Who is Naji Marshall? The New Orleans Pelicans star who personified the ‘Next man up’ mentality by replacing Brandon Ingram in upset of Dallas Mavericks
Naji Marshall is a 6-foot-6 small forward who plays for the New Orleans Pelicans. The Pelicans have been great so far this season and have won three out of their first four games.
Brandon Ingram and Zion Williamson, who are the best players on the roster, missed Tuesday night's (October 25) matchup against the Dallas Mavericks. Despite this, the Pelicans still prevailed and came away with a huge victory (113-111).
Naji Marshall with AUTHORITY! 😤
Pelicans-Mavs is a 3 point game in Q3 on TNT. #KiaTipOff22 https://t.co/szJ0aVzgPL
Willie Green replaced Ingram with Naji Marshall for the game, which turned out to be the right move. This article will reveal everything you need to know about the Pelicans forward and his journey so far.
Naji Marshall is a great backup player
Marshall is still far from being a superstar. However, he is only 24 and could soon have a breakout season. Considering that the Pelicans are injury-prone, the backup forward could get more minutes this season.
During his high school days, Naji Marshall stood out as one of the most promising young players in the nation. He eventually received scholarships from multiple colleges and was a four-star prospect.
The small forward committed to the Xavier Musketeers, where he had some amazing performances. In his first season with the college team, Marshall averaged 7.7 points and 4.4 rebounds. He played three seasons for the Musketeers.
In his third season, the talented player increased his average to 16.8 points and 6.3 rebounds. He also improved his playmaking skills and had four assists per game during his final season at Xavier.
Naji Marshall declared for the 2020 NBA draft after his last season in college. Unfortunately, he went undrafted.
Naji Marshall's NBA career
Despite not getting drafted by an NBA team, Marshall still found his way into the league. The small forward signed a two-way contract with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2020. This allowed him to play in both the NBA and the G League.
During the early stages of his professional career, Marshall played for the Pelicans and the Erie BayHawks. He made his NBA debut on January 15, 2021, against the Los Angeles Lakers.
In his NBA debut, Marshall spent three minutes on the floor, attempting no field goals and adding a rebound and an assist to his final stat line.
Due to injury problems the Pelicans had to deal with, Naji Marshall got a bigger role starting in April 2021. He played in 25 straight games and even started in 10 of them.
In this period, the Pelicans forward averaged 9.7 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. His minutes decreased during his sophomore season, but it appears that he may have a bigger role in the 2022-23 campaign.
With Brandon Ingram in concussion protocol, Naji Marshall was put in the starting lineup by Willie Green on Tuesday night. The Pelicans faced off against the Dallas Mavericks, the team that reached the Western Conference Finals last season.
Despite being underdogs, the Pelicans beat the Mavericks 113-111. Marshall spent 33 minutes on the floor, scoring 15 points on 6-for-9 shooting. The forward also grabbed two boards and had an assist during the big victory.
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With a 3-1 record, the Pelicans are one of the best teams in the league so far. Their next game is in Phoenix against the Suns on Friday (October 28) and we might see Marshall get another starting nod.