Dakota Mathias Has New Motivation As He Hunts For Another NBA Chance

INDIANAPOLIS — Take a closer look during an Indiana Mad Ants (the G League affiliate team for the Indiana Pacers) game, and one of the 10 players on the court will catch your eye. It’s a wing player, and a veteran who communicates better than the youngsters who surround him. He’s the only one chewing gum for the entire 48-minute outing.

It’s Dakota Mathias, a six-foot-four-inch sharpshooter who previously played for the Philadelphia 76ers and Memphis Grizzlies. Mathias, 29, has played with gum in his mouth since his college days at Purdue University — he believes it helps him stay engaged.

Beyond the jaw movement from talking and chewing, Mathias stands out for another reason with the Mad Ants: he’s one of the best players on the floor. The Ohio native has a clean jump shot and good feel for cutting, a deadly combo that makes him a valuable offensive piece for Indiana this season.

“He’s a force, [an] offensive force. Everybody knows where he is at all times and when he moves. He takes gravity, he takes people with him. He causes other things to open up, and he just has a knack for making a difficult shot,” Mad Ants head coach Tom Hankins said of Mathias. “He moves without the ball as well as anybody. He really understands where to be and when to change speeds… great shot, good feel.”

For Mathias, his current season blends new meaning with a longstanding goal. He wants to get back into the NBA, and he’s a new father — every night, the 2017 Big Ten All-Defensive team member is playing with both of those objectives on his mind. After last playing in the NBA in January of 2022, Mathias is searching for another opportunity in the association.

“Goal is to get back to the NBA,” Mathias said. His last stint in the league came with Memphis in 2022, and every shot he made that season was a three-point look. “Just gotta keep going.”

What is Dakota Mathias pushing for?

That’s been Mathias’ goal for a while now. He shared as much before playing in summer league last year — which he also did for the Pacers. He averaged 6.6 points per game for Indiana during summer league play and then signed an Exhibit 10 contract with the franchise in August. In between his last NBA action with the Grizzlies and today, he’s gone to Spain and Germany while mixing in stints with other G League squads.

The Mad Ants are close to where he’s originally from in Ohio. They also provide NBA facilities for their players both for practices and home games, which are useful training tools for anyone trying to get promoted from the G League — like Mathias’ teammate Jahlil Okafor. The guard/wing has averaged 3.9 points per game in his 14 NBA appearances.

Like most players, part of Mathias’ desire to be on an NBA roster again is a will to be part of the best league in the world. It’s proof that a player belongs with the top talent the sport has to offer. He’s spent multiple seasons and summer leagues with different organizations looking for the right path.

Mathias shared that he hopes to show high-level shooting as he pushes toward the association. He wants his jumper on the move to pop. When Mathias gets run off the three-point line by a defender, he’s trying to display solid decision making via his scoring, driving, and passing. It isn’t just three-point shots that make the veteran wing effective — it’s what Mathias can do when the three isn’t available.

Most of his game does extend out from his strong work beyond the arc. Mathias has knocked down 38% of his long-range shots for the Mad Ants so far this season and averages eight attempts from deep per game. He’s only missed three free throws the entire season and has improved his skills inside the arc. When he’s forced to put the ball on the floor and attack, he can do it.

To date, he’s averaged 17.7 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.5 assists per game with Indiana. Those final two numbers are career best figures for Mathias in the G League. He’s gotten better while still being a terrific shooter, and that’s the base that he hopes can carry him back into the NBA.

But the Purdue product now holds even more motivation — he and his wife Gabby welcomed their son into the world in August of 2024, and now Mathias has a different outlook on basketball.

The Midwest native is playing for more than just his professional desires. His son, Marcus, has changed his view of the game and given Mathias more to play for. He’s about to be six months old and is on Dakota’s mind every game. “Definitely, it’s just even more of a motivating thing. It’s cool to have him here, to be able to be around the game,” the Mad Ants wing said of his son and the motivation he provides. “It’s fun, and it’s definitely been a change. But it’s been great. My wife’s been awesome [at] handling all that, and it’s been very fun.”

That new motivation mixed with longstanding goals of being in the NBA have Dakota Mathias playing some of his best-ever G League basketball. He’s been a consistent performer with the Mad Ants this season. As he continues to rain in threes, the Purdue product will hope it leads to another NBA chance.