FRISCO, Texas — Montana State’s football run at a national championship is spilling into the basketball arena here — specifically the NBA.
“This hallway, when I got here we basically re-did this. Anybody who’s not a part of our organization … they walk through here so it kind of gives you a little bit of history,” Nico Harrison explained to MTN Sports at the Dallas Mavericks practice facility. “Gives you a good feeling of who we are as you’re walking into the gym.”
Harrison is in his fourth season as the Mavs' general manager and may be the league’s most soft-spoken and unassuming in that role.
His rise to the top started at Montana State where Harrison starred in basketball during his final three years, including a run to the NCAA tournament.
The Montana State hall of fame inductee certainly isn’t lost on fame. He still keeps a fun text chain with former Bobcats coach Mick Durham and teammates.
“Scott Hatler, best point guard I’ve ever had. Adam Leachman is kind of like the best glue guy I’ve had ever. And then, Danny Sullivan was the best back-up because he never played,” Harrison said with a lighthearted jab at one of his close friends. “We still act like we’re 19 years old even though we’re grown.”
Harrison not only keeps a watchful eye on the Bobcats, he was in Bozeman for November’s 34-11 win over rival Montana.
“It was cold,” Harrison said with a laugh, “ … and that’s the reason why I haven’t been back because it was cold. But no, it was fun watching them dominate the Griz.”
The truth about Harrison's career path is, pursuing an NBA general manager position was never on his mind at Montana State.
“No, I was pre-med. I thought I was going to be a doctor, but I fell short,” he said with another smile.
Instead, the Portland native latched on with Nike back in his hometown. Through 19 years, Harrison climbed all the way to vice president of North American sports marketing. He worked with the world’s most spectacular athletes — many known simply by their first name.
“Everybody from Kobe ... I ran (Michael) Jordan’s business for a while. LeBron James and pretty much from 2004-2021 all the top athletes that we signed at Nike,” he recalled of relationships he built at Nike.
Just three-and-a-half years ago in June, then-Mavs owner Mark Cuban lured Harrison away from the giant brand. How did that deal go down?
Said Harrison: “Yeah, good question. One, I’m just locked into Nike. The path is paved and I’m comfortable with it. Cuban calls me up and then (it was only) 30 hours from the first time we talked until the time we had a handshake agreement. So, I didn’t have much time to think about it.”
And talk about a rapid rise; less than seven months ago Dallas was playing Boston in the NBA Finals.
“Really it’s less about me and more about the coach, (Jason) J Kidd, Luka (Doncic) and Kyrie (Irving) … and then surrounding them with great complementary players and it just all came together.”
The Celtics won last June's best-of-seven series in five games, but Harrison, who signed a contract extension in June, has shown his business savvy on a variety of levels including inking all-star Luka Doncic to a $215-million extension.
The fan favorite was still sidelined with a left calf strain Friday as the Mavs hosted league-leading Cleveland, which bumped its record to 30-4 with a win.
As for the upcoming week, Harrison said he won’t miss his Bobcats chasing history here in Monday’s FCS championship game. He bought four tickets and has a good feeling about his alma mater's chances.
“I think it’s our time," he said. "Montana State by three.”
