What’s more important to an NBA team than the number of slam dunks, passes, assists, turnovers, and offensive rebounds in a season? The answer is not much, but one exception is public perception and overall image.
Sure, a basketball team’s branding may seem to stop at jerseys, mascots, and logos. There are 30 NBA teams—each with its own identity visually representing their respective hometowns.
For a brand identity to do its job, it should reflect the team’s genesis and values while translating its ethos to the general public. Read on to see how the Dallas Mavericks’ visual identity and logo have developed over time.
The Birth of the Mavs
The Dallas Mavericks became an official NBA team in 1980. To stand out in an already crowded Texas sports scene, the Mavericks needed a brand identity and logo that expressed what the team stood for. Interestingly enough, the word “maverick” has various meanings.
One comes from the American West and is used to describe a calf or cattle that hadn’t been branded or were unowned. If you look up Maverick in the dictionary, it also means an independent-minded person or someone who strays from the norm.
This suited the team just fine. In addition to the etymological history of the word “maverick,” the team’s owners were inspired by the renowned western TV show “Maverick,” which aired on ABC from 1957 to 1962.
The Original Dallas Mavericks Logo: Swishes & Swashes
The team’s first logo clearly shows its affiliation with the state of Texas. It features a green and white basketball with a bold navy blue “M” and a cowboy hat.
This logo communicated to the public that the squad was, first and foremost, a basketball team, and the white cowboy hat, outlined in blue, provided fans with an indirect location marker.
The branding doesn’t need to say “Texas”; the cowboy hat is an unofficial state symbol and location marker.
The logo uses a playful and somewhat Western-inspired sans serif font to spell out ‘DALLAS MAVERICKS.’ The italicized bold font features exaggerated flourishes or swashes, particularly in the letters ‘D,’ ‘L,’ ‘R,’ and ‘K.’
The typeface’s angular slant conveys emphasis and movement and is a more modern interpretation of the Dallas Chaparrals, the basketball team that preceded the Mavericks’ arrival in 1980.
In 1973, the Dallas Chaparrals moved to San Antonio and became the Spurs. This left a gap in the Dallas basketball arena, making way for the Mavericks seven years later.
The first Dallas Mavericks logo uses navy blue and kelly green, with white as an accent.
It’s important to acknowledge the symbolism of these two colors—blue often is used in professional logos to convey trust, and, given that the Mavericks are a men’s basketball team, it also symbolizes masculinity.
The bright green indicates verve and energy. While blue and green aren’t traditional Texas colors, the combination helps the Mavericks stand out from other Texas teams, like the red of the Houston Rockets and the silver and black of the San Antonio Spurs.
The first logo also aligned with the team’s jerseys on the court at home in Dallas and away games. White jerseys with blue and green accents were worn during home games and navy blue jerseys with white and green piping and accents were worn by the team during away games.
Despite the magnified nature of the logo’s font, the outlined text keeps the wordmark legible. Furthermore, the thick outline ensures the letters stand out, even at smaller sizes.
A prime example of this is in the symbol printed on the bottom of the team’s shorts featuring a single letter layered on a green and white basketball, with the classic cowboy hat hanging off the corner of the stylized. ‘M’
Pivot Point: The Mavericks Blaze a New Trail
As the Mavericks entered the new millennium, they were primed for a fresh identity, one that reflected their growth as a team and their aspirations moving forward.
The first significant shift came in the mid-1990s when the team introduced an alternate logo featuring a clean and simple wordmark.
The design prominently displayed the word “Dallas” in bold, collegiate-style typography, arched and outlined in green.
This design choice, while minimalist, evoked a sense of tradition and team spirit, placing emphasis on the city of Dallas itself.
The choice of blue and green—team colors since the franchise’s inception—remained central, reinforcing brand continuity even as the Mavericks sought a new direction.
The Current Era: Simplicity and Strength (2013-Present)
Then in 2001, another redesign introduced a fierce horse head in profile, layered over a basketball. This marked a bold departure from the original playful cowboy hat and basketball motif, opting for a more aggressive and modern aesthetic.
The fierce stallion not only embodied the Mavericks’ untamed and rebellious spirit but also symbolized power, movement, and agility—qualities the team wanted to bring to the court.
This logo shift also saw a transformation in the color palette, moving from the original bright green and blue to a sleeker combination of silver, royal blue, and black.
The new look was more polished, modern, and aggressive, aimed at appealing to a younger fanbase and mirroring the team’s aspirations for dominance in the NBA.
The wordmark, featuring sharp, italicized angles, further emphasized speed and forward momentum.
In 2013, the Dallas Mavericks once again streamlined their visual identity, opting for a minimalist approach that preserved the key elements of their 2001 redesign while modernizing it for a digital age.
The current logo retains the core imagery of the fierce horse head set against a basketball, a symbol of the team’s enduring spirit and competitive edge. However, the updated version
is cleaner and more versatile, designed to work seamlessly across various digital platforms and marketing materials.
This refined logo has been applied widely in various digital and physical formats, from the team’s social media presence, where it looks crisp and professional, to apparel such as jerseys and caps, where its versatility truly shines.
It’s important to note that the team’s throwback jerseys, such as the iconic Steve Nash era retro jerseys, continue to pay homage to the Mavericks’ early days with the classic “Dallas” wordmark.
The use of bold green accents on these retro pieces reflects the team’s history, contrasting sharply with the modern, streamlined color palette seen in the 2013 redesign.
Logo Applications
The Dallas Mavericks’ logo has become a versatile symbol that transcends the basketball court, finding its place across various mediums and merchandise.
Its bold, simplified design ensures that the logo can be seamlessly applied to everything from digital platforms to fan memorabilia.
For example, the Mavericks’ logo is highly visible in the team’s mobile app and social media presence.
The sleek horse head, paired with the word “Mavericks,” is instantly recognizable on smartphones, serving as a digital icon for millions of fans.
Additionally, the Mavericks’ logo has been successfully integrated into various merchandise, from clothing to everyday items.
Branded drinkware, such as the pint glass featuring the Mavericks’ iconic logo and “Go Mavs” slogan, allows fans to display their team pride at home or during watch parties.
The minimalist design ensures that even on smaller products like this, the logo remains crisp, clean, and instantly recognizable.
The Mavericks’ Logo: A Symbol of Strength and Pride
The Dallas Mavericks’ logo has come a long way, evolving alongside the team as it grew into an NBA powerhouse. Each redesign has stayed true to the Mavericks’ independent, trailblazing spirit while keeping up with modern design trends.
From the playful cowboy-themed original to the sleek, powerful horse head we see today, the logo tells the story of a team that’s always looking ahead while staying connected to its roots.
Looking forward, whether it’s displayed on a jersey, mobile app, or fan merchandise, the logo will surely continue to connect the team with its fans, embodying the Mavericks’ identity both on and off the court.
Check out these awesome Logo Contests run on Hatchwise: