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Thirteen years after telling NBA Commissioner David Stern his ideas were crap, an NBA team called to say they had been watching his career ever since. Dallas Mavericks CTO Phillip McKibbins opens a seven-part series on what it really means to speak truth to power — and what happens when you do it for 30 years.
The Leadership Sovereignty Podcast helps high-performing professionals use leadership as a career growth strategy — not just a skill.
Leadership isn’t just a skill — it’s a career strategy for professionals seeking growth, influence, and promotion.
Hosted by Ralph Owens, Chief Information Officer, and Terry Baylor, CEO of a healthcare technology startup, the podcast delivers practical, real-world leadership strategies you can apply immediately. Each episode focuses on increasing visibility, navigating corporate dynamics, preparing for promotion, and leading beyond your title.
Expect short, high-impact conversations designed to help you think, act, and position yourself like a senior leader before you’re given the title.
You’re not just an employee. You’re the CEO of your career.
New episodes are released weekly.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (00:00)
Well, the most interesting thing ended up happening. fast forward, ⁓ almost 13 years later, ⁓ I was working with the Dodger organization. and the day after my assignment with the Dodgers ended, my phone rang and I looked at the phone and I'm going, man, I don't recognize his number. And I said this to my wife and.
And my wife, only her true fashion says to me, you better answer that phone. You need a job. So you better figure this out. So I answered the phone and the guy on the other end, his name was Brian Lick. And Brian opens with saying, is this Phil McKibben's? And is this the same Phil McKibben's that almost 13 years ago in a meeting tells commissioner David Stern.
Ralph Owens (00:32)
Hehehehehe
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (00:53)
that you guys, know, everything you said was a bunch of crap. And I started laughing and I'm like, well, yeah, it's me. And he's like, well, I'm Brian Lick. And I want you to know that there is an NBA team that has been following your career for the last 12, 13 years. And we think you're ready to be a CTO for one of our franchises.
Ralph Owens (01:51)
We are live. Hello world. Welcome to another fantastic episode in leadership. Savity Terry, how you feeling?
Terry Baylor (01:59)
I'm excited. I'm excited. I think this is going to be one of those pivotal times ⁓ where you look back and say, wow, just wow. So I'm excited.
Ralph Owens (02:08)
Yes. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah. One of those times where you listen to this podcast and you can remember where you were when you heard this, right? Cause it's life changing, life changing. So we have a credible special, special guests. Mr. Philip McKibbin. He's ⁓ I'm not going to tell his story. He has a fantastic story to tell. I think ⁓ everybody's going to get a lot of value out of hearing his story and how he's
Terry Baylor (02:16)
Yes, I do believe so. I do believe so.
Ralph Owens (02:36)
overcome different challenges. know Terry and I have already been blessed by the story. So without further ado, Philip, the stage is yours, Welcome to the show.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (02:45)
Ralph and Terry, thank you so much for inviting me on your show. I'm super excited to join you guys. I've got to give a shout out to my man, Oak Parra, with the Houston Rockets. It's the only time I'm going to say anything positive about the Rockets. But you know, hey, because we compete. But that's my man. And I appreciate him introducing me to you guys. And it's an honor to be on your show.
Ralph Owens (03:01)
Right.
Terry Baylor (03:02)
Hehehehehe
Ralph Owens (03:12)
Awesome, awesome, awesome, awesome. Well, let's just jump into it. So, Phil, give us a little bit of overview on your story.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (03:19)
Wow. Well, I'm very fortunate to be the Chief Technology Officer and Chief Innovation Officer for the Dallas Mavericks. I've been in this position now for 17 months. My journey has been, I think, pretty interesting one. Over the last 30 years, I've been in IT, and I've worked at every major motion picture studio at some point during that period.
I spent a lot of time with Sony Pictures, a lot of time with the Walt Disney Company. I was very fortunate to one day get the call from a little network called ESPN, which was just phenomenal. I spent a lot of time at ESPN. I had an opportunity to work internationally. I've worked in Europe. I've worked in India.
and, ⁓ I've also had the opportunity to, ⁓ work with a number of sports teams over the years, as well as, ⁓ I've worked with every major league in the U S so I've worked with NHL, ⁓ major league baseball, ⁓ especially when I was, ⁓ with.
Ralph Owens (04:25)
Mm. Mm.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (04:33)
the Dodger organization with their EL1 Sports board ⁓ as well as I spent a little time with the NFL and low and behold, I'm here with the NBA now and blown away by it myself because when you're working, you're doing things that ⁓ you think is the right thing to do. And when I was at ESPN several years ago,
Ralph Owens (04:41)
Hmm.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (05:03)
I was called into a meeting in New York at the NBA and we were going to pitch an idea to them about how we could make their draft combine better. So I was asked to come to the meeting, ⁓ sat in a meeting for two hours, didn't say a word. And the late David Stern was there and he was leading the meeting. And he looks over in the corner, sees me and he says, you know, we haven't heard from everyone. And he's like, you over there.
