1980–81 Dallas Mavericks season



The 1980–81 Dallas Mavericks season was the first season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA).

Draft picks

 * Kiki Vandeweghe of UCLA was drafted by the Mavs with the 11th pick of the 1980 NBA draft, but Vandeweghe refused to play for the expansion Mavericks and staged a holdout that lasted a month into the team's inaugural season. Vandeweghe was traded to the Denver Nuggets, along with a first-round pick in 1981, in exchange for two future first-round picks

Season standings
Notes
 * z, y – division champions
 * x – clinched playoff spot