Michael Finley
A high-flying scorer and steady leader whose arrival in Dallas signaled the start of the franchise's transformation from laughingstock to contender.
Born 1973 (age 53)·American basketball player·Birthday: March 6·Generation X
Biography
Michael Finley's NBA journey was one of quiet excellence and adaptability. Drafted by Phoenix, he quickly established himself as a dynamic wing, but his career truly found its purpose when he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 1996. In the bleak years before Dirk Nowitzki's arrival, Finley was the team's lone star, a consistent 20-point-per-game scorer who carried the franchise's hopes. As the Mavericks assembled their core with Nowitzki and Steve Nash, Finley gracefully evolved from the primary option to a vital, veteran presence, making two All-Star teams in the process. His pursuit of a championship led him to San Antonio, where he finally won a ring in 2007 as a key reserve. His legacy is cemented in Dallas, where his number 4 jersey hangs in the rafters.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Michael was born in 1973, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Michael Was Born
The biggest hits of 1973
#1 Movie
The Exorcist
Best Picture
The Sting
#1 TV Show
All in the Family
Michael's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1973Born
US withdraws from Vietnam; Roe v. Wade decided
Gas: $0.39/galHome: $22,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree" — Tony Orlando & DawnBest Picture: The Sting
1978Started school
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1986Became a teenager
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1989Could drive
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1991Could vote
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Turned 21
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
2003Turned 30
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2013Turned 40
Edward Snowden reveals NSA surveillance programs
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $152,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Thrift Shop" — Macklemore & Ryan LewisBest Picture: 12 Years a Slave
2023Turned 50
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Age 53 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won an NBA championship as a member of the San Antonio Spurs in 2007.
- Selected as an NBA All-Star twice, in 2000 and 2001, while with the Dallas Mavericks.
- Had his jersey number 4 retired by the Dallas Mavericks in recognition of his impact on the franchise.
- Averaged over 20 points per game for five consecutive seasons during his peak with the Mavericks.
Did You Know?
He was part of the famous 'Three J's' trio in Dallas alongside Jamal Mashburn and Jim Jackson before the more famous Nash-Nowitzki era.
He played in 490 consecutive games between 1997 and 2003, one of the longest ironman streaks of his era.
After retiring, he returned to the Mavericks front office, eventually serving as the team's interim general manager in 2023.
“My role was to lead by example, not by volume.”
