Original Mavs owner Don Carter dead at 84

DALLAS - The original owner of the Dallas Mavericks has died.

Don Carter passed away Wednesday night at the age of 84. The Dallas Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed his death but did not provide any additional details.

Carter invested more than $35 million into an NBA franchise and in 1980 the Mavericks were born.

Always smiling and cheering for his team, he attended nearly every game at Reunion Arena wearing his Stetson cowboy hat with his wife, Linda, alongside.

Carter sold the Mavericks to Ross Perot Jr. in 1996. When the team won the NBA Championship in 2011, current owner Mark Cuban asked that the trophy be presented to Carter, who still owned a small share of the team.

“The entire Mavs family is heartbroken by the loss of Mr. Carter,” Cuban said. “To say he will be missed does not do justice to just how important Mr. C has been to the Dallas Mavericks and the City of Dallas. Our condolences go out to Mrs. Carter and the entire Carter family.”

The team plans to honor him with a special tribute and moment of silence during the Feb. 26 home game against Indiana.

Carter also owned the Dallas Sidekicks, an indoor soccer team.