By Dorothy J. Gentry
Sports Editor
Photos: Dorothy J. Gentry/Charles “City” Gbadebo
Usually, when people think of retirement, they think of sunny skies, laying on the beach, and doing nothing at all…or doing whatever you want.
All day, every day.
Not so for 65-year-old Cynt Marshall whose 7-year tenure as the CEO of the Dallas Mavericks came to an end Dec. 31 with her retirement. Originally hired on a three-year contract, Marshall not only transformed the organization, but left an indelible mark on the greater Dallas community.
“Bringing Cynt to the Mavericks six years ago was one of the smartest decisions I’ve ever made,” said Mark Cuban, the Mavs’ minority owner who was the majority owner of the team at the time, and the one who brought Cynt to the franchise.
“She has led this organization to new heights with grace and integrity, and her light will continue to shine bright throughout the community. Thank you, Cynt.”
Enter Cynt Marshall
Marshall became the first Black female CEO in NBA history when she was hired in 2018 to reshape the Mavericks after a Sports Illustrated report detailed years of sexual harassment and misconduct in the franchise. During her tenure, Marshall created a 100-day plan to revamp the corporate culture and set new standards for inclusion, business effectiveness, and corporate responsibility. As a result, two years after her arrival, the Mavs received the NBA’s Inclusion Leadership Award in 2020 and 2022.
Under her leadership, the organization built a foundation of trust, and fostered a culture rooted in transparency, respect, and accountability. She redefined the Mavericks’ culture through a comprehensive overhaul of their workplace policies and as a result, the Mavs became one of the most diverse and inclusive workplaces in sports, with a focus on empowering everyone, including women and people of color at all levels of the organization. Her dedication to creating a more equitable workplace has garnered national attention and established the Mavericks as a role model for businesses across the sports industry and beyond.
“I’m proud that our values didn’t just hang on the walls, but that they operated in the halls is what I wanted…and people are living out those values,” Marshall told Texas Metro News recently.
“Our vision to be a value-based employer has come to life and our workplace promise is ‘every voice matters and everybody belongs,’ and I guess I’m the most proud of the fact that it’s not just a tagline, it’s true.
“As a team, we made it better. It is a different organization on the business side now than before. I’m proud of what we put in place and I’m blessed that the Lord and Mark Cuban called me to lead it. We are not perfect. We have a long way to go. But we are not the organization we were in 2018.”
Retirement and Act III
Instead of jetting off into the sunset like most retirees rightfully get to do, the always bubbly, always busy, always bustling Marshall is busy preparing for what she affectionately calls her “Three B’s – books, boards and the babies -” which will make up her Act III in life.
Act 1 ended when she experienced her first retirement in 2017 from AT&T after 36 years as its chief diversity officer and senior vice president of human resources. She created a consulting firm, Marshalling Resources and was consulting when Cuban called with the offer to lead the Mavs’ rebranding.
Now that Act II has ended with her second retirement, Marshall is ready for Act III which includes transitioning to a consulting role with the Mavs through December 2025.
“I am excited about it (Mavs consultant). We have some big things going on, a big vision and business plan,” Marshall said. “We have just launched Mavs TV and I’m proud of the legacy there where we have our own broadcasting studio, then when I think about what we will do internationally and to evolve our brand, I’m excited.
“We have much coming, including the renovation of the arena, so I’ll have my hands in a lot of stuff that Rick (Welts, new CEO) and Patrick (Dumont, Mavs owner) want me to have my hands on.”
And she’ll also begin her “Three B’s,” the first of which will see Marshall embarking on a long-awaited book tour for her first book, “You’ve Been Chosen: Thriving Through the Unexpected,” which was released at the end of 2022.
“I said for a long time that from ages 65 to 75, I wanted to run hard for kids, and so my next phase begins,” Marshall said. “The first B is with my book I wrote. So many families are dealing with cancer diagnoses and other issues, I want to use that book to go out and inspire people and let them know that God and great people will always show up and we’ve all been chosen for the things we’ve gone through.
“And we’ve been chosen to be there for those people,” Marshall continued. “So I really want to go out with that message right now so I will probably finally do a book tour.”
Marshall plans to write two more books – including one on leadership featuring her three L’s of leadership- listen to the people, learn from the people and love the people. “These are all the things I’ve learned during my decades in leadership,” Marshall said.
“I’ll then write one on motherhood. I remember how my mom put two books in my hand at an early age – a math book and a Bible – and I want to talk about her and those two books and the early start she gave me and I want to celebrate my mother,” Marshall said of her 88-year-old mother Carolyn.
The book will also celebrate Marshall’s own motherhood journey. “I’ll fold in my journey, the miscarriages, the death of my daughter (infant Karolyn) then adopting and raising four kids,” she said. “There are different paths to motherhood so it’s a tribute to mothers.”
