Best Players in Dallas Mavericks History

The Mavericks were a consistent playoff club in the 1980s, headed by All-Stars Rolando Blackman and Mark Aguirre. During the 1990s, the team suffered and went through a period of reconstruction. With the signing of Dirk Nowitzki in 1998, the franchise's fortunes would alter dramatically.

Nowitzki would become the cornerstone of the franchise's most successful time, leading the team to its first NBA title in 2011. In the latter stages of Nowitzki's illustrious career, the Mavericks went through a rebuilding phase. After missing the playoffs three years in a row from 2017 to 2019, Nowitzki announced his retirement after a record-setting 21st season with the Mavericks.

The Mavericks, powered by their two young European stars, returned to the playoffs in 2020 after signing the eventual 2019 Rookie of the Year Luka Doni in the 2018 NBA draft and trading for All-Star Kristaps Porziis in 2019. The Mavericks have sold out 731 consecutive games since December 15, 2001, the longest current sellout streak in major league sports in North America.

The American Airlines Center has been sold out for 798 consecutive games, including 67 sold-out playoff games throughout that time.  Mark Cuban, an investor, currently owns the Dallas Mavericks. The Mavericks have won four division titles (1987, 2007, 2010, 2021), two conference championships (2006, 2011), and one NBA championship since their inception in 1980–81. (2011).

Best Players in Dallas Mavericks History

The Dallas Mavericks have played in the NBA for 33 seasons, and it's been a crazy ride for both players and fans. The peaks and valleys of a team's history are commonplace, and Dallas is no exception.

There have been many notable players that have come through the doors of Reunion Arena and the American Airlines Center, but some stand out more than others. The Mavericks have had their fair share of troubles and mediocrity, including back-to-back 11- and 13-win seasons (1992-93, '93-94) and missing 10 consecutive postseasons.

However, a gradually improving group, led by renowned coach Don Nelson and later handed over to Avery Johnson, racked up 11 straight 50-win seasons and 12 consecutive playoff berths.

Two Dallas teams have been in contention for the Larry O'Brien Trophy, with the 2011 Mavericks becoming the first team in franchise history to hold the trophy. So, before we go into our list of the

best players in Dallas Mavericks history

, let's have a look at the Dallas Mavericks history.

A short history about Dallas Mavericks club

Garn Eckardt, a Californian businessman, approached Dallas lawyer Doug Adkins in 1978 and told him he was seeking to raise cash to bring an NBA team to Dallas. Adkins suggested one of his clients, Don Carter of Home Interiors and Gifts when he asked for a suitable partner.

Negotiations with Eckardt fell down, but Carter remained interested in the venture as a gift for his wife Linda, a Duncanville High School basketball player. Norm Sonju, the president and general manager of the Buffalo Braves, acquired an interest in bringing the NBA to Dallas as he researched new locations for the struggling organization.

Sonju returned to Texas after the Braves relocated to California as the San Diego Clippers. Mayor Robert Folsom, one of the owners and team president of the city's final professional basketball team, the Dallas Chaparrals of the American Basketball Association, moved to San Antonio in 1973 and became the San Antonio Spurs, introduced him to Carter.

Sonju and Carter attempted to purchase both the Milwaukee Bucks and the Kansas City Kings, but negotiations were stymied by a disagreement about relocation, prompting them to pursue an expansion franchise instead.

League owners opted to admit the new team at the 1980 NBA All-Star Game, with the team's name derived from the 1957–1962 TV western Maverick; the fans chose the title with 4,600 postcards sent, defeating the Wranglers and Express. The title character, played by James Garner, was a member of the owning group.

The University of Texas at Arlington, which also goes by the nickname Mavericks, expressed concerns over the shared name but did not pursue legal action. They were assigned to the Western Conference's Midwest Division, where they would remain until the league expanded to six divisions for the 2004–05 season.

