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For young Nets, Terance Mann provides the pro’s blueprint

Terance Mann doesn’t always show up the way fans are trained to look for it.

Some nights it’s a big shot or a timely stop. Other nights it’s the quiet stuff that never makes a highlight package, the conversations on the bench, the reminder to take care of your body, the nudge to lock in when the role changes again. On a young Nets roster still learning how to be an NBA team every night, that version of Mann might be his most significant contribution.

Brooklyn acquired Mann from the Atlanta Hawks in July, and he’s been exactly what the organization needed from a veteran wing on a rebuilding roster. He’s averaged 7.6 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.2 assists while shooting 46.3% from the field and 36.9% from 3-point range. He’s also fifth on the team in total minutes at 1,263 and fifth in games started with 42 entering Sunday’s matchup against the Cleveland Cavaliers at Barclays Center.

Early in the season, as the rookie guards learned the ropes, Mann took on extra ball-handling responsibilities and helped stabilize the offense. Now, even as the rotation shifts and the roster continues to evolve, he’s stayed ready, which showed up again Tuesday when he scored 17 points off the bench in the Nets’ loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

That steadiness is what head coach Jordi Fernández keeps coming back to. At 29 years old, he’s the oldest player on the Nets’ roster, while Nic Claxton is the longest-tenured player.

“Terance’s leadership has been amazing,” Fernández said. “His voice has grown and he’s more comfortable with it. He knows he’s not the younger guy anymore and he brings the group together. That’s very important for chemistry and building relationships. Whether I ask him to start, come off the bench or even when he doesn’t play, he’s the ultimate pro.”

And Mann talks like someone who understands the assignment.

“I’m just here to help,” Mann said. “We have a different direction than a lot of teams and we need guys like me to be there to be able to help the young guys grow and show them how to be a professional.

That includes the unglamorous stuff he learned as a rookie from veterans who stayed on him about details, like the importance of recovery, knowing your personnel, and being familiar with the referees on any given night. He’s not guessing at what young players need. He’s repeating what was given to him.

“I had great vets in my day as a rookie, so they showed me how to be great vets,” Mann said. “They showed me how to be positive no matter what the role is. They showed me how to be able to take care of the young guys and that’s just really what I’m here to do.”

Sometimes it looks like initiative.

When the Nets were stranded in Atlanta during the Winter Storm Hernando mess, the day could’ve turned sour fast. Mann helped rally the group for a trip to the Georgia Aquarium, turning downtime into something that kept the team together rather than isolated. It wasn’t a grand gesture. It was a simple one, and that’s kind of the point. Mann has been doing that all season, helping a young roster navigate the day-to-day without letting the weight of it take over.

For a team headed in a new direction, having someone who understands how to carry a professional standard matters. Mann’s numbers are fine. His impact is bigger.

“I’m just trying to lead by example and show ’em the right things to do,” Mann said.



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