Collin Cable
Because Misery Loves Company And Winning Is More Fun Among Friends, Here Are The Top 20 Twitter Accounts All Dallas Mavericks Fans Should Be Following.
How we feeling these days, Mavs fans?
Still reeling from a heartbreaking Game 7 loss against a budding rival? Overcome with dread at the thought of our dumpster fire of a front office alienating our young, affable megastar?
Me too! I’m scared as hell!
Fortunately for all of us, there exists a community that exists if not to shepherd us through the darkness, then to at the very least afford us the comfort of not being consumed by the darkness alone. This ragtag group of saints and sickos is always there hold our shaky hands — through the stresses of the playoffs, during the dog days of the offseason and with just about every wild development that each day seems to bring when you’re a fan of the Dallas Mavericks.
I’m speaking, of course, about Mavs Twitter.
Whether you’re looking to lurk, sling mud or post trade machine screenshots, whether you want to laugh with other fans or yell at them, whether you’re needing to commiserate or celebrate, Mavs Twitter has you covered. Collectively functioning as the most purely-distilled voice of Mavericks fandom, this community can — to the uninitiated, anyway — seem both insane and intimidating from a distance. But once you’re immersed in it, you’ll begin to feel as though it just might be the only corner of the world that makes any kind of sense.
To that end, we’ve compiled the below, unranked compilation of Mavs Twitter’s 20 most essential follows — the tweeters whose updates the rest of this universe seems to most revolve around. Unfortunately, by virtue of the format, we’re aware that many worthy accounts and valuable contributors were omitted. Sorry about that.
If nothing else, may the presentation of this list offer you all a common enemy to unite around: me!
@redditmavericks
Often imitated but never replicated, Mavs Twitter’s patron saint of optimism functions as an indefatigable source of positivity and light-heartedness in what can otherwise be charitably described as a fanbase held captive by their own emotions. Don’t be fooled by the Dirk snoo avatar; Mavs Twitter’s MVP is entirely unrelated to the actual r/Mavericks subreddit with which he shares his handle, and his contributions share no DNA with the zombified discourse you usually find on Reddit itself.
No, this king is a tastemaker and a meme king — so effective and unwavering in his support of our squad that he often engages successfully with the players themselves. Look no further than how he responded to the Mavs’ heartbreaking Game 6 loss to the Clippers this year: Rather than succumbing to the sky-is-falling-trade-everyone-but-Luka base instincts of your average Mavs poster, @redditmvericks rose to the occasion and went on a joyful retweet spree of fellow fans’ dog pics.
For my money, there’s no better way to wash out the bitter taste of profound disappointment than that.
@squish41
When his account was suspended for bearing an eerie resemblance to the Twitter account of actual Mavericks GOAT Dirk Nowitzki, many feared we’d seen the last of Mavs Twitter’s weirdest and wildest poster.
Thankfully, after a brief sojourn to a backup handle and an ultimately successful appeal to the Twitter Overlords, our hero returned as the almighty Squish41. There is real humor to be found in his recurring bits — “The Vibe Rat” and “Doink Nabisco’s Keys to the Game” playfully mix the goofy with the surreal — but his best moments come when the veneer slips and his humanity comes out. Underneath the Far Side façade, Squish is simply a fan that loves the team and wants to see them succeed. The sincere moments ground the absurd ones, and they combine to create a singular voice that Mavs Twitter simply would not be the same without.
Oh yeah, and he also once almost ratio’d LeBron.
@townbrad
What would Mavs Twitter be without the veteran leadership and world-weary perspective of the Dallas Morning News‘ Mavericks beat legend Brad Townsend? With a career as accomplished as his, you’d be hard-pressed to blame him if he simply went through the social media motions — a DMN retweet here, some vital context to a report there — but that’s not how Brad rolls. He is, at the end of the day, very much ONE OF US.
Want to know if Luka’s playing tonight? Wait for the injury report, you bozo! When is JJ Redick going to be back on the court? Fuck you, that’s when!
