The Dallas Mavericks have had a storied franchise. Since their inception in 1980, Dallas has been to the NBA Finals three times. In those three appearances, the Mavericks have won once and lost twice. Most recently, Dallas lost in the 2023/24 Finals to the Boston Celtics.
Dallas has been to the playoffs 25 times in their 45 years as a team. Their regular-season success is thanks to several legends who have walked through the locker room doors. One of those legends will officially get his number retired on January 29th, 2026.
Per the Mavericks’ official X account, they will retire Mark Aguirre’s No. 24 jersey.
Mark Aguirre’s Career With the Mavericks
GettyMark Aguirre will have his number retired by the Mavericks.
Aguirre was the No. 1 overall pick in the 1981 NBA draft out of DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. He was taken one pick ahead of Hall of Famer Isiah Thomas. The 6-foot-6 forward played eight of his 13 years with the Mavericks.
In his eight years with Dallas, Aguirre averaged 24.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. Impressively, he shot 49.2% from the floor, but just 30.5% from beyond the arc. His best season came in 1983/84 when he averaged 29.4 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game. In that year, Aguirre finished 11th in the MVP voting and earned his first All-Star appearance.
Aguirre led the Mavericks to their first playoff appearance in franchise history during the 1983/84 season. They reached the Western Conference Semifinals that season, losing to Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. This marked the first of five straight playoff appearances before the Mavericks traded him to the Detroit Pistons in 1989.
His successful tenure in Dallas ended without a championship, but he was able to win two with the Pistons. Still, Aguirre ranks third in points (13,930) and third in points per game (24.6) in Mavericks’ franchise history.
Aguirre is the Fifth Player to Have His Jersey Retired
GettyDirk Nowitzki was the latest player to have his jersey number retired in 2022.
Aguirre is the fifth player in franchise history to have his jersey in the rafters. He joins teammates Roland Blackman, Derek Harper, and Brad Davis in the rafters. Dirk Nowitzki is the only player from the 2000s to have his number retired (which was well-deserved).
Davis was drafted by the Lakers in 1977, but he spent most of his career in Dallas. Blackman was drafted ninth overall by the Mavericks in the same draft as Aguirre, giving Dallas a solid foundation to build off of. In 1983, the Mavericks took Harper with the 11th overall pick. Nowitzki, AKA Mr. Maverick, led the franchise to its first-ever NBA Finals Championship in the 2010/11 season.
Aguirre is in the College Basketball Hall of Fame, but he was not selected for the NBA Hall of Fame. His offensive ability gives him a case for the orange jacket, but voters ultimately decided to leave him out.
Despite his non-entrance to the Hall of Fame, it is a great honor for him to join the exclusive group of jersey numbers in the rafters for the Mavericks.
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