What do you have to say about the topics? Because the topic was how do we take their draft combine and make it more appealing? And I said, no, I don't have nothing to say. And he's like, yes, you do. You wouldn't be at the table if you didn't have anything to say. So I said, okay. And then I looked at my boss. My boss has given me the, don't you say a word sign. And then he says, no, I want him to speak. And I said, you sure you want me to tell you? He's like, yeah.
Ralph Owens (05:39)
Mm. Mm.
Right.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (06:02)
I said, well, in all due respect, and that's the qualifier, because that makes it okay. I said, in all due respect, ⁓ Commissioner Stern, everything I heard this morning is crap. You guys do not do a good job at all ⁓ in showing your athletes. What you guys do is show tall guys can jump. That's what y'all do. I said, now, with the NFL, one of the reasons why they're combined is so popular on TV.
Ralph Owens (06:06)
Sure. Yeah.
Hmm.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (06:32)
is one you don't really get to see the athletes, their faces when they're playing the game. You'll see them on the sidelines, but during the combine, camera is positioned well where you see the athlete doing.
You see the quick twitch movements, you see the power, the strength, and you really get to know that athlete. And the NFL does a phenomenal job and ESPN with telling the story. So I said, what I think we should do is do more background stories, do things where we're showing more movements and allow the audience to go on a journey.
So he pauses. Now everybody in the room was like, know what, I said that. And Mr. Stern goes, you know what, Philip McKibbins, you're gonna work on the draft combine for the next three years. Meeting's adjourned and get back to me in a month with your ideas. ⁓ Meeting ended.
Ralph Owens (07:43)
Wow.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (07:45)
Of course, the NBA people there were not happy about that. And they were like, oh, I'm not working with this dude. Who is this guy? So it was an interesting evolution over the next few months as I tried to interject and help them see different things. And I actually ended up working with several of their folks on every drill, on every movement, on camera placement, on how things were going to be.
Ralph Owens (07:49)
Hmm.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (08:11)
⁓ and look, I didn't think none of it. was just being me. Well, the most interesting thing ended up happening. fast forward, ⁓ almost 13 years later, ⁓ I was working with the Dodger organization. and the day after my assignment with the Dodgers ended, my phone rang and I looked at the phone and I'm going, man, I don't recognize his number. And I said this to my wife and.
And my wife, only her true fashion says to me, you better answer that phone. You need a job. So you better figure this out. So I answered the phone and the guy on the other end, his name was Brian Lick. And Brian opens with saying, is this Phil McKibben's? And is this the same Phil McKibben's that almost 13 years ago in a meeting tells commissioner David Stern.
Ralph Owens (08:48)
Hehehehehe
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (09:09)
that you guys, know, everything you said was a bunch of crap. And I started laughing and I'm like, well, yeah, it's me. And he's like, well, I'm Brian Lick. And I want you to know that there is an NBA team that has been following your career for the last 12, 13 years. And we think you're ready to be a CTO for one of our franchises. And I immediately got excited.
And I said, yes, absolutely, I accept. man, great, because I'm living in LA at the time. And I said, ⁓ man, I've always wanted to work for the Lakers. I can't wait to get started. I love the Los Angeles Lakers. I'm gonna handle LeBron, I'm gonna do all these things, I'm gonna get to know AD, and Brian is cracking up, and he's like, Phil, Phil, it's not the Lakers.
Ralph Owens (09:47)
Mm.
you
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (10:06)
And I'm like, well, wait, wait a minute. You just called me. And he's like, no, it's another team. So then I say, okay, it's the Clippers. It's the JV team compared to the Lakers. Clippers haven't won anything, but I like the Clippers. I know the CTO, he didn't leave, did he? I'm like, you know, working for Steve Bomber would be great. And he's laughing even more. And he's like, no, it is not the Clippers.
So then I said, well, wait a minute, Brian, who is it? And he says, it's the Dallas Mavericks. My only response, Terry and Ralph was, ⁓ And he's like, ⁓ I'm like, ⁓ And I said, look, I lived in Houston, Texas 35 years ago. I promised my wife we would never move back to Texas. My wife spent three weeks in that Houston heat.
Ralph Owens (10:47)
You
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (11:05)
Her hair went poof into a big afro and she left. She's like, not coming back. So I'm thinking, man, how am I going to convince this woman that I've been with for 44 years to move to Texas? And it just so happens that I ended up going through 19 interviews and then they decided to fly me to Dallas and they called me back and said, we want you to bring your wife.
