Former Mavs Invokes Complicated Memories

The 2003-2004 season was a whirlwind for Dallas Mavericks fans. In the 2023 NBA playoffs, the Mavericks made their second Western Conference Finals appearance in franchise history, but Dirk Nowitzki suffered a knee injury, ultimately ruining Dallas' NBA Finals hopes. In response, the Mavericks loaded the team with veteran talent, including former Boston Celtics All-Star Antoine Walker.

Aug 12 is Walker's birthday, and while his career became a dark piece of sports history, as he featured in the ESPN 30 for 30 Broke, his story is inspirational for escaping such a potentially life-ruining fate. However, before the bad times, Walker played in three NBA All-Star games, finishing his 12-year NBA career at 17.5 points per game.

Walker's Mavericks career was forgettable but also included unforgettable moments. The main takeaway from Walker's time came in the image of the "trash bag" jerseys, from what Mark Cuban labeled the grey alternate jerseys.

“They looked like wet garbage bags; I took them off the market after one game," Cuban said.

It also didn't help the Los Angeles Lakers pounded the Mavericks 109-93 in the debut of the one-and-done jerseys.

However, in fairness to Walker, the jersey choice wasn't his doing. But, for on-court purposes, the former Celtics All-Star was anything but in his one season in Dallas.

Walker averaged 14 points on well-below shooting splits on 42 field goal percentage, 26 percent from behind the three-point line, and an abysmal 55 percent from the charity stripe.

Dallas ultimately lost to the Sacramento Kings in the first round, with Steve Nash departing for the Phoenix Suns in free agency. It's not exactly a fun season to remember.

To end on a positive note (for the three-time All-Star, anyway), Walker won an NBA championship in 2006 against the Mavs. According to NBA superfan Brett Usher, Walker is one of only three players in NBA history (along with LeBron James and Luka Doncic) to register multiple seasons of 22-plus points per game, 8-plus rebounds per game, 5-plus assists per game, and 2-plus three-point conversions per game.