The Dallas Mavericks were established as an NBA expansion team in 1980.1)
Their first-ever draft pick was Kiki Vandeweghe in 1980, though he refused to play for them and was traded.2)
The Mavs reached the playoffs in just their fourth season (1983–84).3)
They reached the Western Conference Finals in 1988 but lost to the Lakers in 7 games.4)
Dirk Nowitzki is widely considered the greatest player in franchise history.5)
Dirk was drafted by Milwaukee in 1998 and immediately traded to Dallas.6)
Jason Kidd had two stints with the team: 1994–1996 and 2008–2012.7)
The Mavs won their first NBA title in 2011 by defeating the Miami Heat.8)
Dallas swept the defending champion Lakers in the 2011 playoffs.9)
Dallas beat the Heat in the 2011 Finals, avenging their 2006 Finals loss.10)
Don Nelson, former head coach, helped popularize small-ball lineups in the 2000s.11)
Billionaire Mark Cuban purchased the Mavs in 2000, changing the culture instantly.12)
They’ve played at the American Airlines Center since 2001.13)
Dirk played 21 seasons—all with the Mavericks.14)
Luka Dončić became the franchise cornerstone after being acquired in the 2018 draft.15)
Dallas traded Trae Young and a pick to Atlanta for Luka Dončić in 2018.16)
Dallas scored their franchise-high 150 points against Phoenix in 2023.17)
They changed from green to the now-iconic navy, silver, and royal blue.18)
Nowitzki won the league MVP in 2007—the only Mav to do so.19)
In 2006–07, the Mavs finished with a franchise-best 67 wins.20)
They were upset by the 8th-seeded Warriors in 2007 after that 67-win season.21)
That upset by Golden State is one of the most famous playoff surprises in NBA history.22)
Under Cuban’s ownership, Dallas has often had one of the NBA’s best home records.23)
Nowitzki's patented one-legged fadeaway is now iconic and emulated by many.24)
Dirk was named Finals MVP for his heroic 2011 performance.25)
In 2022, the Mavericks retired Nowitzki’s jersey in an emotional ceremony.26)
Kidd returned to the team as head coach, aiming to guide the Luka era.27)
Luka Dončić quickly became known for his frequent triple-doubles.28)
Luka holds the Mavericks’ record for most triple-doubles in a single season.29)
Dallas has had many heated playoff battles with the San Antonio Spurs.30)
Nash and Dirk formed one of the NBA’s most potent duos in the early 2000s.31)
The Mavs made the Finals for the first time in 2006, losing to the Heat.32)
Finley was a key player during the team’s rise in the late '90s and early 2000s.33)
The Mavericks surpassed 1,000 franchise wins in 2023.34)
In 1986, Dallas drafted Dennis Rodman in the third round, but he didn't sign.35)
Dallas had a 17-game win streak during the 2006–07 season.36)
Nowitzki became the sixth player in NBA history to score 30,000 points.37)
Champ, a horse, is one of the team’s beloved mascots alongside MavsMan.38)
Cuban brought a tech-savvy, fan-first approach to NBA franchise operations.39)
Dallas was one of the early adopters of advanced basketball analytics.40)
Led by Luka, Dallas made it to the WCF again in 2022, losing to the Warriors.41)
In December 2022, Luka had a 60-21-10 triple-double in a wild comeback win.42)
Dallas has an official esports team in the NBA 2K League, called Mavs Gaming.43)
Dirk and Luka are part of a strong international identity in Dallas basketball.44)
Dallas consistently ranks among the NBA’s top teams in attendance and TV viewership.45)