Ralph Owens (11:07)
You
Mm.
Mm.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (11:31)
⁓ And I was going to interview with our CEO at the time, ⁓ Sint Marshall. ⁓ And I ended up interviewing with Sint ⁓ and ⁓ was blown away by the opportunity. So ⁓ it's been a wonderful ride. ⁓ It's an honor to be in NBA community. ⁓ This job at times can be one of the funnest jobs. I'll admit it's
Almost funner than ESPN, almost. All right, only reason why I'm saying ESPN was funner, because I got to go to the Super Bowl, I got to go to the NBA Finals, I got to go to the World Series. But year one, we did make it to the finals. ⁓ And I will tell you, working behind the scenes, ⁓ it was an incredible experience. It actually reminded me of the Super Bowl, with all of the trucks that the NBA rolled out, and the things that we had to do.
Ralph Owens (12:02)
Yeah.
Mm.
Mm.
Mm-hmm.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (12:29)
⁓ It's been a wonderful ride. And I will tell you, I love being in Dallas. mean, Scent was amazing in helping my wife ⁓ consider it. I remember telling Scent when she offered me the job, hey, you I got to convince my wife. And she said, you know what? Just come to dinner with me tomorrow. I'll take care of it. So we go to dinner. Next thing I know, Scent's like, Phil, get lost. I'm going take your wife for a few minutes, and we'll be back.
Ralph Owens (12:51)
Yeah.
You
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (12:59)
Next thing I know, I look up, she's down on the court with my wife and sent as introducing her to every member of the Dallas Mavericks team. And look, my wife is cool and it's calm and she tries to be, she loves the players. And next thing I know, she's hugging them and she's like, we're moving to Dallas. And I was just like, wow, that's all it took, ⁓
Ralph Owens (13:04)
wow.
Okay.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (13:26)
So, and I've got another story later about ⁓ when she met A.D. ⁓ and she's hilarious, but she loves the Dallas Mavericks, you know, and even to the point when the Lakers played the Mavericks, all I could hear her do was complain about the Lakers that she said was playing bully ball. They out there playing football. LeBron is knocking people over and tackling people. I'm like, girl, please, that's basketball.
Ralph Owens (13:55)
you
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (13:56)
Have you not seen the Pistons of the 90s? This is game. So anyway, it's been a wild ride. ⁓ So I hope I answered your question about my journey.
Ralph Owens (13:58)
Right. The bad boys. Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, no, absolutely. Yeah, yeah,
Terry Baylor (14:12)
Yeah, one of things I wanted to ⁓ drive into a little bit, cause you had mentioned about your ESPN journey and definitely would love to dig into that a little bit in terms of, seems like that was like a maturation kind of a ⁓ becoming, right? And so, you know, really would like to hear that story also to, you know, kind of encourage, you know, those who are listening to the show to understand that.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (14:17)
Yes.
Terry Baylor (14:41)
Becoming who you are is a process, right? And becoming who you are involves, man, you know, I heard, you know, I'm sure ESPN had some highs, right? I'm sure ESPN had some, just call them some dips. Let's just call them dips, right? And so how does becoming, right? And ⁓ I guess the real question is does becoming ever end, right? Do you ever just get there?
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (14:55)
Thank
Wow. Very good question. We as people and as technology leaders evolve. You know, people look at ESPN as the ultimate dream job for most people that love sports. And I don't know how many times I've heard people say, hey, I want to work for ESPN. I love sports. I'm like, we all love sports. You you got to have a little bit more than that.
Ralph Owens (15:36)
Hmm.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (15:39)
And I still remember the day that I got the call from ESPN. I was in Stanford, Connecticut. I was working for Comcast Entertainment Group, where I was responsible for four networks. I was responsible for the E Channel, the Style Network, G4, which was a gaming channel. And I was responsible for the golf channel. Actually, it five networks.
And I was responsible for Versus, which was really like a little mini ESPN back in the early 2000s. But I was on my way to the offices. We had an NHL playoff game that night. I was doing NHL blackouts just based on zip codes. My phone rings. I'm 30 minutes out. We're going to be on the air in 45 minutes.
And this guy's like, ⁓ there's this company interested. And I'm one of these people that when I'm doing something, I'm focused. So I was like, look, in all due respect, there that goes again, that's the qualifier. ⁓ Tell me the company or I'm hanging up because I don't have time for this. And the guy says, well, ⁓ it's this company by the name of ESPN that's very interested in you.
Ralph Owens (16:44)
Hmm.