Brad has seen it all, and what he’s seen has trimmed his fuse down to the wax. An invaluable resource for post-game quotes, interesting stats and peaks behind the franchise’s curtain, Brad would be a must-follow even without his willingness to lay a casual fan out with professional-grade snark. But with the talk-shit-get-hit, stupid-questions-get-stupid-answers mentality he shows up with every day? Dude has transcended the beat and ascended to Mavs-posting Valhalla.
@calliecaplan
The DMN’s resident Mavericks Good Cop, Callie Caplan continues to put up all-NBA numbers. She leads the Mavs Twitter League in insight — juicy quotes, screenshots from player’s Instagrams, soundbites from radio interviews she didn’t even conduct — and has rightly earned her account the designation of offering fans the most complete picture into the team and the players’ individual states of mind.
She keeps a weather eye on all of the Mavs’ personalities, from Rick to Luka and all points in between. Scroll through her page and you’ll walk away with all the information you need to determine how sports-depressed you should feel at any given time. Then, for a chaser, turn the endorphin faucet on and read her report on the surging number of babies named Luka.
Talk about diverse content!
@tim_cato
Tim Cato has had himself a week! It’s hard for me to fathom the bravery required to research and publish truths as uncomfortable as those he explored in his recent piece about the Mavs front office — especially when doing so runs the risk of nuking carefully cultivated relationships with the most important people in Dallas sports.
To a lesser reporter, perhaps the stakes would be too high, the access too precious to gamble with. For Tim Cato, it’s just another day at the office. The former Mavs Moneyball editor-in-chief has ascended to the ranks of sports writing superstardom via his unparalleled work for The Athletic. He writes about the league and its players through a sensitive and sympathetic lens, often taking great care in presenting them as the flesh-blood-and-feelings human beings that they are. Cato also has a gift at analyzing a situation down to its fundamental truths in a way that will make them seem obvious — only they never are, except to Tim.
His Twitter presence is alternately casual and professional. He has a world-class understanding of the game, but also a vice grip on the human element that often escapes even the sharpest basketball minds. Scroll through his page and you’ll find excellent player quotes, cerebral off-the-cuff observations and, in the more hopeless moments, much-needed perspective.
@mavstracker
Do you like NBA uniforms? Are you a little piggy for future jersey leaks or rumored concepts? @mavstracker is the account for you.
At this point, NBA fashion — on and off the court — is as much a part of the sport as dribbling or shooting. The passion that surrounds team’s branding is its own vibrant and contentious subculture these days, and this account offers an easy opportunity for fans to stay up to date on the latest Mavs jersey news.
The epitome of a “don’t shoot the messenger” account, give this one a follow and slide into the replies as fans from across the world come together to bemoan the Mavericks’ lack of inventive branding.
@bobbykaralla
The King of Access, the voice of reason, the gentle hand that guides you off the ledge. Pretty much daily, the Mavericks’ digital content manager reminds his followers why he’s the best person for the job. If you’re worried about his place on the Mavs’ payroll muzzling his true feelings, you’ve got the man (and the @) all wrong. He’ll never hesitate to acknowledge when the team needs to sharpen up, or to point out areas where they could improve.
But what really makes Bobby a must-follow, aside from his proximity to the team and the unequalled access that provides him, is his positive energy and willingness to engage with the fans (even the weird ones). With his feed, you get far-out stats, behind the scenes video and observations from someone who not only loves the team, but knows them personally!
And for the weirder posters, an interaction with Bobby can offer you something very few others can: Mavs Twitter legitimacy.
@HouseMavericks
As the late Houston-born comedy legend Harris Wittels once said, “Sometimes motherfuckers just want to laugh.” And no Mavs twitter account better captures that energy than House Mavericks, whose Game of Zones Mark Cuban avatar alone is good for a chuckle every time it shows up on your feed.
