The Dallas Mavericks will tip off the preseason on October 6. For one member of their team, this season is extra special.
Mike Lopez is a senior designer for the Dallas Mavericks. He is entering his fourth season with duties that include designs across game day, social media campaigns, marketing graphics, murals, and so much more.
“My inspiration, I would say, is 100% the fans, there’s also the community,” Lopez said. “My day is very exciting. Every day is a new day. You never know what you’re going to get.”
Lopez holds North Texas and its vibrant culture close to his heart, and he says his work with the Mavericks helps him show inclusivity and diversity. A great deal of that work is in honor of his birthplace, Mexico City. He said he hopes to leave a lasting legacy, one project at a time.
“We basically are the part, the present, and the future. The past because we inspire. The present because we create and the future is what we transcend,” Lopez said.
Transcending language barriers and borders. One of his most recent projects is a custom-designed basketball court that pulls inspiration from Monterrey, Mexico. It was unveiled in the spring when the Mavericks donated two courts to Monterrey. It was a full circle moment from Lopez as it’s a place his great-grandparents called home.
“I remember when I was there and I saw the court for the first time, I saw a lot of people standing in there and I saw some mariachis playing, and my, I mean, all my skin gave me the chills just by thinking about it,” Lopez said.
The refurbished courts were part of the team’s global initiative to promote basketball internationally. For Lopez, it also meant a gift to the next generation. A design that he wanted to represent something modern, but also captures the beauty of the people and the landscape.
From day to day, his role could change, from creating comic-inspired mascots to innovative jersey designs. But Lopez said it’s more than something he has been doing since he was three years old.
He said it has also given him a sense of belonging.
“It’s very important that you are respectful to everybody and respect your culture. Be very authentic and be true to yourself,” Lopez said.
While Lopez is proud of many of his projects, the one coming in the fall may mean a little more than others. He has designed all the graphics for the Mavericks’ upcoming game in his birthplace of Mexico City. That game is set for Saturday, November 1. The Mavericks will play a regular-season game at Arena CDMX against the Detroit Pistons.