The second “b” in Marshall’s Act III stands for “boards”and Marshall is looking forward to spending more time on the corporate boards of directors that she serves on. “I really want to help corporations focus more on people and social corporate responsibility. Now I will be able to attend board meetings and lead some committees and really put my corporate background to great use – which I did as CEO as well, which was great.”
Her last “b” stands for “better,” Marshall plans “to join people who are trying to make this world better for our children; like our educators.They need support from people to help pour into these kids and so I want to do something around education,” Marshall said.
“I don’t know if that’s the president of a college – people have come to me about that even before I got this job – adoption or foster care – I don’t know what it is but what I do know is when I wake up every morning, I will know that some kids’ life is significantly better because of something I did the day before – something my head, heart and hands touched.
“And I don’t know what that is yet. I’ll just go in that prayer closet in January, and pray Lord reveal to me where I am to have an impact – just like this came out of nowhere, that call from Mark Cuban – somethings going to come out of nowhere that will allow me to impact children and make their lives better,” she said.
A Legacy of Leadership
During her seven years with the Mavericks, Marshall was recognized for her work in promoting human rights, diversity, and social justice. She was named to Forbes World’s Most Inspiring Female Leaders in 2021 and Fortune’s Most Powerful Women in Business in 2022.
Her legacy as Mavs’ CEO is one of transformation, both within the organization and throughout the community. Her leadership, grounded in authenticity and a commitment to building a better and more profitable future for the organization, has set a new standard for corporate responsibility and community engagement in professional sports.
Marshall and the Mavericks have been the recipients of several honors and awards during her tenure including, but not limited to:
- Adweek’s Most Powerful Women in Sports (2019, 2020) Honored for her influence in the sports industry and for spearheading cultural transformation within the Dallas Mavericks.
- NBA Inclusion Leadership Award (2020, 2022) This award recognizes the team that has demonstrated excellence in creating and executing outstanding programming and that promotes inclusion and inclusive practices.
- NBA Game Experience Satisfaction Award (2020, 2023) Given to the top three teams with the highest percentage in overall game experience satisfaction as determined by the Fan Loyalty Tracker (FLT).
- Forbes World’s Most Inspiring Female Leaders (2021) During Women’s History Month, Cynt was listed as one of 15 women globally who are breaking the glass ceiling and paving their own paths—all while lifting others around them and setting the example for the next generation of female leaders.
- NBA Partnership Growth Award (2022) Awarded to thetop three teams with the highest percentage of partnership growth.
Additionally, during her tenure, Marshall unofficially became the face of the franchise off the court, as much as star Luka Doncic was the face of the franchise on the court. She humbly acknowledges that while that may have ended up being the outcome, it certainly wasn’t the plan.
“It wasn’t intentional to become the face of the franchise. Ideally, the job I am in, you don’t even know who the team president and CEO is, but because of the way I came in – people know me because of my introduction to the Mavs via a press conference.”
“We had a lot of work to do when I got here and then the way I approached my job…it’s internal and external. It’s about people. You touch people,” Marshall continued. “It’s about making a difference and so I’m blessed that I was able to join Mark Cuban and be the face because we had some image repairing to do.”
Marshall said the job as CEO was “very visible and you have to show up. You must be present to win and that’s what I tried to do. Wherever we were needed. I would show up. Our community leaders, wherever they needed me I’d show up. Our sponsors. I’m there. And fortunately I have a lot of energy,” she said with a laugh.
Off the Court
Marshall, a Richmond, California native, said she plans to stay in Dallas with her husband, Kenneth, who has battled multiple myeloma for the past two years. Her own battle with cancer 14 years ago prepared her for her husband’s journey. Through chemotherapy, he is doing better and has been given a positive prognosis.
“He’s still battling it but he’s better,” Marshall said of her husband of 41 years. “It’s hard on him but he laughs because someone said ‘now you’ll get a chance to see her more.’ He goes, ‘no and that’s not necessary,’” Marshall recalls with a laugh adding that he will see her a little bit more as they continue with doctor appointments and his care.
Between her books, boards, making things better for youth, enjoying life, taking care of her husband and whatever else comes her way – Marshall’s second retirement, her third act in life promises to be a full and active one.
“I’m running hard from 65 to 75 and I plan to live to 102. I got cancer at 51 and that was my midlife crisis. So I’ll be running hard for a long time.”
As she reflects on the legacy that she is still building, when asked to finish the phrase, ‘Cynt Marshall was…,’ she leaves behind two thoughts and told me to use them both:
“Cynt Marshall was…a force of nature… and heaven cynt.”
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