# Yogi Ferrell
**Kevin "Yogi" Ferrell** (born 1993) is an American professional basketball point guard from [Indianapolis](https://www.edgepedia.org/indianapolis), Indiana, who played six years in the NBA, most prominently with the [Dallas Mavericks](https://www.edgepedia.org/dallas-mavericks), and now plays for KK Budućnost VOLI in [Podgorica](https://www.edgepedia.org/podgorica), Montenegro[1](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1627812/advanced) • [2](https://sportando.basketball/en/yogi-ferrell-re-signs-with-buducnost/). Listed at 6'0" (1.83 m) and 178 lb (81 kg), he went undrafted in 2016 out of Indiana University and reached the NBA through a 10-day contract, becoming an All-Rookie selection in his first season[1](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1627812/advanced) • [3](https://www.nba.com/news/yogi-ferrell-dallas-mavericks-grows-solid-nba-player). FIBA lists him on Montenegro's national team for the 2027 Basketball World Cup European Qualifiers[4](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-basketball-world-cup-2027-european-qualifiers/teams/montenegro/182144-yogi-ferrell).
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Born | 1993, Indianapolis, Indiana; 6'0" (1.83 m), 178 lb (81 kg) guard[1](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1627812/advanced) • [5](https://iuhoosiers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kevin-yogi-ferrell/6770) |
| College | Indiana University, 2012–2016; school-record 633 career assists and 137 games started; 1,986 career points (6th in IU history)[5](https://iuhoosiers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kevin-yogi-ferrell/6770) |
| NBA entry | Undrafted 2016; signed a 10-day contract with Dallas on January 28, 2017 and a multi-year deal on February 7, 2017[6](https://cdn.nba.com/teams/uploads/sites/1610612742/2025/09/2024-25-Dallas-Mavericks-Media-Guide-2_compressed.pdf) |
| Rookie season | 36 games for Dallas, All-Rookie Second Team, 40.3% on 3-pointers (149 attempts)[3](https://www.nba.com/news/yogi-ferrell-dallas-mavericks-grows-solid-nba-player) • [7](https://www.nba.com/mavs/on-the-inside-yogi-ferrell) |
| NBA career | 5 seasons for 5 teams, including the Mavericks and Kings; career averages of 7.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, 2.3 assists with Sacramento's listing[8](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/player/yogi-ferrell-9528) • [1](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1627812/advanced) |
| Current club | KK Budućnost VOLI (Montenegro), re-signed for 2026–27 after averaging 13.9 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals across the ABA Liga and EuroCup[2](https://sportando.basketball/en/yogi-ferrell-re-signs-with-buducnost/) |
| National team | Montenegro, FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers; 13.8 points per game in qualifying[4](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-basketball-world-cup-2027-european-qualifiers/teams/montenegro/182144-yogi-ferrell) |
## High school and college
Ferrell played for Park Tudor High School in Indianapolis, where he led the team to back-to-back IHSAA Class 2A state championships and set a championship-game record with 12 assists as a senior, a season in which he averaged 18.5 points, 6.6 assists, and 3.1 rebounds[9](https://www.nba.com/pacers/yogi-ferrell-2016-draft-prospect). He was ranked as high as No. 19 overall in his class by Rivals.com and became the 17th Indiana recruit to play in the McDonald's All-American game, leading the West team to victory with eight assists and zero turnovers[9](https://www.nba.com/pacers/yogi-ferrell-2016-draft-prospect).
