“Sucked for a Decade Plus”: Mark Cuban Highlights Two Key Things He Did to Change the Mavericks’ Culture

When Mark Cuban bought the Mavericks in January 2000, they were the league’s laughing stock. They hadn’t made the playoffs in nine seasons and missed it the year he bought the team. He was keen on turning the franchise into one of the best organizations in the league. For that to happen, he knew he had to change the team’s archaic ways and focus on helping his players have the most conducive environment to grow and play in.

Cuban began his quest to alter the team’s culture by doing what the previous ownership regime had never bothered doing. He asked the players about the challenges they faced that stopped them from playing as well as they should. In an interview with GQ magazine, Cuban said,

“When you go into an organization that has sucked for a decade plus, you can’t just let things go on as they were. I remember meeting the players and asking them what are the things that you would change? There was a guy by the name Gary Trent and he was like, ‘Mark, we get into some towns after a game at 2, 3, 4 in the morning. Have you ever tried to go get something to eat in Oakland at 3 in the morning?'”

The players told Cuban that the Mavericks would cut corners by booking the cheapest hotels for the players to stay at. Most didn’t even have room service, forcing them to head out to look for food.

Cuban was astonished and immediately asked the logistics departments to ensure the players stayed at the most luxurious hotels when they traveled for away games. He also hired nutritionists to travel with the team to ensure they ate healthily.

Cuban then felt that having only four coaches for a roster of 15 players wasn’t enough. He didn’t waste any time opening his checkbook again and hiring more resources for his players. He said,

“I realized we were spending more money to train our office employees how to use Excel and Microsoft Word than we were on developing our players to improve their skills despite the fact that we were paying those players 100s of millions… I went out and found former Mavericks.., And said, ‘We wanna bring you in and give you each an individual player to work with.'”

The move paid dividends immediately. In the Mavericks’ first full season under Cuban’s tutelage, their win total increased by 13. They had their first 50-win season in 13 years and their first playoff appearance in ten. Their postseason journey ended in the second round, but the good times in Dallas were only getting started.

Mark Cuban’s incredible run as owner

After Cuban bought the Mavericks from real estate tycoon Ross Perot in 2000 for $285 million, he turned from perennial playoffs absentees to ever-presents in the postseason. Since the turn of the century, Dallas has been in the playoffs 19 times. Only the Celtics and Spurs have more postseason appearances with 20.

During his tenure as the Mavericks’ owner, the team won 60+ games in a season thrice. Only the Spurs (6) had more campaigns with that many victories. Dallas made the playoffs thrice during Cuban’s reign, losing twice, and winning once in 2011. That Dirk Nowitzki-led run to the championship is arguably the most memorable and revered title win in the 21st century.

In December 2023, Cuban sold a 72.3% ownership stake in the Mavericks to the Adelson and Dumont families for $3.5 billion. He remains the team’s Head of Basketball Operations and the franchise’s driving force.

Cuban may have only one championship to show for his efforts, but he’s still one of, if not the most revered team owner in North American sports.