Dick Motta was hired as the team's inaugural head coach after leading the Washington Bullets to the NBA Championship in 1977–78. Three players were selected in the 1981 NBA Draft who would go on to become important members of the squad. The Mavs took 6'6" forward Mark Aguirre with the first overall pick, 6'6" guard Rolando Blackman with the ninth overall pick, and 6'7" forward Jay Vincent with the 24th overall pick.

Aguirre averaged 24.6 points per game over the course of his seven-year Mavs career. Over the course of his 11-year career in Dallas, Blackman averaged 19.2 points per game. But it was Jay Vincent, who led the Mavs in scoring with 21.4 points per game and was named to the NBA All-Rookie Team, who made the biggest impact in their second season.

The Mavericks improved to 28–54, moving out of last place in the Midwest Division by finishing ahead of the Utah Jazz. Now it's time to get acquainted with the Ranking the Top 11 Players in Dallas Mavericks and to know the

Dallas Mavericks all-time best players

.

Top 11 Players of Dallas Mavericks

This list includes

Ranking the Top 11 Players in Dallas Mavericks

, such as Dirk Nowitzki and Mark Aguirre. The first name in the list of Best Players in Dallas Mavericks History is Roy Tarpley.

Roy Tarpley

• Born

  : November 28, 1964

• Birthplace

  : New York City, New York

• Died

  : January 9, 2015 (aged 50)

• Death place

  : Arlington, Texas

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height:

  6 ft 11 in (2.11 m)

• Listed weight:

  230 lb (104 kg)

• Position

  : Power forward / Center

Roy James Tarpley (November 28, 1964 – January 9, 2015) was an NBA basketball player in the United States. In the National Basketball Association (NBA), he played power forward and center, winning the NBA Sixth Man of the Year Award in 1988.

He is one of the best players in Dallas Mavericks history. Roy Tarpley is another example of a player whose full potential was never realized due to off-the-court concerns. Tarpley's career was cut short after a three-year absence when he was expelled by the league for the second time for breaking substance abuse standards.

Tarpley did win the 1987-88 Sixth Man of the Year title, as well as a Player of the Week honor in February 1988, and is the only Mavericks player to average 10.0 rebounds per game throughout his stint in Dallas.

In addition, he averaged 12.6 points per game and blocked the ninth most shots in franchise history. The next player in the list of

Best Players in Dallas Mavericks History

is Jamal Mashburn.

Jamal Mashburn

• Born

  : November 29, 1972 (age 48)

• Birthplace

  : The Bronx, New York

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height:

  6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)

• Listed weight:

  247 lb (112 kg)

• Position

  : Small forward

Dallas's front office has a history of drafting good players and then selling them off to other teams within five years. Jamal Mashburn is another example of this. Mashburn was the Mavericks fourth-round choice in 1993, and in 214 games with the team, he averaged 19.9 points per game, third-best in franchise history.

Mashburn was then traded to the Miami Heat, and as a member of the New Orleans Hornets, he eventually made an All-Star roster. The next player in the list of Best Players in Dallas Mavericks History in our opinion is Devin Harris.

Devin Harris

• Born

  : February 27, 1983 (age 38)

• Birthplace

  : Milwaukee, Wisconsin

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height

  : 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)

• Listed weight:

  185 lb (84 kg)

• Position

  : Point guard

After being drafted fifth overall in the NBA draft in 2004, Devin Harris was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Before leaving for the New Jersey Nets in 2008, he spent four seasons with the Mavericks, starting every game in his final two seasons.

The point guard had his only All-Star appearance with the Nets in 2009, before joining the Mavericks in 2013. He spent years as a defensively capable impact player who was a part of the Dallas Mavericks many first-round playoff exits during the last decade. 

Regardless, Harris played for the Dallas Mavericks for the majority of his career, retiring at the same time as Nowitzki at the end of the 2018-19 NBA season. Also, One of the Dallas Mavericks all-time best players on the list is Shawn Marion. Join us to know him better.

