The Dallas Mavericks organization has named Rick Welts the new Chief Executive Officer of the NBA franchise, effective Jan. 1, 2025, following Cynt Marshall’s nearly seven-year tenure.
In his remarkable 46-year career in sports and entertainment, Welts has previously held roles as President and COO of the Golden State Warriors, President of the NBA’s Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury, and the NBA’s Senior Vice President, Chief Marketing Officer and President of NBA Properties.
“Inspiring leadership has been a staple of the Dallas Mavericks since Cynt Marshall started leading the organization in 2018 as CEO. I’m extremely proud that her legacy of success and our family’s vision for the future of this franchise will soon be in the hands of another great leader,” said Mavericks Governor Patrick Dumont. “Rick Welts is among the most successful executives in the history of the NBA and a member of the Hall of Fame. To have him join us as we continue to build on the successful history of the Mavericks is a clear signal that this organization is serious about both growing its position as an elite NBA team and further positioning the franchise among the most popular sports teams in the world.”
“The chance to lead this organization in this city at this time is both incredibly exciting and unexpected,” said Welts. “I appreciate Patrick’s confidence in selecting me to build upon the culture and success that Cynt Marshall and Nico Harrison have created. My long-standing friendships with them both give me a lot of confidence in accepting this opportunity. I can’t wait to get started learning all I can about Dallas and how best to serve our fans and this community.”
“It gives me great pleasure to pass the baton to my friend, Rick Welts. From the day I joined the Mavs, I’ve benefited from his knowledge and vast experience in the sports and entertainment industry,” said Marshall. “I love our team so much and I’m happy that they will be in such great hands. There is no doubt that Rick and his family will embrace and enjoy the wonderful fans, employees and communities in Dallas.”
Welts began his NBA career as a ballboy with the SuperSonics in 1969 at the age of 16 and, a decade later, was a part of the franchise’s lone NBA championship in 1979 as its public relations director. During his 17 years with the NBA league office in New York, Welts’ notable accomplishments included the creation of NBA All-Star Weekend in 1984 and the marketing program for USA Basketball’s Olympic “Dream Team” in 1992. Along with Val Ackerman, he was named “Marketer of the Year” by Brandweek in 1998 for his role in launching the WNBA.
A native of Seattle, Washington, Welts owns the rare distinction of being part of championship teams in the NBA (4), WNBA (2) and the NBA G League (1), contributing to his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2018.
An introductory press conference will take place today, Dec. 18, at 12 p.m. CT at the Mavericks Practice Facility. For media interested in attending, please RSVP to Collin (CK) Kim at Collin.Kim@Dallasmavs.com. The press conference will also be streamed live on mavs.com.
Welts’ full biography and high-resolution images for editorial use can be accessed here.