Naji Marshall Bio
Naji Maurice Marshall is an American professional basketball player for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He plays the small forward position and wears jersey number 13 for the Dallas franchise. Born in Atlantic City, New Jersey, Marshall has built his reputation through hard work at every level of the game, from high school and prep basketball to a strong college career with the Xavier Musketeers. He has since become a respected rotation player in the NBA, admired for his rebounding, defense, and steadily improving offensive game.
Early Life and Background
Naji Maurice Marshall was born on January 24, 1998, in Atlantic City, New Jersey. He is the son of Maurice Marshall, a former professional boxer who now coaches basketball at an elementary school, and Rayna Whitted, who works at Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C. Marshall has five brothers and one sister, and he grew up in a busy, sports-focused household. His first name, Naji, means “strong warrior” in Arabic and was a nickname his father had used for years.
Marshall moved from Atlantic City to Maryland at the age of nine and spent his early years playing both football and basketball. In middle school, he played in Atlantic City’s Triple-B summer youth league, which helped him sharpen his skills against older competition. His size, athleticism, and competitiveness stood out early, and his family encouraged him to focus on basketball as his primary sport.
Path to Basketball
Marshall began his high school career at Takoma Academy before transferring to Eleanor Roosevelt High School in Greenbelt, Maryland, where he played under coach Brendan O’Connell. He was academically ineligible during his first year there but returned strong, and as a senior he averaged 17 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals per game. He led Eleanor Roosevelt to a 23-3 record and scored 27 points in a 69-59 win over Perry Hall High School in the Maryland 4A state semifinals.
To strengthen his academic standing, Marshall spent a postgraduate year at Hargrave Military Academy in Chatham, Virginia, where he averaged 20.7 points and 11.4 rebounds per game. On the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) circuit, he competed for DC Premier and drew scholarship offers from Pittsburgh, South Carolina, and Virginia Tech. He chose Xavier because he liked the program’s culture and was rated as a four-star prospect and the 20th-best small forward in his class by ESPN.
Naji Marshall Career
College Career at Xavier (2017-2020)
Marshall opened his collegiate career with 12 points and 4 rebounds against Morehead State and later scored a season-high 21 points in a win over Georgetown. As a freshman, he averaged 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds per game across 18 starts and was named to the Big East All-Freshman Team. During the summer before his sophomore year, he worked on improving his jump shot and overall conditioning.
As a sophomore, Marshall became a more complete player, earning Big East Player of the Week honors after posting 19 points and a career-high 14 rebounds in a win over DePaul. He scored 28 points in a victory at Seton Hall and recorded a then-career-high 31 points in a win over St. John’s on February 28, 2019. He was named Second Team All-Big East and averaged 14.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game before briefly declaring for the 2019 NBA draft and then withdrawing his name to return to Xavier.
Xavier Junior Year and Draft Decision (2019-2020)
Entering his junior season, Marshall was named to the preseason First Team All-Big East and placed on the watchlist for the Julius Erving Award. He tied his career high with 31 points in a 73-66 win over Cincinnati in the Crosstown Shootout and later hit the game-winning three-pointer with 4.5 seconds left in a 66-63 win at Georgetown. He finished his junior year averaging 16.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists per game, earning First Team All-Big East honors and scoring 1,277 total points across three seasons as a Musketeer. Following the season, he declared for the 2020 NBA draft and signed with an agent, forgoing his remaining eligibility.
New Orleans Pelicans (2020-2024)
After going unselected in the 2020 NBA draft, Marshall signed a two-way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans and their NBA G League affiliate, the Erie BayHawks, on December 8, 2020. He made his NBA debut on January 15, 2021, against the Los Angeles Lakers, and began earning consistent rotation minutes in April of that year due to a wave of injuries. On May 7, 2021, the Pelicans signed him to a multi-year contract, and he finished his rookie season averaging 7.7 points and 4.6 rebounds per game while shooting 39.2 percent from the field.
In January 2022, Marshall was assigned, along with Trey Murphy III, to the Birmingham Squadron, the Pelicans’ G League affiliate, to continue his development. He spent four seasons with the New Orleans organization overall, growing from a two-way signee into a reliable rotation wing. By the time his contract ended, he had established himself as a versatile defender and a connective offensive player.
Dallas Mavericks Era (2024-Present)
On July 6, 2024, Marshall signed a three-year, $27 million contract with the Dallas Mavericks, joining a roster that already featured several established veterans. He continued his role as a hard-nosed wing, contributing defense, rebounding, and playmaking on the wing. On March 25, 2025, Marshall scored a career-high 38 points to go with 7 rebounds in a 128-113 loss to the New York Knicks, a performance that highlighted his growing offensive confidence in a Mavericks uniform.
Driving Style and Strengths
Marshall is valued for his physical defense, his willingness to rebound at a high level for his position, and his ability to guard multiple spots on the floor. Offensively, he has developed into a capable three-point shooter and a strong driver who attacks closeouts and finishes through contact. His size, length, and high basketball IQ make him a steady complementary piece alongside higher-usage scorers.
Notable Events and Milestones
Marshall’s career high of 38 points against the New York Knicks in March 2025 stands as one of the defining scoring moments of his professional career. He also earned his first career multi-year NBA contract with the New Orleans Pelicans in May 2021, signed a major free-agent deal with the Dallas Mavericks in 2024, and posted a 31-point performance against St. John’s during his sophomore season at Xavier.
Naji Marshall Family
Family Background and Basketball Lineage
Marshall’s family has deep roots in athletics. His father, Maurice Marshall, was a professional boxer and is now a basketball coach at an elementary school, while his mother, Rayna Whitted, works at Providence Hospital in Washington, D.C. He has five brothers and one sister, and the competitive environment at home helped shape his toughness and work ethic from an early age.
Personal Life
Marshall grew up moving between Atlantic City and Maryland, a transition that required him to adapt quickly to new schools and teammates. His close relationship with his parents and siblings remains a key part of his support system as he continues his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks.
2025 Season Performance
Marshall entered the 2025 NBA season as a key rotation piece for the Dallas Mavericks following his standout 38-point performance against the New York Knicks the previous March. His role within the team has continued to expand, with coaches leaning on his defense, rebounding, and three-point shooting to support the offense. As the season has progressed, he has shown improved shot selection and comfort in half-court sets, which has translated into more efficient scoring nights.
His minutes and usage have grown in matchups where Dallas needs a physical wing defender, and he has logged double-digit scoring efforts against several playoff-caliber opponents. The three-year, $27 million contract he signed in 2024 reflects the Mavericks’ belief in his long-term fit, and his ongoing development suggests he will remain a significant contributor for the remainder of the deal.