Shawn Marion

• Born

  : May 7, 1978 (age 43)

• Birthplace

  : Waukegan, Illinois

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height:

  6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)

• Listed weight:

  228 lb (103 kg)

• Position

  : Small forward / Power forward

Shawn Marion, a four-time All-Star, was acquired by the Dallas Mavericks in a sign-and-trade deal with the Toronto Raptors in 2009. During the 2010-11 NBA season, the point guard spent a year as a starter before being banished to the bench as the Dallas Mavericks depended on Caron Butler.

Butler's season was cut short due to a ruptured right patellar tendon in January 2011. Marion was re-instated as a starter with the forward out. Marion had a key role in the Mavericks championship season in 2011.

He won his first and only NBA title in 2011 by averaging 13.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 2.3 assists in the NBA Finals against the Miami Heat. Marion stayed with the Mavericks for three more seasons until joining the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2014. The next player in the list of

Best Players in Dallas Mavericks History

is Luka Doncic.

Luka Doncic

• Born

  : February 28, 1999 (age 22)

• Birthplace

  : Ljubljana, Slovenia

• Nationality

  : Slovenian

• Listed height:

  6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)

• Listed weight:

  230 lb (104 kg)

• Position

  : Point guard / Small forward

Luka Doni is a professional basketball player from Slovenia who currently plays for the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He also is one of 

The Best Dallas Mavericks players of All Time.

 Luka Doncic is on track to follow in the footsteps of Dirk Nowitzki's Dallas Mavericks career, becoming one of, if not the, greatest players in franchise history. The Atlanta Hawks selected the Slovenian third overall in the 2018 NBA draft, and he was then dealt with the Mavericks for Trae Young and a future first-round pick.

Doncic was selected Rookie of the Year after averaging 21.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and six assists per game in his rookie season. Luka Doncic, now in his third season with the Dallas Mavericks, has developed into a triple-double machine and one of the league's top playmakers. In the 2019-20 season, he was named to his first All-Star team and finished fourth in MVP voting.

Doncic is averaging over 28 points, eight rebounds, and close to nine assists per game for the second straight season. The Slovenian is already a superstar at the age of 21 and will be the team's cornerstone for many years to come. The next player on the list is J.J. Barea.

Jose Juan Barea Mora (J.J. Barea)

• Born

  : June 26, 1984 (age 37)

• Birthplace

  : Mayagüez, Puerto Rico

• Nationality

  : Puerto Rican

• Listed height

  : 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m)

• Listed weight

  : 180 lb (82 kg)

• Position

  : Point guard

J.J. Barea played for the Dallas Mavericks for 11 of his 14 NBA seasons. In the 2006 NBA draft, he went undrafted. He signed with the Mavericks after impressing in the Rocky Mountain Revue, now known as the Salt Lake City Summer League, and spent the majority of his career as an impact player off the bench.

Fans will remember him for his contributions during the team's playoff run in 2011. Against Kobe Bryant's LA Lakers in the second round of the playoffs, he was crucial off the bench.

He left the organization at the end of the 2010-11 season and signed a four-year, $19 million deal with the Minnesota Timberwolves. Barea was moved to the Mavericks at the start of the 2014-15 season and remained with the franchise for the remainder of his NBA career.

He retired from the Dallas Mavericks in December 2020, after making 653 NBA appearances, the fifth-most in franchise history. The next player in the list of Best Players in Dallas Mavericks History in our opinion is Steve Nash.

Steve Nash

• Born

  : 7 February 1974 (age 47)

• Birthplace

  : Johannesburg, South Africa

• Nationality

  : Canadian

• Listed height

  : 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)

• Listed weight

  : 178 lb (81 kg)

• Position

  : Point guard

Steve Nash is best known for orchestrating Mike D'Antoni's Seven Seconds or Less offense with the Phoenix Suns, but the Mavericks gave him his big break. Nash earned a reputation as one of the game's best point guards by collaborating alongside Dirk Nowitzki. Nash averaged 14.6 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 7.2 assists in six seasons with the Mavs.

With the Mavs, the Nash that most NBA fans know and love improved his game. For Mavs fans, the worst part? He had intended to remain in Dallas. Mark Cuban, on the other hand, made a big error by allowing him to depart for free; one can only think how different the 2006 Finals would have been if Nash had been on the team. The next player on the list is Jason Kidd.

