The Dallas Mavericks aren’t just adding another coach to the mix; they’re importing a “mad scientist” to fix a broken jump shot. While the front office brought in fresh faces like Tarik Biberović and Santi Aldama, the real shocker is the hiring of Rob Fodor as an assistant and shooting coach. This move directly targets the squad’s ugly 34.4 percent three-point shooting rate that landed them 26th in the NBA last season, per The Smoking Cuban.
Fodor spent two decades in the Miami Heat organization, the last of them as its first full-time shooting coach in franchise history. His impact was massive, helping Miami record the seven highest single-season three-point totals in team history during his time there. He transformed Duncan Robinson from a player who shot under 30 percent as a rookie into a record-setting sharpshooter who hit 270 threes in the 2019-20 season. That specific season saw Robinson shoot 44.6 percent from deep, according to reports.
The Mad Scientist Approach
Fodor doesn’t just watch film; he breaks down the mechanics of a shot until nothing is left to chance. He focuses on every single element, from the catch to the release, to find tiny errors that kill a shooter’s rhythm. You can’t hide from his process. It’s surgical.
This method goes beyond simple advice. Robinson noted that they call these hidden errors “little ‘isms'” that players fall back on when they start missing. Fodor’s job is to spot those bad habits instantly and force the player to change them. Robinson called the process simple yet vital, stating, “It’s just kind of like the daily vitamins.”
A Staff Built for Shooting
The Mavericks announced Dusty May’s new coaching staff on Wednesday, and Fodor is one of seven assistants on the list for the upcoming season. Willie Green will serve as the lead assistant, while Garrett Temple, Joe Boylan, Drew Williamson, Mody Maor, and Sam Hershberger round out the group. The Texas Legends will receive coaching from Nate Mitchell in addition to the primary staff members. That’s a deep bench of talent focused entirely on development.
Fodor’s reputation as “The Shooting Guy” is well earned after his decade-long run in Miami. He has even posted YouTube videos breaking down the fundamentals of shooting to share his knowledge with the world. Now he brings that same intensity to Dallas. Rob Fodor, Miami’s shooting coach, received significant acclaim according to reports. The Mavericks need this boost more than anyone. They ranked 26th in the league from deep last year, a number that simply cannot stand if they want to win. Fodor’s track record suggests he can turn a struggling group into a threat overnight. He knows how to fix the motion that stops a player from hitting their best version of a shot.
“I always kind of had it, but it’s just about being able to repeat your best version every time,” Robinson said of the consistency Fodor demands. The key is repeating that form even when the defense is trying to stop you. “And then be able to repeat it after the demands of getting open, which is the hardest thing in my opinion to do in the NBA,” Robinson added. How many coaches can actually teach that level of precision under pressure? Fodor’s work in Miami proves he can.
With Fodor now in Dallas, the team has a clear path to fixing their biggest weakness. The question is no longer if they can shoot better, but how fast Fodor can make the change happen. The staff is ready, the plan is set, and the results should follow soon. Expect to see those numbers climb as soon as training camp tips off.
