Gortman is no longer under review and is likely to secure a spot in the final 15-man roster—at least according to Mavs’ center Gafford. The rising star has been impressive, ranking as the second-leading scorer for the Mavs’ preseason, averaging 12.7 points over three games, with a high of 19 points.
In the last game against the LA Clippers, Jason Kidd promoted Gortman to the starting lineup, and the guard indeed lived up to his expectations, dropping 13 points with 2 rebounds in his 28-minute stay. While the Texas fans are happy with their new addition to the side, there’s something else that the fans need to pay attention to which is Gortman’s interesting route to turn pro after skipping high school.
Jazian Gortman attended W. J. Keenan High School in Columbia, South Carolina, and had an impressive junior year, averaging 23.1 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.3 steals. And, this is where he took the decision to skip senior year and turn pro. Four years down the lane, Gortman is at the crossroads. Will he make his NBA debut with the Mavs this season? Only time will tell.
Well, the four years after high school junior year wasn’t an easy road. Right from a young age, the rising star was sure of playing pro, as he said, “I feel like whatever I could do at that age, I still feel like that’s to play at the highest level, then that’s what I’m going to do,” in an interview for the NBA. But, it’s easier said than done. Let’s have a glimpse at how it worked for the young gun.
We’ve seen LeBron James directly jump into the NBA after high school, and make wonders. But, Gortman’s story is a little different. In fact, he didn’t entirely complete his high school and took a different route. Well, an interesting route, something that the upcoming generation can take note of.
After the brief high school stint, Gortman played for YNG Dreamerz in Overtime Elite for the 2022-23 season. The rising star put up a decent stat line of 13.9 points, 4.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.5 steals. Speaking of his time at Overtime Elite, he said, “I was getting some information from Overtime Elite that they were going to teach me professional skills early on and help my development early on… So, that was a big thing for me, because you’re younger and your dreams are to play at the highest level.”
Following that, Gortman took his talents to the G-League, playing for Rip City Remix and Wisconsin Herd. And found himself a spot in the Mavs’ 2024 Summer League roster, and now, he’s almost on the verge of making his NBA debut. “Coming in this year is another opportunity to learn as much as I can… Being a student of the game, I feel like God has put me in some of the positions that I’ve been in.” With the three superstar guards already on the side, Gortman can’t ask for a better side to start his NBA stint. What do you think? Let us know.