Arguably the best meme-maker of the bunch, House Mavericks solidified its place on this list with a truly legendary Marcus Morris ratio. Far from a one note account, though, House Mavericks also keeps followers engaged with player appreciation posts and well-timed sentimental reminders of the team’s sole championship run.
@dorothyjgentry
Dorothy J. Gentry’s Twitter presence is one-stop shopping for NBA and WNBA fans alike. On her feed, you get Mavs stuff, you get Wings stuff, you get behind the scenes video, you get general basketball commentary and you get human interest angles.
Her resume as a writer would make most anyone else on the list blush, but it’s the sense of her genuine, human affection for the players and personalities that vault her account into must-follow territory.
NBA Twitter is largely a meme economy, but it’s not exempt from toxic negativity, either. Never shy with stats and Xs and Os, Gentry’s role as a Mavs Twitter poster is best defined by her empathy for the people, and her gentle reminders of their beating hearts.
@bibscorner
If I ran the numbers on whose posts I liked the most throughout my time following Mavs Twitter, this self-proclaimed “Mavs Outsider” would surely rank among the top two — and he ain’t No. 2.
Bibs is a purveyor of inconvenient truths and tough love. I’ve followed him for a long time and, honestly, the man doesn’t miss. He has a keen eye for observations that relate to the intrapersonal dynamics of the team. Whether it’s reading a player’s body language or parsing through a passive aggressive post-game quote, he’s going to offer you a perspective you had not previously considered. A master of objectivity, he attempts to curry favor with no one. His intimate familiarity with the league and its history make him an informative follow, but his willingness to tell the truth makes him essential.
Plus, he follows back! (I cannot guarantee he will follow you back.)
@kirkseriousface
Given his work at Mavs Moneyball, it would be safe to suggest no single person has had a bigger influence on how Mavericks discourse is shaped than Kirk Henderson — a place in the pantheon he secured long ago.
Misunderstood and misbranded as cantankerous and unforgiving, Kirk is the ultimate Mavericks fan. As the real ones know, part of fandom is processing the pain of rooting for a team outside of Greater Los Angeles or New England. Granted, we’re not the Sacramento Kings, but where most casual fans have been spoiled by the Dirk-turned-Luka inspired success of our franchise, Kirk is always willing to do the uncomfortable work of calling attention to our unreached potential.
He’d be the first to tell you his honesty has left him with no shortage of enemies, but it’s that same honesty that makes his perspective invaluable. He’s a strong writer and comes off as a solid dude. Plus, his occasional cynicism is well-earned, as he loves the team and wants them to do well.
If only they’d stop hurting him.
@mavrellob
For those blissfully in the dark on this: Mavrello Ballovic is the team’s new animated mascot, launched late in the 2021 season and presented to fans as an original Mavs owner who was buried in the rubble of Reunion Arena. As the story goes, he has now re-emerged to frighten and annoy Mavs fans — young and old alike.
At first, Mavs Twitter perceived this vile creature correctly: as an affront to God. But after the initial wave of righteous disgust, the tide of public opinion took a strange swing toward the positive. Did the suite giveaways and fan outreach essentially bribe him into favor? Yes. Was the ensuing affection for this little freak largely ironic? Still unclear.
Several accounts on this list played a crucial role in Mavrello’s near-instant image rehabilitation, which begs the question of what under-the-table compensation they were offered for their part in normalizing this unsettling monster. Alas, hating him is ultimately a futile exercise, and I speak from experience there. Your animus will be no more effective in stopping him than the tons of brick and steel that kept him buried underground for 40 years.
Pile whatever you want on him. Mavrello always emerges.
@mavshighlights
A simple, no-frills concept account whose value is right there in the handle — instant, real-time highlights for every game of the season. Can’t watch a game via conventional methods? Have a deep and abiding respect for the rule of law that prohibits you from streaming? Follow @mavshighlights and get a front-row seat for every alley-oop and no-look pass, and just mere seconds after they happen.
@nickvanexit and @isaaclharris
The binary stars of the daily Locked On Mavs podcast, these two work tirelessly to keep fans up to date on the team and its inner workings.
