Celebrate Dallas Mavericks History At The ‘Mavs Vault’ During The State Fair Of Texas

The State Fair of Texas has a new attraction this year. NBA fans can celebrate the history of the Dallas Mavericks at the “Mavs Vault” exhibition on display at the Hall of State.

Visitors will find memorabilia, jerseys, videos, interactive kiosks and never-before-seen artifacts. Some exhibition items include the 2011 NBA Championship trophy, Don Carter’s Stetson hat—the inspiration behind the original Mavs logo, Mark Cuban’s correspondence with the NBA regarding fines over the years and various signed items.

“We’ve got about 120 artifacts in here, representing 42 years of Mavs history,” Mavericks CEO Cynt Marshall told me. “So, if you are a seasoned Mavs fan, you can come in here and relive all the moments. If you are a new Mavs fan, you can come in here and learn about the history of the Mavs.”

The Hall of State auditorium has a 30-minute video detailing the history of the Mavericks from their founding by Carter and Norm Sonju to the present. Some of the most interesting artifacts in the exhibition come from the team’s first decade of existence in the 1980s.

Those teams, led by Rolando Blackman, Brad Davis and Derek Harper, built the foundation of the Mavericks. Each of their numbers has been retired by the team.

There is a display celebrating the first playoff series victory in franchise history against the Seattle Supersonics. The series-clinching game is locally known as “Moody Madness” because it took place at Moody Coliseum on the campus of Southern Methodist University.

“That’s when we really put ourselves on the map and really let everybody know that the Mavs are here with the young players that they had in ’84 when we beat Seattle. It’s just a special piece,” Blackman told me.

“The whole thing about not being at Reunion Arena, being in SMU’s Moody Coliseum and winning that fifth game, which is very, very important for us. It kind of stamped us moving forward. So, I feel that’s a really special time for me.”

There is something for everyone at the “Mavs Vault.” Diehard fans will undoubtedly learn something new or see something they have never seen before in the collection, from the origin story in the 1980s to the 2011 Championship to now.

“You know what I love about this,” Marshall asks. “We are part of something that is just iconic in Dallas—the State Fair. So, when you think about community, you think about those last few letters that spell unity. This is a chance for us to all come together. Guess what the State Fair is about? We all come together, family, friends, all of that, and we get to be a part of it.”

The “Mavs Vault” is open daily from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. during the State Fair of Texas, which runs from September 30 through October 23, 2022.