As the Dallas Mavericks continue their pursuit of a Western Conference title, they are making key changes in their management structure.
On Wednesday, the Mavericks announced the hiring of seasoned NBA executive Rick Welts as their new CEO. Welts will succeed Cynt Marshall, the current CEO, who will retire at the end of December.
At 71 years old, Welts brings a wealth of experience, having won five NBA championships over the course of his career. His first title came in 1979 when he was the director of public relations for the Seattle SuperSonics. He later won four more championships as the president and COO of the Golden State Warriors, in 2015, 2017, 2018, and 2022. Welts has also held prominent roles in the NBA league office, including executive vice president, CMO, and president of NBA Properties. He was the president of the Phoenix Suns before joining the Warriors. Notably, in 2011, Welts became the first high-ranking executive in major professional sports to publicly come out as gay.
Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News reports that Welts was personally selected by Patrick Dumont, who took over as the Mavs’ governor in 2023, succeeding Mark Cuban. In addition to his CEO role, Welts will also serve as the alternate for Dumont at NBA Board of Governors meetings, according to Townsend.
The Mavericks are off to a strong start this season, with a 17-9 record and currently ranked 4th in the Western Conference after their 2024 NBA Finals appearance. Welts, inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame as an executive in 2018, will be a key decision-maker as the team navigates the trade deadline and potentially makes significant moves to strengthen their roster.
