While there might be quite a few Texas-based teams, the Dallas Mavericks seem to be the most successful these days. While any team is capable of changing their season with the right changes, it’s probably fair to say that many basketball fans find themselves watching the Mavericks.
People loved watching the team thanks to the thrilling play of Luka Doncic, a man who helped the team get a brief boost in success. A lot of eyes may be on the team these days, but that’s not always the case, which is surprising given the NBA team has quite an interesting history.
10/10 They were almost the dollars and the kings
This title might sound a little strange at first, but that’s exactly what almost happened. Some wealthy men wanted to start a basketball team in Dallas, which was not as easy as some people might expect.
The NBA was reluctant to endorse something like this, especially when these men tried to buy both the Milwaukee Bucks and the (at the time) Kansas City Kings to move these teams. Eventually, it was decided that a team in Dallas would be better suited as an expansion team instead.
9/10 The third team to call Texas home
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Something that many people seem to forget is the fact that there are three basketball teams in Texas. The same can be said for other states, but many people are surprised when they remember that the Spurs, Rockets and Mavericks are all Texas teams.
The Mavericks are the newest of the three teams, but not by far. In fact, they’re not even the first Dallas-based three-team, with that honor actually going to the San Antonio Spurs when they were the Dallas Chaparrals.
8/10 The name of the team comes from a television western
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It might be a bit of a stereotype, but considering how Texas is viewed by most people, it makes sense that the name Dallas Mavericks came from a western show. Some might wonder where the name of the show came from, and might even roll their eyes when they learn the show was named maverick.
The show was quite popular, running from the late fifties to the early sixties before it was finally taken off the air. Obviously, the show had more than a few high-profile fans, considering a famous NBA team was named after it.
7/10 Managed to win their first game
Although the Mavericks had a successful first game, it’s worth pointing out that something like this isn’t always an easy task. Their win was all the sweeter because they actually managed to beat another Texas team, the San Antonio Spurs.
This victory was probably something that showed people that the Mavericks belonged in the league. Unfortunately, the rest of the year was anything but good for the Mavericks as they were often on the wrong side of the win column whenever they ran into other teams.
6/10 A solid team in the 80s
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While the team got off to an incredibly rocky start to its first three seasons, the Mavericks managed to turn things around pretty quickly. In fact, the team was really strong for the rest of the 80s, often performing quite well in the playoffs.
They managed to qualify for the playoffs in six seasons during the 80s and even came close to defeating the Los Angeles Lakers in the conference finals of the 1987-88 season. If there was ever a time for them to clinch their first championship, this is when they came the closest.
5/10 Wrestling in the 90s
In the early 90s, something all NBA fans dread began. The Mavericks needed to rebuild their team. Anyone who’s been an NBA fan for a while knows that a rebuild means a team is going to have to struggle for a few years.
That would be putting the Mavericks’ situation lightly, as they were often down the rankings and failed to make the playoffs just once in the decade. Thankfully, the decade-long rebuilding process eventually paid off, as the team improved once they got through this serious tough time.
4/10 Mark Cuban has been a positive but volatile owner for some
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Everyone in the world seems to have a different opinion of Mark Cuban, and his actions and words are probably the reason for that. He’s apparently never afraid to speak his mind and push exactly what he believes is in his team’s best interest.
He originally took over the team in 2000, aiming to fix their game. Considering the team performed well over the next decade, it’s probably fair to say that it worked. Still, Cuban was often fined by the league for various acts of misconduct, questionably damaging the team’s image.
3/10 It took the team more than 30 years to win a championship
As mentioned earlier, the Mavericks came close to winning the NBA championship in the 1987-88 season. They failed when it counted, but they managed to fight back and even further into the 2000s.
The team was officially founded in 1980 and would not win its first championship until the 2010-2011 NBA season. They would stop the Miami Heat in dominant fashion in the Finals to finally win their first championship. It would have been even sooner had they managed to defeat the Heat a few years earlier in the NBA Finals.
2/10 Dirk Nowitzki is the team’s most legendary player
Older Dallas Mavericks fans probably already know this, but those who have only recently taken an interest in the team might not know that Dirk Nowitzki is probably the team’s most beloved player.
The man is not only loved by Dallas, he is widely considered a contender for the greatest power forward in NBA history. An additional distinction could be added to this, as he is also often listed as the greatest European player in NBA history.
1/10 The team has no problem selling games
The Mavericks have clearly found a lot of love from NBA fans as they’ve been packing their arena for years at this point. Since the early 2000s, The Mavericks have had an impressive streak that has seen them sell games for virtually two consecutive decades.
Most NBA teams would kill for that kind of support. Even when the Mavericks were at their lowest, fans never turned their backs on the team, proving that even though they were the newest addition to Texas, they are still absolutely loved.
