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Maverick Man: Will the Mavericks Retire Dwight Powell’s Jersey?

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports | By Harry Smith | Last updated Mar 10, 2026 12:11 PM ET

Certain simple comforts in life are easy to obtain but hard to fabricate. Wearing your favourite old pair of jeans, cracking open your favorite beer while mowing the lawn or having a plateful of your mother’s cooking. For Dallas Mavericks fans, seeing long-time stalwart Dwight Powell lace up his Nikes and don the number 7 jersey has become one of those comforts.

Whether it’s three very solid garbage time minutes or a starting role, DP is always there. The last hurrah of Dirk Nowitzki, the era when every Dallas vet got a one-year deal, the rise of Luka Dončić, Kristaps Porzingis, the bubble, humbling Devin Booker, Cuban selling the team, taking a chance on Kyrie Irving, going to the Finals, trading Luka, the exile of Nico Harrison. The constant? Powell. While he may have never been an All-Star, we must ask: Will Dwight Powell get his jersey retired with the Mavericks?

Maverick Man: Will the Mavericks Retire Dwight Powell’s Jersey?

Only five men have had their numbers retired in Dallas. Dirk Nowitzki and Rolando Blackman, the two greatest Mavs of course have their banner in the rafters at the AA Center. They’re accompanied by 80s standouts and franchise legends Derek Harper and Mark Aguirre. Also in the rafters is servant to the franchise, Brad Davis. Logging 883 appearances for Dallas, Davis started less than 50% of his games for the team. A meager 8.6/5.9/1.8 statline was his average over his Mavs tenure. One of the first ever Mavericks, Brad Davis has been present in the orginization since 1980, first as a player, then as a coach, next as a commentator and finally as a player representative. His impact off the court is vital.

Powell in a way feels like the spiritual successor to Brad Davis. A veteran who ties together eras, teammates and more than one generation of fans. Dallas love loyalty (except for that one time). With Powell only a season away from matching Davis’ playing tenure, it should be no surprise to see 15 and 7 hanging together in the rafters.

Jan 31, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Dallas Mavericks forward Dwight Powell (7) reacts from the bench after a play during the first quarter against the Houston Rockets at Toyota Center. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

The Last Word

Like Nick Collison in Oklahoma and Udonis Haslem in Miami, Powell is team culture. There are plenty of things you can do with a roster spot. Sign a low risk, high upside free agent. You could bring in an international upstart to provide a spark on offense. You could add an aging former All-Star to bring an elite basketball mind into the locker room. The hardest thing to find in the NBA, however, is heartbeat and identity.

Dwight Powell makes the Mavericks who they are. His ethic, support and cultural impact on his teammates is unmatched. You can’t teach that, and you definitely can’t replace it. It’s a priceless trait that one day will be reciprocated by lifting the number 7 into the rafters.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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