Latest news with #FireNico
Yahoo
13 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fire Nico chants ring out at Mavericks 2025 Draft party
Jerome Miron-Imagn Images. The post Fire Nico chants ring out at Mavericks 2025 Draft party appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Dallas Mavericks landing the No. 1 pick in the NBA Lottery back in May gave fans plenty of reason to celebrate tonight's 2025 NBA Draft watch party at American Airlines Center — but not everyone was ready to move on. Despite the upbeat atmosphere, chants of 'Fire Nico' echoed throughout the arena, signaling that frustration with general manager Nico Harrison still lingers months after the Luka Doncic trade. Advertisement The mood turned mixed once the pick was officially announced. The Mavericks used the No. 1 overall selection on Cooper Flagg, a generational prospect out of Duke. Cheers echoed through the crowd — fans excited about Flagg's arrival, his potential stardom, and the future of the franchise. But even in a moment of optimism, not all wounds were healed. While many now see the potential upside of building around Flagg, Anthony Davis, and Kyrie Irving, the front office had no way of knowing they'd win the draft lottery at the time of the deal. For a large portion of the fanbase, giving up a generational talent without that guarantee felt reckless — and the chants Wednesday showed that frustration still runs deep. Noah Webber of The Smoking Gun shared a clip of the reaction on X (formerly known as Twitter) showing Mavericks fans are still furious about the Doncic trade. ''Fire Nico' chants at the AAC for the Dallas Mavericks Draft Watch Party.' The crowd's energy reflected the complexity of the night. Yes, fans were excited about drafting Flagg — but they made it clear that trust in Harrison hasn't just been shaken, it may be broken for good. There were cheers, high-fives, and hope for the future, but also a collective reminder that the anger over February's trade hasn't faded — and for many, it likely never will. Advertisement Harrison, hired in 2021, helped the Mavericks reach the Western Conference Finals in 2022 and made bold moves in the years since. His trades for Irving, PJ Washington, and Daniel Gafford reshaped the roster, but none stirred controversy like trading away Doncic. With Flagg now officially a Maverick, Dallas turns the page toward a new era. The talent is there, and fans are eager to see Flagg's rise in the spotlight. But if Wednesday's Draft Party proved anything, it's that drafting a superstar won't erase past mistakes. For many in Dallas, Harrison still has a long way to go to win back their trust. Related: Mavericks' Nico Harrison officially puts Jason Kidd-Knicks rumors to bed Related: Mavericks' Cooper Flagg asked about Jason Kidd rumors after going No. 1
The Guardian
16-04-2025
- Business
- The Guardian
Miriam Adelson is the NBA's most dangerous owner
In the NBA, villainy rarely looks like chaos. It often arrives in the form of billionaires who believe their power serves a greater good. The NBA's old guard of terrible owners – Donald Sterling, Glen Taylor and Robert Sarver – have mostly exited the stage, having offloaded their controlling stakes in recent years. Even James Dolan, long regarded as the autocratic overlord of the New York Knicks, has begun to loosen his grip on basketball operations. Yet as the league evolves, the absence of these figures creates a vacuum – one in which a new archetype of villainous owner can emerge. And from where I stand, Miriam Adelson is the No 1 example. Adelson, the widow of casino magnate Sheldon Adelson, is worth around $27bn, making her one of the world's richest women. Her fortune primarily stems from gambling her majority ownership in the Las Vegas Sands casino and resort company. In late 2023, she purchased majority ownership of the Dallas Mavericks from Mark Cuban for $3.5bn. In a little over two years in charge, she has alienated large parts of the team's fanbase by allowing the trade of a generational superstar, Luka Dončić, who took the team to the NBA finals last season. Adelson, her son-in-law Patrick Dupont and former shoe salesman-turned-Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison have turned the Mavericks into a laughingstock. The city of Dallas is still seething from losing Dončić, who will almost certainly end up in the Hall of Fame. Chants of 'Fire Nico' have broken out across the city, from Medieval