CELEBRATING BLACK HISTORY: DALLAS MAVS HOST BLACK TO ESPORTS COMMUNITY EVENT

The Dallas Mavericks, in partnership with Mavs Gaming, recently hosted a Black to Esports panel with Paul Quinn College students and Dallas ISD high schoolers at Esposure, a global sports gaming hub headquartered in Duncanville. 

Each February, the Mavericks join other NBA and NBA2K teams nationwide to celebrate Black History Month as the league supports the ongoing pursuit of racial justice, equality, equity, and inclusion in the workplace and community.

The Black to Esports event is an extension of the franchise’s commitment to elevating the experiences and perspectives of Black players, gamers, coaches, employees and the greater community. 

The diverse panel featured esports influencers, content creators, gaming coaches and adjunct professors who discussed the importance of representation for men and women of color in esports. They also highlighted career opportunities in sports for the students.

Tray Thompson oversees community outreach with Mavs Gaming, and a couple of years ago, he reached out to the esports program at Paul Quinn College to host a similar event during Black History Month.

The response was tremendous, and the Mavs were thrilled to host another event. Paul Quinn is the only Historically Black College and University (HBCU) in North Texas.

Other participating Black to Esports schools included South Oak Cliff, Madison, Skyline, Wilmer Hutchins and H. Grady Spruce High Schools. Thompson said the high school students were selected through various Dallas ISD programs.

“This event is important because it allows me to create a program that is impactful from a local and global perspective,” Thompson said. “We impacted communities from all walks of life and inspired the next generation to grow together through technology. A few highlights of this program were students tuning into a live Twitch experience to engage with the panelist directly.” 

He said Black to Esports was interactive and sparked hope and excitement for the gamers. The students got to ask the panelists questions and they watched the Mavs Gaming team compete in a live NBA 2K League scrimmage. 

Thompson said Mavs Gaming is intentional about creating diversity and inclusion opportunities and experiences for all people. In the past, Mavs Gaming has hosted community events for wounded warriors, dished out turkeys at Thanksgiving, created mental health outreach events and hosted camps for kids. Teaching and guiding students is another key part of the organization. 

Thompson hopes events like Black to Esports will ultimately create a pipeline for Black men and women to leave their own mark on the esports industry. 

“You can’t have a table without everything,” Thompson explained. “We also get to set the table and show that unity is still the foundation of everything we do here.”

The gamers at the Black to Esports event had the chance to meet the current Mavs Gaming team, who are among the world’s best players. They also toured Esposure and heard from CEO Danny Martin, who is a trendsetter and revolutionizing the industry in his own way. 

“The feedback was all positive and full of gratitude for providing the students an experience they haven’t had before,” Thompson said. “This was their first time seeing an Esports facility of this magnitude, so there was a lot of good energy and love in the building.”

All the students received catered lunches provided by Smokey John’s, a black-owned home-cooking restaurant that has served the heart of Dallas for more than 40 years. Smokey John’s even decorated each box with Black History Month stickers and ribbons to celebrate the special event.  

The Black to Esports panel was a fantastic chance for the Mavs to spotlight competitive gaming as a business to a new generation. Many students hope to follow a career in esports, but others simply enjoy the camaraderie and competition on the sticks.

Black to Esports panelists included Mavs Gaming assistant coach Bobby Jones Jr., along with former Mavs Gaming Esports content manager and current media personality Jourdan Kerl. She continues to break barriers for women in sports. Christopher Turner, an Esports consultant/GM/coach, also participated, as well as Marcus Howard, who serves as an Esports advisor and gaming management adjunct professor. 

When asked to reflect on content creation in the Esports industry, Jones said awareness is critical. 

“I think building your brand is really important,” Jones said. “Our team has done a great job of that, and they do a great job with social content. It’s important to see the personalities of not just me and [head coach] Ryan Conger but also our players. So I think it’s important.” 

Jones played two professional NBA2K seasons and then became a high school basketball coach before returning to coach in the NBA2K League. He joined Dallas in November 2022. 

“In my freshman year of college, I heard about the 2K League,” Jones told the students. “I heard about them because there was a tryout process. I tried out with 70,000 players but didn’t make it that year. I continued to follow the league.”

Season Three was his breakthrough moment.

“I was fortunate to be drafted and spent a year with the Pacers,” Jones shared. “The next year I was drafted by the Lakers as a player. Then last year, the Pacers brought me back as a coach, and now I’m with the Mavs.” 

He said it’s been a great experience that has come full circle. 

“I’ve always wanted to coach basketball, so it’s translated to the esports industry,” Jones said. 

The esports industry has exploded with representation from diverse communities worldwide. 

Major corporations and top academic institutions have joined the game and got in on the craze. This has created an entirely new career industry with endless potential in programming, management, content creation and sales.

The sky really is the limit. 

“The main message is you can’t have UNITY without CommUNITY,” Thompson said. “The Mavs prioritize bridging all socioeconomic gaps to ensure our future has a brighter tomorrow.”