Dorian Finney-Smith’s father, Elbert Smith Jr., was granted conditional freedom by the Virginia Parole Board on Wednesday after serving over 28 years in prison.

And Finney-Smith’s former team, the Dallas Mavericks, assisted him in his quest to help secure his father’s freedom.

According to Brad Townsend of the Dallas Morning News, Mavericks governor Mark Cuban, general manager Nico Harrison and “other franchise leaders” all provided “written testimonials” during Smith’s hearing, “all vouching for Finney-Smith’s character.”

Finney-Smith was joined at the hearing by Harrison and Mark Cuban Companies chief of staff Jason Lutin, while his former head coach Rick Carlisle joined the hearing virtually.

“I’m just happy we could help,” Cuban told Townsend. “We are indescribably appreciative to Mr. Kilgore and glad for Doe Doe [Finney-Smith’s nickname] and his dad. Doe is a special guy. He deserves this.”

Lutin played a major role in the hearing, helping Finney-Smith prepare the legal case to help set his father free. The pair turned to former Virginia attorney general Jerry Kilgore, now a partner at law firm Cozen O’Connor, who agreed to take on the case pro bono.

“Lutin’s the GOAT; he’s that dude,” Finney-Smith told Townsend. “Jason told me, ‘You’re always family’ and he backed it up, for sure. He could have put it on the back burner, especially after I got traded.”

In 1995, Smith and Diefen McGann were attempting to collect a debt from Willie Anderson II, each bringing a handgun with them. A scuffle broke out, with Anderson attempting to secure McGann’s gun. Smith said he lunged toward Anderson with a knife, and Anderson let go of McGann’s gun.

McGann then fired three shots at Anderson, killing him.

Both Smith and McGann were charged with first-degree murder, though McGann pleaded down to voluntary manslaughter and served five years in prison.

Smith’s lawyer recommended he didn’t take that plea deal since he wasn’t the one who fired the shots, instead taking the case to trial, where Smith was convicted of second-degree murder and malicious wounding. Those convictions carried a prison sentence of 44 years.

For the majority of the 30-year-old Finney-Smith’s life, his father was in prison.

Smith will now live with Finney-Smith’s mother Desiree and cousin, Frank Smith, a retired police officer, in a home owned by Finney-Smith. Smith will also participate in Finney-Smith’s Finney Family First foundation.

Finney-Smith, now a member of the Brooklyn Nets after being traded as part of last season’s Kyrie Irving deal, expressed gratitude for the efforts of his former team in his father’s case.

“I appreciate everything the Mavericks did behind closed doors, the whole situation,” he said. “I’m always going to have love for Dallas and the organization.”