Times to college basketball games. Harrison may have traded Dončić, but he did so with the blessing and support of Adelson. More troubling to fans like me are her close links to Donald Trump; she is a Maga megadonor, the most generous of any sports team owner by some distance, and her staunch support of Israel as tens of thousands of Palestinians suffer under a brutal war. NBA owners have long participated in political fundraising, often quietly backing presidential candidates behind the scenes. Yet few have done so as overtly as Adelson. Her political engagement transcends mere support and enters the realm of activism – in 2024 alone, Adelson gave more $100m to Trump's campaign efforts –the very term conservatives so often weaponize as a pejorative. And that's before we get to an op-ed she wrote in 2023, saying pro-Palestinian protestors are 'not our critics. They are our enemies.' Adelson, of course, is perfectly entitled to support whichever politician she wants and have her own opinions on Israel – and many Mavs fans don't care, as long as the team performs well (which it isn't). But for other fans, myself included, there's an enduring irony in how many on the right bristle when players like LeBron James speak out on social issues yet remain unbothered when an NBA team owner funnels millions into a presidential campaign or has their own say on politics. Those critics stay triggered when players mix sports and politics, but not when owners contribute millions to elect candidates – a darkly hilarious lack of self-awareness. I see the on-court basketball chaos funded by Adelson as a fitting – if much less serious – parallel to her support of an Israeli regime that has inflicted suffering on the Palestinian people. Since the controversial trade that sent Dončić to the Los Angeles Lakers, the Mavericks have experienced a near-total unraveling. A series of injuries, along with the absence of Dončić, mean the Mavericks only just scraped into the play-in tournament a year after reaching the NBA finals. Meanwhile, the franchise has relinquished control of its first-round draft picks from 2027 through 2030 – a period during which their aging core, including Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving, will likely be in steep decline. To compound the fan revolt, shortly after the trade the Mavericks announced an average season ticket price increase of 8% for 2025-26, with some seat hikes increasing by 10%. If the goal was to alienate fans, it proved remarkably effective. ESPN's Tim MacMahon reported that moving on from Dončić may significantly damage the Mavericks – potentially causing the franchise to 'lose dozens of millions in revenue this season due to dwindling crowds, plummeting merchandise sales and sponsors severing ties with the franchise in the wake of the trade.' There have been very visible signs of fans' discontent: when Dončić returned to Dallas with the Lakers to play the Mavs last week, a 'Fire Nico' mural had been erected five minutes away from the stadium. Inside the arena, as the Mavericks played a tribute video thanking Dončić for his years of brilliance with the team, the fruits of Adelson's ownership decisions came into full view. Dončić, sensing what was to come, asked for a towel before the montage even began – soon he was in floods of tears. Then he stepped on to court and scored 45 points as the Lakers routed the Mavs 112-97. Watching it all from the seats was Dirk Nowitzki, the man who had led Dallas to their first – and only – NBA title in 2011. When he retired in 2019, a year after the Mavericks drafted Dončić, it seemed like a perfect passing of the torch – until Adelson, Dumont, and Harrison traded away Dončić, the new heart and soul of Dallas. For fans like myself, they did not seem to understand or care about how much Dončić meant to the city of Dallas. Like many superstars before him, he embodied the hopes and dreams of the city he wore on his chest. But from her support of the divisive presidency of Trump – in a city where most of the population voted for Kamala Harris in 2024 – to her backing of Israel as the Gaza campaign continues, to her ownership of the Mavericks, Adelson strikes me as someone who cares little about how her decisions affect others. There have always been NBA villains. But this may be the first time we've had one whose emblem you can wear on a jersey and whose massive influence shapes both the league and American legislation and policy.
