The Mavericks hosted South Asian Night in March, celebrating culture and community growth in North Texas, spotlighting dance, music, and unity beyond basketball.
DALLAS — At the American Airlines Center, game night usually means just basketball. But for one evening, the celebration started long before tipoff.
“It’s completely new, and it’s amazing,” one attendee said, as fans gathered outside before the Dallas Mavericks took the court against the Minnesota Timberwolves in late March.
Instead of the usual pregame buzz, the crowd rallied around something bigger than basketball. The event showcased—South Asian Night—bringing music, dance, and energy to Victory Park. This is the organization’s first-ever night specifically dedicated and rebranded night for South Asians. In past years, the Mavs have celebrated and hosted both Holi and Diwali nights.
“The weather is great, the sun’s out, look at the crowd out there, it’s amazing,” DJ Paras.
With drums echoing and dancers performing, the celebration highlighted a fast-growing community in North Texas. “South Asians are all about dancing and music. It’s a lot of energy, a lot of hype.”
The region’s South Asian population—representing countries like India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Afghanistan—has surged in recent years, growing from just over 100,000 about 15 years ago to an estimated 300,000 today.
For many, the night was about visibility. “Our people being presented and showcased in the heart of the city, in the heart of Texas, is huge!”
Others saw it as a chance to educate. “I’ve been to every Southeast Asian country. Most of the Texas population has no idea about the culture or the people or even where it is on the map,” said Kelley Taylor.
The Mavericks organization has played a role in that cultural bridge before, notably when they drafted Satnam Singh—the first Indian-born player in the NBA.
“One thing we can hope to do is use our platform for good. Just like Satnam was able to put a lot of Indians on the map for basketball,” said Yannis Shafi, Business Development Manager for the Mavs.
Despite broader concerns about negativity toward Asian immigrants, the atmosphere that night told a different story.
“People are afraid of what they don’t know. I think opportunities like this make it better for all of us to understand one another.”