Garrett Temple, 40, is set to join the Dallas Mavericks coaching staff after 16 NBA seasons and three years with the Toronto Raptors, bringing veteran mentoring experience to a new Dallas setup led by May alongside Willie Green.
Garrett Temple spent 16 seasons answering questions on NBA courts. Now, at 40, he’s swapping the hustle for a different kind of work—helping shape a new generation from the sidelines.
Temple is joining the Dallas Mavericks coaching staff. moving into a role that follows his three seasons with the Toronto Raptors. In Toronto. he was used primarily as a mentor to a young roster. and although he played only 22 games last season. his impact was never measured by minutes. Teammates have routinely praised his guidance and presence in the locker room. and players across the league have echoed those same impressions.
Even when his playing time shrank, Temple stayed active in leadership circles. He has served on the National Basketball Players’ Association as a vice president since 2017—another sign that his value to teams has long extended beyond the box score.
The path to this next chapter started long before Dallas. Temple’s NBA career began in 2009. with his rookie season split among the Houston Rockets. Sacramento Kings and San Antonio Spurs as an undrafted guard out of LSU. Over his 16-year career, he played for 12 different teams, with his longest stretch coming with the Washington Wizards from 2012 to 2016.
Across more than 793 career regular-season games, Temple averaged 5.8 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.6 assists. It’s the kind of production that often marks a reliable role player—but his post-game reputation, earned through years of mentorship, is what’s now getting him a coaching spot.
Temple’s arrival lands with Dallas undergoing a visible reshaping. The Mavericks’ new-look coaching staff is led by May, following the departure of Temple’s connection to the Michigan Wolverines—where he left after taking over for Jason Kidd, who was let go after a five-year stint.
Joining May’s staff with Temple will be ex-New Orleans Pelicans head coach Willie Green, giving Dallas another layer of experience as it settles into its next basketball phase.
With Temple stepping into the Mavericks’ building after limited court time in Toronto, the storyline is straightforward: a veteran known for being present with younger players is being trusted to translate that steadiness into coaching.
Garrett Temple Dallas Mavericks coaching staff May Willie Green Toronto Raptors NBA mentorship Jason Kidd Michigan Wolverines
So he’s coaching now? Thought he already retired.
I didn’t even realize he was still in Toronto lol. 22 games last season and they’re like “yeah coach material” 😂 I guess locker room vibes matter.
Wait the article says Dallas new staff led by May and also Willie Green… but it also mentions Michigan and Jason Kidd? I’m confused, like is May the same coach who was with the Wolverines? Because I thought Kidd went somewhere else after getting fired.
Temple always seemed like one of those guys who would coach the game even when he wasn’t playing. But also he played 12 teams? That sounds like he was always getting cut, unless I’m mixing him up with someone else. Either way, if he’s been on the NBPA since 2017 then maybe he’s been building connections the whole time and Dallas is just cashing that in.