Maybe it’s time for a shakeup in the league. But, what kind? Adam Silver needs to look into too many areas. For now, let’s go one step at a time. Imagine this: The NBA makes rules that players age of 21 and below will play in the Olympics. Thus reducing the risks of injuries to senior players. Well, had Mark Cuban succeeded in convincing the Commissioner about this, things would’ve looked different.
Cuban dropped a billionaire bombshell in 2023, selling his Mavericks stake for a wild $3.5 billion while keeping his grip on hoops decisions. Sure, shifting TV tides and real estate riches played their part. So did family time. But plot twist—there was a funnier reason behind it all. Turns out, Cuban wanted less stress and more punchlines in his playbook.
Mark Cuban’s true reason for selling the Dallas Mavericks
The former Dallas Mavericks owner revealed that he hates NBA players participating in the Olympics and believes only those 21 and under should play. Cuban has no love for the Olympics when it comes to NBA stars. Every year, he raised hell over billion-dollar networks cashing in while owners take on all the injury risk for free. Sure, major injuries are rare, but one wrong step and a free agent’s future crumbles. In Cuban’s playbook, the math never made sense, and he made it known.
Paying superstars millions only to watch them limp back from Olympic duty? That stings. Jayson Tatum showed up post-Finals with a sore Achilles. Tyrese Haliburton followed suit. Then Joel Embiid barely touched 19 games the next season. As an owner, that math feels criminal. Spending $30-40 million? Seems unreal sometimes. While fans cheer gold, the real cost hits back home. And yes, that flight from Asia comes with baggage.
Mark Cuban confessed and shared what ideas he gave to Adam Silver and David Stern. “I hated it. What I would tell David Stern and then Adam: in soccer, for the Olympics, it’s 21 and under or 22 and whatever it is, and then they own the World Cup. The World Cup’s a bigger event,” the business tycoon said. “I’m like, give them more young kids. Do the same thing as soccer. Let the 21 and under play for the Olympics and then create our own international World Cup.”
He continued, “So instead of just the All-Star Game—and they were like, well, FIBA, we’ve got this contract with FIBA. That contract will expire. Then, immediately, they wouldn’t tell me anything. Okay, we signed an extension with FIBA. Just think how much money is involved. The players we could be almost as big as the Soccer World Cup, which is one of the biggest sporting events in the world. In soccer, it’s bigger than the Olympics. We could do the exact same thing, and I think we should. I think the players would make a lot more money from it. You could support a lot of the global teams, all the different countries. But Adam wouldn’t go for it. So, that’s why I sold my team.”
Mark Cuban says he hates NBA players participating in the Olympics and believes it should be limited to players 21 years old and younger
“We’re giving all these guys for free and taking the injury risk.”
( @SiriusXMNBA ) pic.twitter.com/J3Xu36PIg0
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) July 12, 2025
Cuban wanted more than confetti from the All-Star Game. He pitched a global hoops spectacle to rival the Soccer World Cup, flooding the sport with cash and spotlight. But the NBA stuck with FIBA and played it safe. So Cuban walked. He saw a goldmine in global basketball, but when the league shrugged, he cashed out and called the game.
The FIFA World Cup rolls in like royalty with a $7.5 billion purse, flexing its $3 billion in broadcast rights and $1.8 billion in sponsorships like it’s light work. Toss in $1 billion from tickets and merch, and a $440 million prize pool? Pure dominance. Meanwhile, FIBA hustles with $70 to $100 million total, offering just $2.5 million in prize money. Different games, same stage, but one’s clearly playing in another galaxy.
Speaking of Cuban, his heart beats for the Dallas Mavericks. Although he’s not the majority owner of the franchise, he remains an important person for the organization. At the same time, the 66-year-old keeps a close watch as he makes a heartfelt plea to the Mavs fans.
Cuban Channels Kobe as he rallies Mavericks fans behind Cooper Flagg
Cooper Flagg might be the calm after Dallas’ storm, but expectations are already louder than a playoff crowd. The Mavericks snagged him with the number one overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, a gift from the lottery gods. He’s walking into a team already stacked with Anthony Davis and Kyrie Irving. But after a shaky Summer League debut, Mark Cuban stepped in to cool the frenzy, urging fans to breathe and be patient.
Cuban dropped the mic with wisdom, drawing a legendary parallel to keep the noise in check. “You kind of have to think of the Kobe (Bryant) arc. It took him some time to get it right. I don’t want to curse him by comparing him to Kobe because they’re not the same. But Kobe didn’t come in right away as a polished player. It took him two years to get it.” That’s the perspective. That’s the patience Cuban demands.
Jun 25, 2025; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Cooper Flagg arrives before the first round of the 2025 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images
Still, Flagg carries the hopes of a city once head over heels for Luka Doncic. The trade that shipped Luka away hurt, but it brought back Davis and opened the door to Flagg. Now, the fans want more than just a promise. They want legacy. Magic Johnson? Tim Duncan? That’s the buzz. But Cuban knows greatness takes time. “He will need time to get it right.” Jason Kidd now holds a budding super team. And the league better watch out.
Mark Cuban walked away from the NBA’s chessboard but left behind a master plan. From Olympic overhauls to World Cup dreams, he dared the league to think bigger. Now, with Cooper Flagg holding Dallas’ future and Kobe’s arc in his shadow, the next chapter is already buzzing. The spotlight shifts, the stakes rise, and the Mavericks are far from folding.
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