Derek Harper

Dallas's most beloved point guard — a two-way cornerstone for 11 seasons who holds the franchise record for games played.

Derek Ricardo Harper was born in Elberton, Georgia in 1961. Dallas Mavericks selected him 11th overall in the 1983 NBA Draft. His 16-season career produced 14.7 points and 6.3 assists per game along with one All-Star appearance. He was named to the All-NBA Defensive Second Team twice. He spent 11 seasons as the Dallas Mavericks' primary point guard — the most games played by any player in franchise history — and is considered the greatest Maverick before Dirk Nowitzki arrived. His combination of defensive tenacity, court vision and scoring from the guard position made him one of the more complete two-way guards of his era. He is most remembered in NBA circles for a 1984 playoff incident in which he held the ball without calling a timeout in the final seconds of a tied game against Dallas — a mental lapse that cost the team a chance at overtime. He overcame that moment to spend another decade as one of the franchise's most valued players. He later became a television analyst for the Mavericks.

Harper was known as a defensive-minded point guard who excelled at pressuring opposing ball handlers and creating turnovers. He possessed excellent court vision and was a reliable distributor, though he was more valued for his defensive intensity than his offensive production.

Harper established himself as one of the premier defensive point guards of his era and helped elevate both the Mavericks and Knicks franchises during his tenure with each team.

• All-NBA Defensive Second Team 2x
• All-Star 1x
• Mavericks all-time games leader