Dallas Mavericks players as M. Night Shyamalan movies

There’s not a whole lot going on in Mavs Land right now. Summer League has come and gone, and the transaction period of the offseason is all but over. Dwight Powell is playing in the Olympics and Dallas signed a Summer Leaguer to a training camp deal, but it’s mostly quiet on the Maverick front.

However, in the world of cinema, the party is just getting started. Master filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film, Trap, just hit theaters. Love him or hate him, Shyamalan movies are events in their own right. No matter what you may think about the quality of his work, he is an unquestionable genius of form. I saw Trap on Thursday night and had an incredible time; I recommend you see it as soon as possible.

In my post-Trap delirium, my thoughts suddenly drifted toward the Dallas Mavericks. And as I thought more about it, I realized most Mavericks players have a pretty strong Shyamalan counterpart. Last year, during the Barbenheimer craze, I divided the Maverick roster into camps based on who would see each movie. Now, I’ll do something similar, matching the qualities of the players with a Shyamalan film. Let’s get right to it:

Luka Doncic: The Sixth Sense (1999)

This one is a layup. The Sixth Sense was Shyamalan’s big breakthrough, the out-of-nowhere smash hit that established him as a major talent in cinema. Like Shyamalan, Luka Doncic also hit the ground running immediately with his first taste of national spotlight. Both men were called generational talents once the public got acquainted with them. And, on the other side of the coin, both M. Night and Luka have been unfairly criticized by their respective industries after some minor bumps in the road. Also— while Haley Joel Osment’s Cole had the “sixth sense” of seeing dead people, Doncic possesses a similar ability to see the floor as no other basketball player can.

Kyrie Irving: The Village (2004)

The movie that started Shyamalan’s perceived decline, The Village is an extremely divisive work. While its formal brilliance is undeniable, many viewers were turned off by its daring final act, featuring a patented Shyamalan twist. Kyrie Irving knows a thing or two about controversy and big revelations. In The Village, the central characters live in a close, religious community (a sort of “tribe,” even) that believes in a grand conspiracy. It’s an allegory for Bush-era surveillance, a world governed by fear of an unseen enemy. These are all things that Irving would certainly take an interest in. And, like Irving’s singular basketball ability, The Village is awesome and a joy to watch.

Klay Thompson: Old (2021)

Okay, I know what you’re thinking. But this isn’t a dig at Klay or a declaration of his potential washed-ness. Make no mistake about it: in basketball years, Thompson is old. His best days are behind him. However, like the characters in the film (who find themselves on a secluded beach that rapidly accelerates aging), Thompson’s production level has been altered by factors outside his control. His devastating injuries robbed him of his elite defense far sooner than natural regression would have. Klay Thompson was on the Old Beach of professional sports. But just like our heroes from the film, he’s come out the other side with a ton still to give. Old, despite its reputation, is a great movie. And the Thompson signing will be a similarly great move for Dallas.

Dereck Lively II: Signs (2002)

This is my personal favorite Shyamalan film. Does everything happen for a reason? I don’t think Signs answers that question one way or the other, but it does offer beautiful insight into the power of faith, family, and the great unknown. When disaster struck the Mavericks during the 2022-2023 season, it seemed as though all hope was lost. The team was heading toward rock bottom, even after trading for Kyrie Irving, and their only lifeline was a top-10 draft pick they smartly prioritized keeping. Of course, that pick ended up being Dereck Lively II, the definition of a franchise saver. Much like Rory Culkin’s asthma attack in the climax of Signs, a dark and scary experience directly led to a moment of salvation. It’s almost enough to renew your faith in a higher power. Throw in Lively’s alien-like ability to learn and get better on the fly, and this feels like a perfect fit.

PJ Washington: Knock at the Cabin (2023)

Washington was a tough one to draw a comparison to, but I think there are some interesting parallels here. Star Dave Bautista and PJ Washington both started their careers as one thing and underwent a metamorphosis. Many doubted Bautista’s ability to transition from WWE icon to serious film actor. Similarly, NBA fans didn’t believe Washington, who spent his whole career on the perennial bottom-feeding Hornets, could become a winning piece on a contender. But both men proved their doubters wrong. Bautista’s turn in Cabin solidified him as a serious artist, just as Washington’s contributions in 2024 cemented him as a winning player. Washington is also famous for Standing on Business, which is exactly what Bautista’s character does in the film when Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge try to escape their fate.