Hehehehehe
Terry Baylor (16:49)
You
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (17:03)
And of course he got my attention. pulled the car over and I was like, ESPN. And he's like, Oh, is there any way you could drive up to Bristol tomorrow and meet with us? And I was like, you know what? I will postpone my trip and I will drive to Bristol. And the next day I drove up, met with some people. And then I went on this whirlwind of about a month.
where I interviewed with different departments remotely. And then they called me and said, we want you to come out to the campus and we want you to bring your wife. And this actually was the first time I'd ever been in an interview where they wanted to talk to my wife. And their premise was we usually don't hire people at the level we're gonna bring you in. So we really wanna know who you are as a person. So while they were interviewing me,
They were interviewing my wife and they were asking her questions about who is he as a person? How does he deal with stress? How does he lead? You know, all types of things. And when we got to the end of the week, I'm sitting there going, my man, I really want this job, but this is going to suck because I'm not going to be able to convince my wife to go to Bristol, Connecticut. So they tell us to go out to dinner.
We do, and I decide, okay, I'm gonna let my wife speak first. So I said, baby, why don't you go ahead and tell me your thoughts before I tell you mine. And she totally shocked me and she said, you're gonna take this job. And I'm like, really?
Ralph Owens (18:47)
You
Terry Baylor (18:49)
Christmas is here.
Ralph Owens (18:50)
You
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (18:51)
Exactly.
So then I say, ⁓ man, thank you, baby. ⁓ thank you. ⁓ I can't wait for us to move to Bristol, Connecticut. And she's like, wait a minute. You're moving to Bristol, Connecticut. I'm not moving. I'm staying in LA and you'll come see me every month. Good luck. And I'm thinking, ⁓ no, this sucks. So, but anyway, I end up.
Ralph Owens (19:07)
you
Mm.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (19:20)
taking the job and I worked in emerging technology and I got a chance to work on a variety of things. So when you watch ESPN, it's hard for me to look at it now because I don't look at it as a fan. ESPN is a technology company. Everything on that screen has technology involved in it and I'm looking at the bottom lines and I see a little glitch in it.
Ralph Owens (19:36)
Mm.
Terry Baylor (19:40)
Yeah.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (19:49)
because I remember refactoring that and having to go through over a million lines of code. And when a story pops up, I'm thinking about the sports data repository that powers all of the information that the people use to create their stories. And for me, my life really changed when the CTO, the...
Ralph Owens (19:49)
Mm-hmm.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (20:17)
knew a CTO at the time, came aboard. His name is Aaron LaBerge. And he walks in my office one day and he asked me, hey, where's your boss? And I'm like, I don't know. Cause I was sitting right next to him. And I said, I don't know where he is, sir. So Aaron says to me, who the hell are you? What do you do? And why should I let you keep your job? And I thought that was the funniest thing I ever heard in my
I actually chuckled and I said, well, let me tell you who the hell I am. My name is Phil McKibbins and I do this and I do that and I'm blah, blah, blah, blah, blah. And next thing I know, two hours later, he gets up and he says, you know, that was a very entertaining conversation. And can I come back and see you tomorrow? I was like, sure. Yeah, you're the boss. You do whatever you want to do. So he comes back. This was a Monday. He came back Tuesday.
Ralph Owens (20:51)
Yeah.
Mm.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (21:15)
We talked for another two hours. came back Wednesday, two hours again, came back Thursday, two hours. He finally comes back Friday and he says, you know, I don't want to talk today, but I have an offer for you. And I'm like, well, what is it, sir? And he's like, I want you to be my second. I want you to manage the technology portfolio. ⁓ I want you to communicate with the business on my behalf.
I want you to change our green light process and I want you to effect change. And one, I was deeply moved and touched, but I said, well, wait a minute, my boss wanted to be your second. He's like, don't worry about him. I want you. He said, I was blown away by your grasp of the business, by your understanding of how we made money.
Ralph Owens (21:49)
Mm.
Mm-hmm.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (22:08)
And he said what really impressed me. And he said, I'm going to give you a new nickname. I'm going to call you the technology whisperer because you do a phenomenal job of explaining technology and that you understand the business. And he said, it's rare to find someone like you that has that grasp of both. And next thing I know, he put me on a path, on a journey where
Ralph Owens (22:20)
Hmm.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (22:32)
Um, he moved me around. put me in app development. He put me in QA, put me in network. He put me in the infrastructure. Um, he put me in support. Um, little did I know that he really was preparing me to one day become a CTO because I did the rounds. had to look at these departments. I had to be a change agent. I had to figure out what was wrong, make it efficient, uh, and, and help it thrive.
Ralph Owens (22:51)
Mm.
Phillip Gregory McKibbins (23:02)
And as a result, ⁓ I really started learning the things that I needed to learn about the whole organization. And that really put me on the path of becoming a CTO.