| The Beginning | | | | talented players, the Mavericks started their climb up |
| After the departure of Dallas Chaparrals of the | | | | the NBA ladder. |
| American Basketball Association to San Antonio in | | | | The Stars |
| 1973, there was no professional Dallas team. In 1979, | | | | In the 1994-95 season the catalyst for the |
| businessman Don Carter and Partner Norm Sonju | | | | turnaround was rookie point guard Jason Kidd. He led |
| requested the rights to bring an NBA franchise to | | | | the NBA in triple-doubles with 4 and averaged 5.4 |
| Dallas, Texas. The league owners of the NBA All-Star | | | | rebounds, 11.7 points and 7.7 assists for the year. |
| game voted to admit the new team in 1980. The | | | | Along with Detroit Pistons' Grant Hill, Kidd was named |
| team name was chosen after the 1957-62 TV | | | | co-rookie of the year. He finished 10th in the league |
| western Maverick. James Garner who played the | | | | in assists and 7th in steals. On 11th April Kid |
| character, was one of the owners. The team's first | | | | registered a triple-double (with 38 points) and also hit |
| head coach was Dick Motta, a man well-known for | | | | a trio of three pointers in the final nail-biting 55 |
| his disciplinary sternness. | | | | seconds of the first overtime. This feat took the |
| Maverick tickets for the season shows you a team in | | | | team for a win of 156-147 double-overtime against |
| action that had a roller-coaster ride; complete with | | | | Houston Rockets. There were other two young and |
| thrills and spills. The Dallas Mavericks quickly rose to | | | | talented Mavericks worth mentioning, Jim Jackson |
| become a competitive franchise, when they joined | | | | and Jamal Mashburn. They combined as the league's |
| the NBA in 1980-81. The decade saw a steady | | | | highest scoring pair. Mashburn averaged of 24.1 points |
| improvement in the team due to its premium draft | | | | per game and finished fifth in the NBA. Jackson |
| selection. Mavericks looked like the most promising | | | | averaged 25.7 points, due to a sprained ankle in |
| team for future. In the early 1990's Mavericks | | | | February he could not continue for the rest of the |
| experienced the steepest spiraling decline in NBA | | | | campaign. In the second year forward Popeye Jones |
| history. The team's downward show was so bad | | | | also displayed his prowess. He averaged 10.6 |
| that it threatened to record the worst single-season | | | | rebounds per game and registered 10th in the NBA. |
| ever recorded, two times. Maverick tickets were not | | | | Jones had 329 offensive rebounds, more than any |
| looked upon as a cherished possession. But true to its | | | | other NBA player. With such treats to be watched |
| worth, with a solid foundation of strong, young and | | | | Maverick tickets sold like hot cakes. |