Since he’s been on this roller-coaster of a journey for quite some time — trying to earn a spot on an NBA roster — naturally Jazian Gortman
was telephoning one family member after another when the Dallas Mavericks inked him to a two-way contract on Friday, right?
But true to his quiet and unassuming self, Gortman said: “I didn’t call anyone. Everyone was pretty much calling me. But the first person I talked to was my pops, and he was very excited.
“But similar to me, he has the same mindset. So, he was kind of telling me the same thing: Don’t stop here, and know what I’m really going for. He told me congrats, but at the same time it was congrats to keep working and not congrats to be satisfied where I’m at.”
Gortman is not built to be satisfied with where he’s at, because he knows his journey has been unmatched by anyone seeking residency within the NBA. Gortman skipped his senior year at W. J. Keenan High School in Columbia, South Carolina, so he could turn pro.
On Aug. 11, 2021, he signed with the YNG Dreamerz of the Overtime Elite. In 2023, Gortman secured a roster spot with the Wisconsin Herd of the NBA G League, and the next year he played for the Rip City Remix of the G League before landing a spot on the Mavs’ summer league squad this past summer.
It was there where Gortman began to cut his teeth and open some eyes. So much so that the Mavs made him a member of their training camp roster, and he has continued to shine brighter and brighter nearly evert day.
“As an organization, he’s impressed,” coach Jason Kidd said. “I think everybody that watched and gave their opinion on how his camp went felt that he was impressive and someone that we needed to take a closer look at.
“The improvements that he’s had in the summer league and the work that he’s put in, but also just the way he played in the minutes that he was on the floor (are great). The things that we’re looking for him to do, he did it at a high level.”
Gortman describes his ascension to signing a two-way contract with the Mavs as “the most high. I’m just real grateful for the opportunity, understanding that the work doesn’t stop here, and the journey doesn’t stop here.
“I’m still ready to put in that same type of work and even more. But I’m very grateful and excited.”
The hard work Gortman puts in to advance his craft is undeniable. It’s no secret that he’s usually the last player to leave the court after practice is over. That’s part of his evolution.
Then again, when asked what’s been the most memorable part of his journey since the start of summer league, Gortman said: “Just overall being in the building. It’s a great opportunity, it’s a once in a lifetime type of opportunity. But just being in the building and getting the information from the players, coaching staff that I get, this is definitely not made for everybody. Everyone can’t get this type of information.
“I just have to take the information and see what I can do out of it, because it’s a lot. It’s really a lot, but I love it. It’s only going to help me and help my game and help the people around me.”
Gortman likely will start the season playing for the Mavs’ G League team – the Texas Legends. But that shouldn’t be perceived as a negative.
“It’s alright to get started in the G League, but as you know injuries happen,” Kidd said. “We’ll prepare him if someone goes down, he’ll get a chance to come up and hopefully be able to play.
“But the big thing is that his work ethic and the things that we’ve asked of him, we would like to see him keep progressing in the right direction.”
The next step for Gortman is to keep absorbing all the knowledge that comes his way, and take full advantage of whatever playing opportunities he’s given.
“Just keep executing the same things that I’m executing now, and even doing it a little more as far as my communicative talk,” Gortman said. “Just making sure I stay locked in to the little things that happen on the court, because they go by real fast. And just staying at it, man.
“You’ve got to love this thing. That’s the biggest part about it, man. Just loving the game and exercising your love for the game.”
That part shouldn’t be a problem for the 21-year old Gortman.
“One of the biggest (motivating factors) is my creative mind as a kid,” he said. “As a kid I kind of understood what I could do with basketball, and I kind of envisioned it.
“So, I feel like anything that I envision, I can do. Thanks to the most high I’ve been able to do most of the things that I’ve envisioned in my life. So, I just keep going with that and keep having the same mindset every day.”
Gortman averaged 10.3 points in 20.8 minutes while shooting an impressive 51.6 percent from the field and a red-hot 57.1 percent from three-point territory in the Mavs’ four preseason games. Mavs players noticed his aggressiveness and effectiveness on both ends of the court, and told him:
“Just to keep working, keep my head down and stay with it,” Gortman said. “Like I said, it’s only the beginning of my journey for real.
