Tommy Marshall had this dream of one day meeting Dallas Mavericks point guard Luka Dončić. Through Make-a-Wish and with some
assistance from the Mavs, that dream became reality on Monday.
Before the Mavs’ 132-108 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers, Dončić came out of his team’s locker room and met Marshall and his family. For Marshall, that meeting was awe-inspiring.
“I’ve been a fan of Luka really since he came into the league (in 2018) and really just got an eye for him,” Marshall said. “He’s such an amazing player.
“His skill set, how he controls the pace of the game, it just made me want to come meet him and really watch him play.”
The meeting with Dončić has been approximately five years in the making for Marshall, who is 20 years old.
“I got diagnosed with leukemia when I was 14 and then I had a relapse when I was 15,” he said. “That was all during Covid, too, so none of this could happen.
“I’m really happy to be here. It’s an awesome experience.”
Dončić equipped Marshall with three pairs of his Luka 2 sneakers. Dončić also autographed a basketball, and went into the locker room and got Kyrie Irving to autograph two posters that had pictures of Dončić and the Mavs’ shooting guard.
“Tonight I got to meet Luka and some of the other players and it was an awesome experience,” Marshall said. “Luka is just a great guy.”
And what was the conversation between Dončić and Marshall?
“It was just like, it’s so great to meet you, and he was just so kind,” Marshall said. “What you see on TV and everything, that’s him.
“He’s very genuine, very kind, and he’s just a happy bubbly person with a good personality and it was awesome to meet him.”
Marshall is a basketball player at Trine University – a private college in Angola, IN.
“I’m developing on the development team, but it’s all good,” he said. “I’m loving it there and it’s a great school.
“Shout out to coach (Brooks) Miller and all those coaches and everything. Great guy. Great program.’
As he made his way around American Airlines Center, Marshall had to keep from resisting the temptation from pinching himself. It was indeed a day to remember.
When asked what he’ll remember the most about Monday, Marshall said: “Probably just seeing all these cool things with my family. They are the ones who, when I went through this journey with cancer, they say it takes a village, and they’re part of my village, and (I’ll remember) just being here with them and thanking God every day for good health and all that stuff.
“This (Mavs) organization is amazing. It’s been a great experience down here.”
THOMPSON CLOSING IN ON MILLER: Mavs forward Klay Thompson is closing in on passing Reggie Miller on the NBA’s all-time three-pointers made list.
With the three three-pointers he made Monday against Portland, Thompson has 2,558 career three-pointers, while Miller has 2,560 triples.
“He knows who he is and is confident in it,” Portland coach Chauncey Billups said of Thompson . “There’s some games that he’s going to be 9-for-12 and there’s
some games that he has some really bad stretches where he’s 2-for-12.
“You never ever know if he’s hot or not just based on how he’s looking out there, how he’s moving, how he’s playing. I always loved that about him.”
Thompson was 3-of-8 from downtown on Monday.
“When you look at what Klay’s done on his journey, it’s pretty special,” Mavs coach Jason Kidd said. “He’s a champion.
“The good thing is it’s an honor of what he’s done on his journey and the work that he’s put in.”
Billups agreed.
“He never changed how he played defensively, and his shot-making, it was just like the icing on the cake,” Billups said. “He does so many other things, but we’ll all remember him as a shooter, one of the best ever, three-point wise. He’s an incredible Hall of Fame player.”
DINWIDDIE AN X FACTOR: One reason the Mavs went out and signed Spencer Dinwiddie to a free agent contract last offseason was to give them some veteran depth in the backcourt.
Dinwiddie played for the Mavs from 2022-23, and played a critical role in them reaching the 2022 Western Conference Finals. So, they knew of his value, and they knew his skill set.
And because Dante Exum hasn’t been able to play this season due to right wrist surgery – he was injured in training camp — Dinwiddie has been thrust into playing more minutes at this juncture of the season than Kidd expected.
“We went to get (Dinwiddie) because we knew him,” Kidd said. “I think (his increased playing time) just happened to come a little earlier in the season due to 
injuries for him to play this type of minutes.
“But he fits that style Exum played that you trust to put on the floor. He’s going to get us organized offensively, you trust him with the ball, his communication.”
Dinwiddie is averaging 8.5 points and 3.3 assists in 22.3 minutes.
“He’s a grownup,” Kidd said. “Just understanding his ability to score, to pass, and I think being able to rebound as a bigger guard, and then trying to defend.
“He fits what we’re trying to do. With Exum going down, he’s been a big pickup for us.”
BRIEFLY: Mavs coach Jason Kidd talked of the importance of management to surround point guard Luka Doncic with some more playmakers such as Kyrie Irving, Spencer Dinwiddie, Jaden Hardy, Klay Thompson, P. J. Washington and Naji Marshall and Quentin Grimes. “I think it’s been shown throughout the league when you look at other teams that have won,” Kidd said. “It’s not just one (playmaker). (Boston has Jayson) Tatum and (Jaylen) Brown and (Jrue) Holiday. There’s a list of them in Boston that all can put it on the floor, all can shoot the three, all know how to play the game at a high level. Just understanding when you get those kinds of players around Luka to help, one, it makes it easier for Luka, because we were leaning on him a lot to do everything. But I think it becomes a chance that you really have an opportunity to win a championship, and that’s what we’re here to do.”
X: @DwainPrice
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