Don Carter

Founding owner of the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Sidekicks

Don Carter (July 5, 1933 – February 14, 2018) was an American investor and businessman who was a founding owner of the Dallas Mavericks of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the Dallas Sidekicks of the Major Indoor Soccer League (MISL). At the time of his death he was a minority partner in the Mavericks and a familiar courtside presence at the team's home games, always wearing a cowboy hat.

Quick Facts

Role: Founding Owner
Affiliation: Dallas Mavericks, Dallas Sidekicks

Lore & Background

Carter was born into a poor family in Arkansas on July 5, 1933. He dropped out of high school and got a job at a gas station that paid enough to keep the car he used for drag racing running. After doing his military service in the U.S. Air Force, he joined his mother, Mary C. Crowley, in the successful company she founded selling interior decoration with a home party plan, Home Interiors and Gifts. The business was sold to Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst and netted Carter millions of dollars.

Carter, along with Norm Sonju, founded an NBA expansion team, the Dallas Mavericks, in 1980. When Sonju had difficulty securing the funds needed for the US$12 million expansion entry fee, Carter stepped forward to guarantee its payment. This initial investment eventually earned him US$125 million when he sold the team in 1996 to an investment group led by Ross Perot Jr. Over the years, Carter owned many different types of businesses, including a Rolls-Royce dealership, banks, trucking firms, hotels, rodeo arenas, and cattle ranches.

In the 2011 championship win by the Dallas Mavericks over the Miami Heat he was given the honor of receiving the Larry O'Brien trophy by Mark Cuban as the first owner.

Reader's Guide

Don Carter was a founding owner of the Dallas Mavericks and Dallas Sidekicks. He dropped out of high school, served in the U.S. Air Force, then joined his mother's business. He guaranteed the Mavericks' expansion fee and later sold the team for $125 million. He owned various businesses including a Rolls-Royce dealership. He received the Larry O'Brien trophy in 2011 as the first owner. He died at age 84 in 2018.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who was Don Carter in relation to the Dallas Mavericks?

Don Carter was the founding owner of the Dallas Mavericks, having personally guaranteed the $3 million expansion fee required to bring the franchise to Texas in 1980. He remained a minority partner and a beloved figure at games until his death in 2018.

How did Don Carter acquire the wealth to buy an NBA team?

Carter rose from a poor background in Arkansas to build millions through his leadership of Home Interiors and Gifts, a successful home party sales business. This financial success allowed him to fund the Mavericks' entry into the league alongside other investors.