“Everybody has been excited for me, but they also understand that it doesn’t stop here. I’m glad I’ve been getting that type of feedback from players.”
Gortman also has been getting that type of feedback from the Mavs’ coaches.
“He’s trending up,: Kidd said. “This is a young man that has come a long way in a short period of time.”
MAVS FLIPPED PAGE ON LAST SEASON: If anyone has any expectations on the upcoming season in regards to the Mavs, coach Jason Kidd could care less about it.
“I don’t pay attention to the expectations outside of this building,” Kidd said following Saturday’s practice session. “Everybody has their opinion, and that’s fair.
“For us, this is a new season. We don’t talk about last year. It’s over.”
The Mavs finished fifth in the Western Conference last season with a 52-30 record. From there, they defeated the Los Angeles Clippers, Oklahoma City Thunder and Minnesota Timberwolves in the first three rounds of the playoffs before losing to the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals.
But from Kidd’s perspective, what happened during the 2023-24 season will have absolutely no bearing on what happens in the 24-25 season.
“We have to go out there and be hungry,” Kidd said. “Again, we didn’t do anything (last season). We came in second.
“We got to go out there and want it, and that’s what these guys have done here of late. The last couple of days have been at a very high level. The intensity has picked 
up — with Luka (Dončić) being back has helped. You can see other guy’s intensity has picked up, too.”
KEY PLAYERS HAVE RETURNED: Guard Luka Dončić and forward Maxi Kleber went through a full practice session on Saturday, while forward Kessler Edwards only went through the non-contact portion of practice.
Dončić had been dealing with a left calf contusion he suffered on the first day of training camp on
Oct. 1 in Las Vegas, while Kleber and Edwards have each been suffering with a left ankle sprain since before training camp started. While guard Dante Exum (right wrist surgery) will probably miss Thursday’s season-opener against the San Antonio Spurs, Kidd said Edwards is progressing.
“Our health is trending up,” Kidd said. “It’s great to have Maxi back. He looked good (Saturday). You get to see the full scope of the team right now.
“Exum is the only one that probably will be out come opening night. Kessler is trending up — another two-way. But the 15 guys that will suit up, they all look good.
They’re healthy and they’re going in the right direction.”
WNBA FINALS BRINGING EXCITEMENT: The WNBA Finals between the Minnesota Lynx and New York Liberty has brought tons of excitement and plenty of joy to fans who follow that league.
That best-of-five series is tied at two games apiece with the decisive Game 5 slated for Sunday at 7 p.m. at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, N.Y. The games have been so riveting that this is just the second WNBA playoff series where at least three of the games have been decided by three points or less.
“These games have been incredible,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. “They’re coming down to the last possession.
“This is where stars are made or stars step up and make big plays, and you’re seeing that on both sides when you talk about the Minnesota team and the New York 
team. They’re full of stars and they’re not afraid of the moment, so it’s been really, really good.”
BRIEFLY: Coach Jason Kidd said he turned up the volume during Saturday’s practice. “Today was a hard practice,” Kidd said. “The last two practices the energy has been extremely high, the competition has been extremely high. And we want the competition to be high and we want it to be hard, especially with Luka (Dončić ) back. It just changes everything.”. .Just to underscore all the stuff guard Quentin Grimes brings to the table, Kidd pointed out what he was able to accomplish during this past Thursday’s 109-84 win over the Milwaukee Bucks. In that game, Grimes scored just one point and was 0-of-7 from the field, but he also pulled down a game-high tying 10 rebounds. “I think when you look at his ability to catch-and-shoot, his toughness, you saw that the other night,” Kidd said. “He didn’t shoot the ball or score well, but he had 10 rebounds. He’s about the team and he wants to help the team, and he does a lot of the little things.”. .Kidd pointed out that patience for the players on his roster is a big thing. “But you have 82 games,” Kidd said. “Everyone will achieve their goals of minutes and shots, and hopefully we can achieve the win total, because that’s all we’re worried about.”. .The Mavs waived guards Jamir Chaplin and Jarod Lucas on Saturday, leaving the roster at 18 players.
X: @DwainPrice
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