Jason Kidd

• Born

  : March 23, 1973 (age 48)

• Birthplace

  : San Francisco, California

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height

  : 6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)

• Listed weight

  : 210 lb (95 kg)

• Position

  : Point guard

Jason Kidd is one of the best floor generals in NBA history, and he played with the Mavericks for the majority of his career. It's worth noting that he played his finest basketball with the New Jersey Nets and Phoenix Suns.

Kidd, on the other hand, has a championship ring on his finger that Nash does not. His outstanding play on the court was crucial in the Mav's dramatic upset of the Big Three Miami Heat in the 2011 NBA Finals.

Kidd showed Cuban and the rest of the world what the Mavs were missing in the Finals the previous time they were there. Kidd averaged 10.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 8.4 assists per game in his eight seasons with the Mavs. The next player in the list of Best Players in Dallas Mavericks History is Michael Finley.

Michael Finley

• Born

  : March 6, 1973 (age 48)

• Birthplace

  : Melrose Park, Illinois

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height

  : 6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)

• Listed weight

  : 215 lb (98 kg)

• Position

  : Small forward / Shooting guard

Another newcomer is Michael Finley. Finley, unlike the other two, spent most of his prime years with the Mavericks. Fin Dawg was an unstoppable scorer for the Mavs during his time there, and his unstoppable shooting rampage earned him invitations to two All-Star Games.

He averaged 19.8 points, 5.2 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game during his time with the Mavericks. Unfortunately, by the time they reached the 2006 Finals, he had left the squad. Finley, on the other hand, received his ring.

In the 2007 Finals, he was a member of the San Antonio Spurs, who mercilessly destroyed

's Cleveland Cavaliers. He was, however, far away from the team's offensive concentration at this moment. The next player on the list is Mark Aguirre.

Mark Aguirre

• Born

  : December 10, 1959 (age 61)

• Birthplace

  : Chicago, Illinois

• Nationality

  : American

• Listed height

  : 6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)

• Listed weight

  : 232 lb (105 kg)

• Position

  : Small forward

It's hard to discuss the Mavs greatest players without mentioning Mark Aguirre. He was one of the Maverick's early stars in the 1980s, and his influence on the franchise during its formative years was tremendous. During a time when the Lakers and Celtics ruled the NBA, Aguirre was a solid offensive leader for the Mavs. He was nothing short of incredible throughout his seven-and-a-half seasons with the Mavericks. He had a game average of 24.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists.

For his remarkable tenure with the Mavs, he received three All-Star nods. Aguirre, like Finley, would eventually leave the Mavs. During the 1988-89 season, he was traded to the Detroit Pistons, and it was with the Bad Boys that he earned his two NBA championships. The last player in the list of Best Players in Dallas Mavericks History is Dirk Nowitzki.

Dirk Nowitzki

• Born

  : June 19, 1978 (age 43)

• Birthplace

  : Würzburg, West Germany

• Nationality

  : German

• Listed height

  : 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m)

• Listed weight

  : 245 lb (111 kg)

• Position

  : Power forward / Center

Being traded to the Dallas Mavericks from the Milwaukee Bucks after the 1998 NBA Draft, Dirk Nowitzki was the franchise's star. The German played with the Dallas Mavericks during his whole 21-year NBA career.

In 2007, he was named NBA MVP, and in 2011, he led the franchise to its only NBA championship, receiving Finals MVP. Season after season, Nowitzki was a force for the Dallas Mavericks, setting many scoring records.

He is the highest-scoring foreigner in league history and was the first European to earn the Finals MVP award. Up until his final season, Nowitzki was a consistent starter for the Mavericks. His remarkable career came to an end at the end of the 2018-19 NBA season.

The German is not only the best player in Dallas Mavericks history but also one of the best players in NBA history and a future first-ballot Hall of Famer. Finally, we'd want to express our gratitude for taking the time to read this article with us. We hope you found this post interesting and that you will return to read more in the future. More stories can be found by following the links below.

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