(It feels a little unfair to bind them together on this list — they each have a unique voice that enhances and complements the other — but, for the purpose of this piece, we’re presenting them as a tandem.)
Given the frankly insane release schedule of their pod, they never have the luxury of taking their eye off the ball and, as a result, they function as two of Mavs Twitter’s most reliable and authoritative voices. As a reflection of their personal values, they tend to keep things positive and player-friendly, which blends nicely with their classic sports journalism aesthetic.
@luka7doncic
What are you gonna do, not follow Luka? He may not be the most prolific Twitter user — he’s more of an Instagram guy — but his ratio of hits to misses is God-tier.
Also, for a young star player that doesn’t seem to like talking about himself, the young GOAT’s sporadic Twitter presence is among our best resources for getting a glimpse into his contagiously goofy personality.
@jalenbrunson1
A closer personal friend of @redditmavericks, Jalen is the Mavs player most likely to engage with the fans — assuming they are honoring his preference for immaculate vibes.
It’s always a treat to see Jalen take friendly swipes at old college teammates and various buddies across the league, but his true mastery of the medium comes in the form of the frequent and fearless shit-talking he serves up to his teammate and future four-time league MVP, Luka Doncic.
@TamaraJolee
Tamara Jolee has a gift for procuring and providing quotes that might not be flashy enough to make it into the headlines but that still offer priceless insight into a player’s authentic emotional state. Her experience as a reporter enables her to capture significant moments that a less observant eye would miss completely.
More than that, her account is also one of the best resources for the Mavs community outreach and human interest angles. Little kid reporters? Charity auctions? Dirk doing cool stuff and being a sweetie? It’s all there.
Tamara’s comfort navigating the different areas of interest for passionate MFFLs makes her account among the more engaging and versatile that we’ve got.
@mavsfan0_
Although this account hasn’t tweeted since March 25 — going dark a little over a month after its creation — we’d be remiss if we didn’t include on this list. To hear him tell this account holder tell it, “Michael” is a “regular dude who’s a Mavs fan.” Supportive of the team, quick to hype up KP or predict a Mavs sweep on an upcoming road trip, he sure presents as an everyday, passionate MFFL!
But for some reason, somewhere along the way, people got suspicious. The way he’d defend the team or individual players — especially Josh Richardson, whose middle name is Michael (!) — while insisting that the team only needs time to gel quickly raised some eyebrows. The frequent J-Rich related likes and retweets seemed to only further confirm everyone’s suspicions that Richardson himself is lurking in the replies like the rest of us normals.
The biggest evidence that “Michael” is indeed J-Rich came in the form of his unconvincing denials when confronted with the accusation of his true identity. Were Mavs fans tripping? Is “Michael” just a regular dude? J-Rich himself eventually chimed in from the main with a weak denial: “Wait, I have a burner account now? That’s pretty lit.”
By our estimation, he does and it is.
@lukadonkicks
If there is anything that Luka Doncic is better at than basketball, it’s wearing badass shoes. And here we have an account dedicated to those shoes, functioning essentially as the official record of his gameday footwear.
Curious how many points Luka has scored wearing the Jordan 35 Low silhouette? Are you crazy, or did Luka switch shoes at halftime? Believe it or not, there was a time in the not-so-distant past when you would’ve been left to wonder.
Thankfully, the admin of @Lukadonicks has stepped up to the Herculean task of monitoring those developments, parsing out their findings game by game, tweet by tweet, colorway by colorway.
@dallasmavs
While not as feisty or funny as some other notable official team accounts from around the league — here’s looking at you, Milwaukee and Sacramento — the Mavs’ official Twitter page excels by knowing its strength: the personalities of the players.
Whether it’s Boban being funny, Luka being silly or dutifully amplifying Jalen Brunson’s plea for immaculate vibes, the Mavs’ social media administrators have always known who the real stars are — and they do a great job of letting them speak for themselves.