“Got Fined $100,000”: Mark Cuban Recalls Rocky Start to Owning the Dallas Mavericks

Dallas Mavericks minority shareholder Mark Cuban is by far the most well-known NBA team owner, which is largely due to his time on the hit TV show ‘Shark Tank’. However, unlike other franchise owners, who lurk in the shadows and show up only when their team wins the title, Cuban has always followed a very hands-on method as a team owner. As a result, he has faced numerous problems as well.

Cuban is very vocal about the burning issues affecting his team and the league in general. He recently revealed the backstory behind his first-ever league-sanctioned financial penalty, which was pretty baffling.

During a conversation with LeBron James’ childhood friend and business partner, Maverick Carter on the Mavericks podcast, Cuban recalled the NBA fining him $100,000 for sitting on the floor during a game,

“So one time right after I bought the team [in 2000], we were playing in Minnesota and I was like, ‘I’m just trying to get to know everybody. And so, you know how the equipment people sit on the floor? [I thought,] ‘I’m gonna sit on the floor next to them!’ I got fined $100,000 for sitting.'” 

“They called it, ‘Conduct unbecoming of an owner.’ All the other owners went bats**t,” he added.

The 65-year-old billionaire revealed that at the subsequent Board of Governors [NBA team owners] meeting, one old-school team owner gave him an earful for his behavior. To make matters worse, Cuban addressed him by the wrong name, which escalated the situation further, prompting NBA Commissioner David Stern to step in and diffuse the situation.

His unorthodox, populist style of governing rubbed the other owners the wrong way, who were used to operating discreetly. They were probably self-conscious that Cuban’s approach might make them look out-of-touch with the times. But that did not dissuade the Mavs owner from sitting courtside, yelling at referees, and making inflammatory statements.

The NBA couldn’t put a lid on Cuban’s shenanigans but did fine him heavily quite often. However, he had no issues paying the penalties as long as he could speak his mind.

Mark Cuban’s extensive history of fines

Mark Cuban is no stranger to incurring fines. Since 2000, the tech billionaire has shelled over $4 million in penalties and is the most fined individual in NBA history despite being a franchise owner for 24 years, a relatively short time.

Per Marc Stein, Cuban has paid over $2 million in fines for criticizing officials. He paid $500,000 twice for calling out referees and was slapped with a $250,000 penalty on another instance. However, those fines don’t even crack the top two largest sanctions levied on him.

In 2018, the NBA slapped the Mavericks owner with a $600,000 fine after he told Dr. J on his podcast that the team intentionally tanked during the 2017-18 season to get a better draft pick. The hefty price was worth it, as the purposeful losses resulted in the franchise landing Luka Doncic.

His heaviest fine to date was the massive $750,000 penalty he paid last year after the Mavericks rested Kyrie Irving, Tim Hardaway Jr., Josh Green, Maxi Kleber, and Christian Wood for a game against the Chicago Bulls. Dallas’ playoff hopes were hanging by a thread and they needed a win to keep it alive. Instead, the team threw in the towel, resulting in a record-breaking sanction on Cuban.

However, now that he is no longer the majority owner of the Mavs, Cuban might see less severe fines levied on him. But with the Mavs in the NBA Finals for the first time since 2011, you never know.