- Location: Dallas, Texas, USA
- Home court: American Airlines Center
- G.M: Nico Harrison
- Coach: Jason Kidd
- Star: PG Luka Doncic
- 2021 Season: 52-30, lost to Warriors in Western Conference Finals in five games.
- NBA Titles: One, 2011
- Greatest Player: Dirk Nowitzki
- Factoid: Jason Kidd was the franchise’s No.1 pick (No.2 overall) in the 1994 draft and immediately became a star. The team traded him to Phoenix. But in 2008 the Nets traded Kidd back to Dallas. Three years later he helped lead them to their only NBA crown.
Sometimes you can go home again. And again.
When the Dallas Mavericks made Jason Kidd the No.2 pick in the 1994 NBA Draft, it seemed like a perfect match. Kidd shared Rookie of the Year honors with Grant Hill.
But the team was deemed to be too small, so Kidd was traded to the Phoenix Suns and then New Jersey Nets. It appeared he would never return to Dallas.
But in 2008, Dallas believed it needed a player with veteran leadership and toughness to strengthen what was considered a mentally soft team. They brought Kidd back.
By 2011 it paid off with the franchise’s only NBA title. Dirk Nowitzki won MVP and Kidd, 38, became the oldest starting point guard to lead his team to a title averaging 9.3 points, 7.3 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 1.9 steals.
Kidd is back in Dallas, this time as its head coach. He led the Mavericks to a shocking run to the Western Conference Finals in 2022, taking down the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns, despite not having star Luka Doncic for several games. The run ended in a five-game loss to the Warriors, who would go on to win the NBA Title.
Dallas has improved its lineup, adding forward Christian Wood and veteran defensive center JaVale McGee. Is it enough to compete with some of the upper echelon teams in the Western Conference?
Well, the coach, who also led the Nets to back-to-back NBA Finals, is known as a winner and a relentless competitor. It might sound like a Western but J-Kidd and Big D seem like a perfect fit.