Mark Cuban Faces Team’s Harassment Scandal — And Fine For Tanking Games
Mark Cuban Image by Getty
Mark Cuban, The Jewish billionaire owner of the Dallas Mavericks, is embroiled in two controversies this week.
On Tuesday, Sports Illustrated reported on allegations of sexual harassment in the management of the Mavericks. The next day, Cuban was fined $600,000, the largest single fine of his over $2.6 million in fines he’s paid to the NBA. The fine was in response to comments he made on the “House Call With Dr. J” podcast, in which he admitted to urging his team to “tank,” or intentionally lose games, in an effort to secure a higher draft pick.
Cuban maintains that he was not aware of any of the misconduct alleged, which mainly concern the Mavericks’ former team president and CEO, Terdema Ussery, and domestic abuse allegations against Earl K. Sneed, a high-profile member of the Mavs.com staff.
A statement from the Mavericks said the league office, “immediately hired outside counsel to conduct a thorough and independent investigation.”
Cuban, who also appears on the TV show “Shark Tank,” denies any knowledge of harassment but said “we are bringing in experts in this field to help us make sure those who need help get what they need and to make sure this never happens again.”
Contact Avichai Scher at [email protected] or on Twitter, @avi_scher
This is a moment of great uncertainty. Here’s what you can do about it.
We hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, we’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s independent Jewish news. All donations are still being matched by the Forward Board - up to $100,000 until April 24.
This is a moment of great uncertainty for the news media, for the Jewish people, and for our sacred democracy. It is a time of confusion and declining trust in public institutions. An era in which we need humans to report facts, conduct investigations that hold power to account, tell stories that matter and share honest discourse on all that divides us.
With no paywall or subscriptions, the Forward is entirely supported by readers like you. Every dollar you give is invested in the future of the Forward — and telling the American Jewish story fully and fairly.
The Forward doesn’t rely on funding from institutions like governments or your local Jewish federation. There are thousands of readers like you who give us $18 or $36 or $100 each month or year.
Support our mission to tell the Jewish story fully and fairly.
