Dallas Mavericks hire Pro Basketball Hall of Famer as team president and CEO
The Dallas Mavericks held an introductory press conference for Rick Welts who was announced as the team’s new president and CEO.
Team governor Patrick Dumont explained why Welts would be a great fit with the Mavs.
“When you think about executives in the NBA, it’s a dream to have someone like Rick Welts join your organization. The level of accomplishment, the level of experience, and the great things that Rick has done for NBA teams and the NBA League overall is really remarkable. He’s a Hall of Famer, and now he is the CEO of the Dallas Mavericks. It’s a great day for the Dallas Mavericks,” said Dumont.
Welts replaced Cynt Marshall, who became the first Black female CEO in NBA history, who had served as team president since 2018.
Welts said he was ready to fill Marshall’s shoes to the best of his ability.
“This, will be starting my 47th year of involvement in the NBA, believe it or not. So started as a ball boy for the Seattle SuperSonics, and here I am today, and I could not be more excited, more energized and happier about the future of this organization. We have a terrific basketball team, and I’m I’m so thrilled to have the job that you’ve entrusted with me, and I promise I’m going to do my best to be terrific,” said Welts.
Welts is a trailblazer in the NBA helping lead the Golden State Warriors to four NBA championships as team president, won Brandweek’s 1998 Marketer of the Year and became the first openly gay executive in the United States when came out in an interview with the New York Times in 2011.
Welts was inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame alongside current Mavs head coach Jason Kidd in 2011.
Welts got his start in the NBA with his hometown Seattle Supersonics where he began his career as a ball boy and would rise to become director of public relations and was a member of the team during its first and only title win in 1979.