Dwight Powell: Unbreakable (2000)

Dread it. Run from it. Dwight Powell is inevitable. Many have tried to take him down. He’s been sent through the trade machine more times than any other player in NBA history. He’s been ridiculed, mocked, memed, and shunned. He survived a torn Achilles and got another multi-year contract. Just like David Dunn in Shyamalan’s monumental take on the superhero genre, you cannot hurt Dwight Powell. He cannot feel pain. Watch as he gets smacked in the face at least once per game— it doesn’t phase him. Powell didn’t ask for this power, but he tried to use it for good. While David Dunn used his newfound abilities to solve crimes, Powell used his wealth and influence to give back to the Dallas community. Both are heroes in my book.

Naji Marshall: Split (2016)

After M. Night’s fall from grace in the mid-2000s to early 2010s, he experienced a career resurgence that peaked with the success of Split. In the lead-up to the film, no one knew this was a 16-years-later sequel to Unbreakable. But audiences were delighted with the movie and excited about the tie-in at the end. In a similar vein, Maverick fans did not anticipate losing Derrick Jones Jr. to free agency this summer. However, his replacement (or sequel) is ready to rock in the person of Naji Marshall. And just like James McAvoy’s characters(s), Marshall is incredibly versatile. He can do a bit of everything, and the hope is that he can have the same kind of on-court impact for Dallas as Split did for Shyamalan’s career. Also, Marshall is nicknamed “The Knife” which definitely sounds like one of McAvoy’s psychotic personalities.

Maxi Kleber: Glass (2019)

In the final chapter of the Unbreakable trilogy, Glass gives us an in-depth look at fallen heroes and fragile villains. Unfortunately, Maxi Kleber could be confused for Samuel L. Jackson’s Mr. Glass at this juncture of his career. Mr. Glass is always in danger of breaking every bone in his body, just as Kleber is always in danger of missing basketball games due to injury. And when he is on the floor, Kleber is not as effective as he once was as a floor-spacing, shot-blocking menace. His arc is following a David Dunn-esque path. Plus, Glass, like many Shyamalan films, was extremely under-appreciated at the time of its release; but now, smart people recognize it as a strong film. Maxi Kleber can relate to that, too.

Daniel Gafford: Trap (2024)

We’ll keep this one short and sweet because many have not seen Shyamalan’s newest film yet. The Maverick defense is built to funnel ball handlers into a rim protector. You may think you have the defense beat but in reality, the Trap has been set— Daniel Gafford is waiting for you at the rim. And he’s going to block your shot with the ruthlessness of a killer.

Dante Exum: The Happening (2008)

Many consider The Happening to be Shyamalan’s worst film. Personally, I think it’s fine. Definitely not his best, but there’s a lot to like. Dante Exum inspires the same feeling within me: he’s had some memorable moments, I’m glad he’s around, but I won’t defend him with my life. In The Happening, a mysterious, deadly virus wreaks havoc on the Northeastern United States; no one knows what’s causing it or why it’s occurring. There is no explanation, just as there was no explanation for how Exum became completely useless in the 2024 playoffs. Also, Exum was unfairly maligned before going to Europe and reinventing himself; the same thing happened to Shyamalan after this movie and the two that followed (The Last Airbender and After Earth).

Markieff Morris: The Visit (2015)

Morris is on the team because the players respect him as a veteran and elder. The Visit teaches us a thing or two about that. Getting old is terrifying, and the baggage we carry as we age can consume our minds as they deteriorate. In Shyamalan’s film, these ideas are brilliantly woven into a campy horror concept that preys on the audience’s preconceived ideas about the elderly. The 34-year-old Morris has virtually nothing left to give from a basketball perspective. It’s easy to think of him as useless, a waste of a roster spot. But he’s worth keeping around because he’s the grandfather of the team. And like the “grandparents” in The Visit, Morris can unleash a world of hurt as an enforcer if his number is called in that capacity.

Olivier Maxence-Prosper: Lady in the Water (2006)

Lady in the Water was the moment people started to dismiss Shyamalan entirely. And I’ll be honest; it’s one of my least favorites of his filmography. I admire the fantastical elements and appreciate what M. Night was going for, but it doesn’t quite work for me. Olivier Maxence-Prosper suffers from the same mistake Shyamalan made with this movie: he’s out of control and needs to reign it in. There’s still ample time for O-Max to rebound from the disappointing start to his career, just as Shyamalan did after Lady in the Water sent him down a path of denigration by the film-going public. But the situation leaves a lot to be desired as is.