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Dallas Mavericks: 25 Best Players To Play For The Mavericks

By Phil Watson

Apr 21, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; A general view of the arena before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
Apr 21, 2016; Dallas, TX, USA; A general view of the arena before the game between the Dallas Mavericks and the Oklahoma City Thunder in game three of the first round of the NBA Playoffs at American Airlines Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports /
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1990: Center James Donaldson of the Dallas Mavericks (center) keeps the ball away from center Hakeem Olajuwon (left) and Otis Thorpe of the Houston Rockets during a game at Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas. Mandatory Credit: Joe Patronite /Allsport
1990: Center James Donaldson of the Dallas Mavericks (center) keeps the ball away from center Hakeem Olajuwon (left) and Otis Thorpe of the Houston Rockets during a game at Reunion Arena in Dallas, Texas. Mandatory Credit: Joe Patronite /Allsport /

C. 1985-92. James Donaldson. 12. player. 79. <strong>How acquired: </strong>Trade, Los Angeles Clippers, Nov. 25, 1985.

James Donaldson became a starting NBA center when he went to the moribund San Diego Clippers in the early 1980s.

When he was acquired by the Dallas Mavericks in a November 1985 trade for Kurt Nimphius, he became an All-Star.

DAL_12_DONALDSON
DAL_12_DONALDSON /

Donaldson was an All-Star for the Mavericks in 1988 and was fourth in the NBA in field-goal percentage and rebounding in 1986-87 as he was a huge (7-foot-2, 275 pounds) force in the middle.

Dallas missing the playoffs in 1989 for the first time in five years coincided with Donaldson being out with injuries for 29 games and when he got healthy the next season, the Mavs were back in the postseason before the team began to crumble in the early 1990s.

Donaldson remained with the Mavericks until February 1992, when he was traded to the New York Knicks for Brian Quinnett.

In parts of seven seasons in Dallas, Donaldson averaged 8.8 points, 9.5 rebounds and 1.3 blocks in 32.2 minutes per game, shooting .551/—/.761.

Donaldson was a two-year starter at Washington State, averaging 11.3 points and 10.8 rebounds as a senior.

The Seattle SuperSonics took a chance on Donaldson in the fourth round of the 1979 NBA Draft and signed him in the summer of 1980.

He was traded to the Clippers in August 1983 and remained with them through their move north to Los Angeles in 1984, leading the NBA in field-goal percentage in 1984-85 after finishing second in 1983-84.

After leaving the Mavericks, Donaldson was released by the Knicks in July 1992 and remained a free agent until signing with the Utah Jazz in April 1993.

He played the 1993-94 season in Greece before returning to the Jazz in October 1995 and retired after he was waived by Utah in December of that year.

Donaldson is 50th in NBA history with 1,267 blocked shots and 10th with a field-goal percentage of .571.

Next: Big Smooth A Versatile Forward

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