Fox News
14-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Mavericks minority owner Mark Cuban invites fan ejected for 'Fire Nico' protest back to sit courtside
A Dallas Mavericks fan ejected from a game this week after protesting against general manager Nico Harrison for the Luka Doncic trade was invited back to sit courtside courtesy of minority owner Mark Cuban. Garrett Bussey and his friend Chris Taylor, die-hard Mavericks fans, were among the few fans that were ejected from Monday night's game against the Sacramento Kings after they shouted "Fire Nico," a message they also had printed on their shirts. The pair told WFAA during an interview this week that the incident took place during the second half of the game while the Mavericks shot free throws. "We did 'Fire Nico' [chant], and it was the first time we had done it all night," Taylor told the station. They were quickly met by security and escorted out of American Airlines Center for allegedly violating the NBA code of conduct rules. Taylor also told the station that Cuban "started yelling" at him before he was escorted out, further escalating the situation. In a statement to WFAA, Cuban explained his side of things. "Fans were booing during crunch time while we had the ball and while we were shooting FTs (free throws). I wanted to see why. So, I looked where they were looking. When the guy (it was just one) saw me, he started screaming at me. I had no idea what he said, he was a good 25 rows away, but he was obviously mad." Cuban added to his statement, saying that the shouting from the fan happened the "whole game." "I didn't care what he was saying. He was saying it the whole game. I cared that fans were booing him while we had the ball in crunch time or were shooting FTs. The time when they should be silent, or cheering for the Mavs, that was it." Bussey told WMAQ that he spoke with Cuban after the game and was invited back to sit courtside with his 7-year-old son for Wednesday's game. Bussey called it a "step in the right direction" for a fan base that was left reeling after the team's star player was traded away. Doncic led the NBA in scoring last season and helped the Mavericks reach an NBA Finals appearance, but he was dealt away to the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the most controversial trades in recent memory. Fans have since expressed their disdain for Harrison, the mastermind behind the trade, prompting the organization to reportedly increase his security before last weekend's games. At least one other fan was ejected from Monday's game for a similar protest. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Mavericks GM Nico Harrison hears 'Fire Nico' chants from fans at SMU game
Dallas Mavericks general manager Nico Harrison is not safe from hearing it from fans even when scouting college games, it appears. Harrison was in attendance for Tuesday night's men's game between SMU and Pitt seated behind the benches. It didn't take long for him to get noticed and to be serenaded with "Fire Nico" chants from the Mustangs' student section. SMU students begin the 'Fire Nico' chants at Moody Coliseum with Nico Harrison in attendance. — Jacob Richman (@JacobHRichman) February 12, 2025 Even young fans who disapproved of last week's Luka Dončić trade to the Los Angeles Lakers voiced their displeasure. The next generation is joining the 'Fire Nico' movement. — Lia Assimakopoulos (@Lassimak) February 12, 2025 The reaction to the trade from Mavericks fans has been extremely negative. Fans initially staged a protest outside American Airlines Center around the team's first home game after the blockbuster deal. They called for Harrison to be fired and for the ownership group led by Patrick Dumont and Miriam Adelson to sell the team. On Monday, calls to fire Harrison made their way inside the arena and onto the video board during the Mavericks' home game against the Sacramento Kings. A fan drew the attention of the video board's producers during a karaoke segment. But instead of singing along, he appeared to mouth the words "Fire Nico." 'Fire Nico.' *immediately zooms out* — MFFL (@Mavs_FFL) February 11, 2025 That fan was later escorted out of the arena by security after NBA Fan Code of Conduct were broken, according to the team. Unlike at AAC, no fans inside Moody Coliseum appeared to have been ejected for chanting at Harrison. SMU would roll past Pitt 83-63 for its fifth straight win and improve its record to 20-5 on the season.
Fox News
11-02-2025
- Sport
- Fox News
Mavericks fans ejected over 'Fire Nico' protests amid growing animosity over Luka Doncic trade
It was an exodus of disgruntled Dallas Mavericks fans at American Airlines Center on Monday night after security was seen escorting several people out of the arena after they called for general manager Nico Harrison's job following the Luka Doncic trade. Security escorted out several fans that either held up "Fire Nico" signs or shouted out the phrase during the Mavericks' one-point loss to the Sacramento Kings. During a karaoke segment where fans sang along to Whitney Houston's "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," one man was shown on the Jumbotron mouthing the phrase "Fire Nico." The camera quickly panned away. That same man was also seen holding a sign with the same phrasing. He and another man holding the sign were later seen being escorted away from their seats in a video shared on social media. According to The Dallas Morning News, two more fans were escorted out in the fourth quarter. Each time, the escorts were met by boos from fans in the surrounding area. Doncic led the NBA in scoring last season and helped the Mavericks reach an NBA Finals appearance, but was dealt away to the Los Angeles Lakers in one of the most controversial trades in recent memory. Fans have since expressed their disdain for Harrison, the mastermind behind the trade, prompting the organization to reportedly increase his security before Saturday's game over the weekend. The Lakers acquired Doncic, Maxi Kleber and Markieff Morris, while the Mavericks got Anthony Davis, Max Christie and Los Angeles' 2029 first-round pick. To complete the deal, the Utah Jazz acquired Jalen Hood-Schifino and two second-round picks. But Davis sustained a groin injury in his debut for Dallas and will be sidelined at least through the All-Star break. Follow Fox News Digital's sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.
