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Sports InsiderMark Cuban: A True NBA Maverick.
October 14th 2007 06:47
Would anyone like to venture a guess as who is the most compelling figure in the NBA? Kobe Bryant? LeBron James? Yao Ming? Or is it even disgraced referee, Tim Donaghy? Er, how about none of the above!
The most interesting person in the Association isn’t even a player, but rather an owner. Ah! The light above everyone’s head is now flickering…’Mark Cuban!’ Gee, you readers of this space are smart.
Yes, believe it or not, Mark Cuban is indeed the most entertaining member of the NBA family because he is opinionated, funny and most importantly, passionate. David Stern and those in the NBA ivory tower might have nothing but disdain for the Dallas Mavericks owner, most of the public love Cuban.
So, how did the class smartass enter the rarefied air of NBA ownership? Making his money as internet billionaire would be the short answer. However, Cuban’s journey is far more interesting than the destination.
Allow NBALOUD to wax lyrical at how the class clown became an NBA phenomenon.
Cuban’s story is the fairytale rags to riches American story that people the world over have become so fond of. What separates Mark from the rest of those snooty billionaires is that he a free thinker, that isn’t afraid to voice his opinions.
After finishing off university, Cuban moved to Dallas where a variety of jobs ensued, first as a bartender, then later on as salesperson for Your Business Software. About a year into the job he was fired for not opening the store on time, but it was also via this position where he
would make valuable contacts in the computer business.
Mark’s entrepreneurial spirit came to the fore when he started his own software company with the support of his former clients. Eventually selling his baby for $6 million in the early 90s.
In 1995, Cuban, along with an old college friend would start Broadcast.com which became the leading provider of multimedia and streaming internet in the mid-to-late 90s. Broadcast.com was eventually sold to Yahoo! in 1999 for a cool $5.9 billion.
Mark Cuban the internet maverick would eventually take over the Dallas Mavericks, becoming an original NBA maverick along the way.
Basketball had always been a passion for Mark, even as a child when he earned money selling garbage bags to pay for basketball kicks, the game was always in his life. Broadcast.com began due to his love of college hoops, so it is not too far of a stretch to suggest that basketball maketh the man.
On the 14th of January, 2000, Mark Cuban brought up the Dallas Mavericks, who were at the time, the perennial laughing stock of the league. The Mavs were about as successful in basketball as Charlie Brown was kicking a football whilst, Lucy was holding.
Immediately, Cuban changed the culture and ultimately, the fortunes of the team. Before the arrival of Mark, Dallas was a destination that all NBA players avoided like the plague. No, decent baller in his right mind would want to play for such a dire ball club.
Nowadays? Dallas is a destination coveted by most players! Cuban not only created a winning culture, but he made basketball fun for fans and players once again in Dallas. He also endeared himself to the Mavs faithful by sitting with fans, rather than in the owners box or worse yet, not even attending games.
Although, Cuban has been the model NBA owner and fan, the league head honchos do like to fine him. In fact, Mark is easily the most fined owner in NBA history for his critical statements of some of the going-ons in the league. With each fine, Cuban has stated that he matches the amount in charitable donations. So, it has been a windfall for charities that Mark Cuban is on the NBA scene.
Perhaps his most famous run-in with the NBA was when he criticised an official stating that he wouldn’t even be able to manage a Dairy Queen, let alone the NBA. Dairy Queen took offence, and as an act of contrition, Mark Cuban spent a day behind the counter of a Dairy Queen in Texas. In the words of Salt-n-Pepa: ‘What a man!”
Today’s video is of the Mavs owner with television maverick, David Letterman.
The most interesting person in the Association isn’t even a player, but rather an owner. Ah! The light above everyone’s head is now flickering…’Mark Cuban!’ Gee, you readers of this space are smart.
Yes, believe it or not, Mark Cuban is indeed the most entertaining member of the NBA family because he is opinionated, funny and most importantly, passionate. David Stern and those in the NBA ivory tower might have nothing but disdain for the Dallas Mavericks owner, most of the public love Cuban.
So, how did the class smartass enter the rarefied air of NBA ownership? Making his money as internet billionaire would be the short answer. However, Cuban’s journey is far more interesting than the destination.
Allow NBALOUD to wax lyrical at how the class clown became an NBA phenomenon.
Cuban’s story is the fairytale rags to riches American story that people the world over have become so fond of. What separates Mark from the rest of those snooty billionaires is that he a free thinker, that isn’t afraid to voice his opinions.
After finishing off university, Cuban moved to Dallas where a variety of jobs ensued, first as a bartender, then later on as salesperson for Your Business Software. About a year into the job he was fired for not opening the store on time, but it was also via this position where he
Mark Cuban doing what he does best - talking. (Image from wikipedia)
Mark’s entrepreneurial spirit came to the fore when he started his own software company with the support of his former clients. Eventually selling his baby for $6 million in the early 90s.
In 1995, Cuban, along with an old college friend would start Broadcast.com which became the leading provider of multimedia and streaming internet in the mid-to-late 90s. Broadcast.com was eventually sold to Yahoo! in 1999 for a cool $5.9 billion.
Mark Cuban the internet maverick would eventually take over the Dallas Mavericks, becoming an original NBA maverick along the way.
Basketball had always been a passion for Mark, even as a child when he earned money selling garbage bags to pay for basketball kicks, the game was always in his life. Broadcast.com began due to his love of college hoops, so it is not too far of a stretch to suggest that basketball maketh the man.
On the 14th of January, 2000, Mark Cuban brought up the Dallas Mavericks, who were at the time, the perennial laughing stock of the league. The Mavs were about as successful in basketball as Charlie Brown was kicking a football whilst, Lucy was holding.
Immediately, Cuban changed the culture and ultimately, the fortunes of the team. Before the arrival of Mark, Dallas was a destination that all NBA players avoided like the plague. No, decent baller in his right mind would want to play for such a dire ball club.
Nowadays? Dallas is a destination coveted by most players! Cuban not only created a winning culture, but he made basketball fun for fans and players once again in Dallas. He also endeared himself to the Mavs faithful by sitting with fans, rather than in the owners box or worse yet, not even attending games.
Although, Cuban has been the model NBA owner and fan, the league head honchos do like to fine him. In fact, Mark is easily the most fined owner in NBA history for his critical statements of some of the going-ons in the league. With each fine, Cuban has stated that he matches the amount in charitable donations. So, it has been a windfall for charities that Mark Cuban is on the NBA scene.
Perhaps his most famous run-in with the NBA was when he criticised an official stating that he wouldn’t even be able to manage a Dairy Queen, let alone the NBA. Dairy Queen took offence, and as an act of contrition, Mark Cuban spent a day behind the counter of a Dairy Queen in Texas. In the words of Salt-n-Pepa: ‘What a man!”
Today’s video is of the Mavs owner with television maverick, David Letterman.
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