He was definitely thought to be retired since 2021, after a golden experience at Golden State. Eventually, Rick Weltsat 71, will once again settle into an office by becoming president of the Mavericks. How and why is the Hall of Famer returning to action?
“Life was good and I was introduced to Patrick Dumont”, he answers in reference to the new owner of the Texas franchise. “There’s a set of circumstances here that match what I’ve done in the past. Even with the Mavericks' historic success, I think the next ten years could be extraordinary. »
In November, Patrick Dumont invited Rick Welts to a Mavericks game at the American Airlines Center, against the Pelicans. There was also a long discussion, lasting several hours, in Las Vegas during the fall.
A high-level leader
The owner of the Mavericks wanted a shock replacement to take over from Cynt Marshall, who arrived in difficult conditions in 2018 after the investigation and the huge fine ($10 million) to sanction the behavior of the franchise, and especially of former president Terdema Ussery, towards the women of the club.
“As soon as you take control of an NBA franchise, there are a few leaders with whom you dream of working. Rick's name has always been at the top of this list.”confirms Patrick Dumont.
It must be said that Rick Welts' track record is impressive. He began his career in the 1970s with the Sonics, serving as their director of public relations, in 1979 when Seattle won the title. Then, between 1982 and 1999, he was in charge of marketing for the NBA. He was particularly instrumental in the establishment of All-Star Weekend from 1984, or in the promotion of the “Dream Team” in 1992 and then the WNBA.
In 2002, he found himself in Phoenix and until 2011, he was the president of the Suns. His mandate corresponds to the good years with Steve Nash and Mike D'Antoni, those where the Phoenix players revolutionized everything with their “run and gun” and their “small ball”, now the majority trends in the league. In the process, he joined the Warriors. We know the rest: three NBA titles – 2015, 2017 and 2018 – and a record season in 2015/2016 (73 victories).
The right man for a room change
In addition, if the Warriors then moved to the Chase Center in San Francisco, to increase their revenues, it is partly thanks to him. The Californians have become one of the most sporting and economically powerful franchises in the NBA. It is therefore no coincidence that the Mavericks decided to offer him this position of president.
“Our goal is to build the best possible facility for the Mavericks, to be state-of-the-art, to have a world-class venue. That was a big part of our discussions.”explains the owner.
Currently, the franchise is under contract with the American Airlines Center until July 2031, but Rick Welts pointed out that the Warriors' project took seven years to come to fruition. So now is the right time to put the subject on the table.
The icing on the cake, upon arriving in Dallas, the new president will meet up with an old acquaintance: Klay Thompson obviously. “I had to follow him because he is one of my favorite players. I can't wait to see him again.”, ensures the leader. “It’s incredible for the team and for me. I am very enthusiastic,” reacted the shooter. “Rick has done so much for basketball. He's a Hall of Famer. Without him, All-Star Weekend would never have existed. He will show the same creativity here. »