At [Indiana University](https://www.edgepedia.org/indiana-university) he started all 137 games of his four-year career, a school record, and became the only player in IU history to lead the team in assists four straight years[5](https://iuhoosiers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kevin-yogi-ferrell/6770). He finished first in school history in career assists (633), second in made 3-pointers (272), and sixth in career points (1,986)[5](https://iuhoosiers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kevin-yogi-ferrell/6770). In his senior season of 2015–16, Ferrell posted averages of 17.6 points and 5.6 assists per game as he helped lead Indiana to a Big Ten title and an NCAA Sweet 16 appearance, and Sporting News and [USA Today](https://www.edgepedia.org/usa-today) each named him to their Second Team All-American squads.[3](https://www.nba.com/news/yogi-ferrell-dallas-mavericks-grows-solid-nba-player) • [5](https://iuhoosiers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kevin-yogi-ferrell/6770)
## NBA career
**Undrafted in 2016.** His 6-foot height, relevant for the first time in his basketball life, kept his name unannounced on draft night, June 23, 2016[3](https://www.nba.com/news/yogi-ferrell-dallas-mavericks-grows-solid-nba-player). He signed with the [Brooklyn Nets](https://www.edgepedia.org/brooklyn-nets) on November 9 but appeared in only 10 games for 151 minutes before being waived in December, and he was playing for the Long Island Nets in the G League, averaging 18.7 points per game, when Dallas called[3](https://www.nba.com/news/yogi-ferrell-dallas-mavericks-grows-solid-nba-player) • [7](https://www.nba.com/mavs/on-the-inside-yogi-ferrell).
**The Dallas breakthrough.** Ferrell signed a 10-day contract with the last-place Mavericks on January 28, 2017, learned the playbook the next day, and started that night at [San Antonio](https://www.edgepedia.org/san-antonio), making two free throws with 7.3 seconds left to clinch a 105–101 win[3](https://www.nba.com/news/yogi-ferrell-dallas-mavericks-grows-solid-nba-player) • [6](https://cdn.nba.com/teams/uploads/sites/1610612742/2025/09/2024-25-Dallas-Mavericks-Media-Guide-2_compressed.pdf). The next night he scored 19 points in an upset of the champion Cavaliers, and days later he scored 32 points with nine 3-pointers in Portland as Dallas won four straight with its new rookie point guard[3](https://www.nba.com/news/yogi-ferrell-dallas-mavericks-grows-solid-nba-player). A month into his stint, hours before a game, Dallas offered him a multi-year contract, signed February 7, 2017[3](https://www.nba.com/news/yogi-ferrell-dallas-mavericks-grows-solid-nba-player) • [6](https://cdn.nba.com/teams/uploads/sites/1610612742/2025/09/2024-25-Dallas-Mavericks-Media-Guide-2_compressed.pdf).
In 36 appearances for Dallas he averaged 4.3 assists over 29.1 minutes, started 29 games, made the All-Rookie Second Team, and was named the Western Conference Rookie of the Month[3](https://www.nba.com/news/yogi-ferrell-dallas-mavericks-grows-solid-nba-player) • [7](https://www.nba.com/mavs/on-the-inside-yogi-ferrell). His shooting carried over: he finished fifth among the 24 rookies who attempted at least 100 threes at 38.6 percent, and connected on 40.3 percent of his 149 attempts for the Mavericks[7](https://www.nba.com/mavs/on-the-inside-yogi-ferrell). Mavericks owner [Mark Cuban](https://www.edgepedia.org/mark-cuban), an Indiana graduate, said of the signing, "Tie goes to the Indiana guy"[3](https://www.nba.com/news/yogi-ferrell-dallas-mavericks-grows-solid-nba-player).
**Later NBA seasons.** Ferrell played 5 NBA seasons for 5 teams, including the [Sacramento Kings](https://www.edgepedia.org/sacramento-kings), where his listed career line is 7.7 points, 2.1 rebounds, and 2.3 assists per game[8](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/player/yogi-ferrell-9528) • [1](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1627812/advanced). His Dallas contract ran through June 30, 2018[6](https://cdn.nba.com/teams/uploads/sites/1610612742/2025/09/2024-25-Dallas-Mavericks-Media-Guide-2_compressed.pdf).
## European career
He then joined Budućnost VOLI in Podgorica, where he has completed three seasons; in 2024–25 he averaged 11.4 points and 3.6 assists and helped the club reach the 2025 AdmiralBet ABA League Finals[10](https://www.aba-liga.com/news/53108/yogi-ferrell-is-staying-in-buducnost-voli/). In 2025–26 he posted combined averages of 13.9 points, 4.5 assists, and 1.2 steals across the ABA Liga and EuroCup, and the club confirmed his re-signing for the 2026–27 season[2](https://sportando.basketball/en/yogi-ferrell-re-signs-with-buducnost/). In 17 EuroCup games that season, Budućnost's net rating was +10.0 with him on the court versus +9.4 off it[11](https://3pointstats.com/p/yogi-ferrell).
## National team
FIBA lists Ferrell on Montenegro's roster for the [FIBA Basketball World Cup](https://www.edgepedia.org/fiba-basketball-world-cup) 2027 European Qualifiers, an unusual path for an American-born player[4](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-basketball-world-cup-2027-european-qualifiers/teams/montenegro/182144-yogi-ferrell). In four qualifying games he averaged 13.8 points, 3.0 assists, and 2.0 rebounds in 29.0 minutes, with a high of 22 points against Ukraine[4](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-basketball-world-cup-2027-european-qualifiers/teams/montenegro/182144-yogi-ferrell).
## Playing style
Scouts and coaches have consistently described Ferrell as an undersized but quick guard with a reliable 3-point shot, a low center of gravity, and a tight handle that let him reach his spots despite his height[12](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2646088-2016-nba-draft-prospects-breaking-down-pro-future-of-indianas-yogi-ferrell). Dallas's analysis of his rookie season emphasized his transition shooting, catch-and-shoot efficiency (40.7 percent), and full-court defensive pressure[7](https://www.nba.com/mavs/on-the-inside-yogi-ferrell). Mavericks coach Jamahl Mosley called him "100 percent professional" during the 2017 Summer League, where Ferrell mentored rookie [Dennis Smith Jr.](https://www.edgepedia.org/dennis-smith-jr) while averaging 13.3 points and 3.3 assists alongside him[3](https://www.nba.com/news/yogi-ferrell-dallas-mavericks-grows-solid-nba-player).
## References
1. [Yogi Ferrell player profile, NBA.com/stats](https://www.nba.com/stats/player/1627812/advanced)
2. [Yogi Ferrell Re-Signs with Buducnost, Sportando](https://sportando.basketball/en/yogi-ferrell-re-signs-with-buducnost/)
3. [Yogi Ferrell goes from undersized, undrafted point guard to veteran mentor for Dallas Mavericks, NBA.com (Ian Thomsen, August 12, 2017)](https://www.nba.com/news/yogi-ferrell-dallas-mavericks-grows-solid-nba-player)
4. [Yogi Ferrell – Montenegro – FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers profile](https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-basketball-world-cup-2027-european-qualifiers/teams/montenegro/182144-yogi-ferrell)
5. [Kevin Yogi Ferrell – Men's Basketball, Indiana University Athletics](https://iuhoosiers.com/sports/mens-basketball/roster/kevin-yogi-ferrell/6770)
6. [2024-25 Dallas Mavericks Media Guide – Ferrell, Yogi #11](https://cdn.nba.com/teams/uploads/sites/1610612742/2025/09/2024-25-Dallas-Mavericks-Media-Guide-2_compressed.pdf)
7. [On the Inside: Yogi Ferrell, Dallas Mavericks](https://www.nba.com/mavs/on-the-inside-yogi-ferrell)
8. [Yogi Ferrell – Dallas Mavericks Point Guard, StatMuse](https://www.statmuse.com/nba/player/yogi-ferrell-9528)
9. [Yogi Ferrell: 2016 Draft Prospect, Indiana Pacers](https://www.nba.com/pacers/yogi-ferrell-2016-draft-prospect)
10. [Yogi Ferrell is staying in Budućnost VOLI, ABA League](https://www.aba-liga.com/news/53108/yogi-ferrell-is-staying-in-buducnost-voli/)
11. [Yogi Ferrell – career stats & shot charts, 3pointstats](https://3pointstats.com/p/yogi-ferrell)
12. [2016 NBA Draft Prospects: Breaking Down Pro Future of Indiana's Yogi Ferrell, Bleacher Report](https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2646088-2016-nba-draft-prospects-breaking-down-pro-future-of-indianas-yogi-ferrell)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Sports, games, and recreation › Other team and ball sports › Basketball and court team sports › Basketball players and coaches (biographies) › NBA players, 2011–2018 › NBA guards, 2011–2018*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 21, 2026 · Edited: Oct 12, 2026; Oct 15, 2026; Oct 21, 2026 · Last review: Oct 21, 2026*
*Copyright 2026 EdgeChat AI, a subsidiary of Biostate AI.*
License: Edgepedia Community License 1.0, https://www.edgepedia.org/edgepedia/license