Mavericks to finally retire jersey of franchise legend

The Dallas Mavericks have made long strides recently in repairing the relationship with Mark Aguirre, was the team's first true star. He was the first overall pick of the 1981 NBA Draft and spent seven and a half seasons with the team, making three All-Star Games. He was then traded to the Detroit Pistons, where he won two championships.

Aguirre's time in Dallas ended on a sour note, something that took a long time to get over. However, Dallas welcomed him back this offseason to welcome the second first overall pick in franchise history, Cooper Flagg, and now the team has announced that they'll retire his jersey, number 24, on January 29th against the Charlotte Hornets. They told Aguirre of the news ahead of the season opener.

January 29, 2026 🤠

Join us as we raise #24 to the rafters and honor Mark Aguirre — the 1981 No. 1 overall pick who helped build the foundation of Mavericks basketball. Forever a Maverick 💚#MFFL pic.twitter.com/veD9sDPVIb
— Dallas Mavericks (@dallasmavs) October 27, 2025

Throughout his time in Dallas, Aguirre averaged 24.6 PPG, 5.7 RPG, and 3.8 APG. He also helped the Mavs reach their first-ever Western Conference Finals in 1988, where they lost to the Los Angeles Lakers. Aguirre will now be joining some of his teammates from that team in the rafters. Aguirre is also the 3rd leading scorer in franchise history.

Aguirre will be the fifth player to have his jersey retired by the franchise, joining Derek Harper (no. 12), Brad Davis (no. 15), Rolando Blackman (no. 22), and Dirk Nowitzki (no. 41). Harper, Davis, and Blackman were all on that team in 1988 together with Aguirre, which was the first real playoff success the team had.

Unknown date; Dallas, TX, USA; FILE PHOTO; Dallas Mavericks forward Mark Aguirre (24) in action against the Phoenix Suns at Reunion Arena. Mandatory Credit: Manny Rubio-Imagn Images | Manny Rubio-Imagn Images

Who is the Next Maverick to See Their Jersey in the Rafters?

There is always a debate for who the next person to have their jerseys in the rafters will be. For a long time, it seemed like Aguirre would never see his name up there because of his relationship with the franchise, but that has clearly changed. It's one of the few good things this ownership has done, but their relationship with Dirk Nowitzki is definitely fractured currently, and that needs to be fixed.

As far as who the next one could be, there are a few options, but Jason Terry seems like the likeliest option. He was a pivotal part of the 2011 championship team, is 7th all-time in scoring in Mavericks history, and won the 6th Man of the Year in 2009. He's also just a beloved figure within the franchise. Klay Thompson would need to depart the team or change his number before that happens.

Another potential option is Michael Finley, who is currently the team's assistant general manager. He is 5th all-time in Mavericks history in scoring, and the four people ahead of him all have their numbers retired.

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