Most Talked-About Controversies Linked to Mark Cuban

A closer look at the most debated and controversial moments involving Mark Cuban.

Mark Cuban is a prominent American businessman, entrepreneur, and media personality. He's recognized for his ownership of the Dallas Mavericks NBA team and his co-ownership of 2929 Entertainment. Cuban gained further recognition as an investor on the reality TV show Shark Tank from 2012 to 2025, where he invested in numerous startups. His career spans technology, sports, and entertainment, making him a highly visible figure in the business world.

Sections (5)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements Challenges & Struggles Controversies & Scandals

2002: Dairy Queen Incident

In 2002, Mark Cuban criticized the NBA's manager of officials, Ed T. Rush, saying he "wouldn't be able to manage a Dairy Queen." Dairy Queen management invited him to manage a Dairy Queen restaurant for a day. Cuban accepted and worked for a day at a Dairy Queen in Coppell, Texas, where fans lined up to get a Blizzard from him.

June 2004: Alleged Insider Trading in Mamma.com Shares

In June 2004, Mark Cuban allegedly sold his holdings in Mamma.com after he had been confidentially approached by the company to participate in a transaction likely to dilute shares of current shareholders, saving him from a loss of $750,000, which led to the SEC filing a civil suit against him in November 2008.

2005: Booing Campaign Against Michael Finley

During the 2005-06 NBA season, Mark Cuban started a booing campaign when former Mavericks player Michael Finley returned to play against the Mavericks as a member of the San Antonio Spurs.

July 2006: Financed Sharesleuth.com

In July 2006, Mark Cuban financed Sharesleuth.com, a website created to uncover fraud in publicly traded companies, experimenting with a new business model for online journalism. Cuban disclosed he would take positions in the shares of companies mentioned in advance of publication.

2006: NBA Fines for Misconduct

In 2006, during a playoff series between the Mavericks and Spurs, Mark Cuban cursed Spurs forward Bruce Bowen and was fined $25,000 by the NBA. After the 2006 NBA Finals, Cuban was fined $250,000 by the NBA for repeated misconduct following the Mavericks' loss to the Miami Heat in Game Five.

February 2007: Criticism of Dwyane Wade

In February 2007, Mark Cuban publicly criticized NBA Finals MVP Dwyane Wade and declared that he would get fined if he made any comments about what he thought really happened in the 2006 NBA Finals.

September 2007: Removed Photos from Redacted

In September 2007, Mark Cuban, as owner of Magnolia Pictures, removed disturbing photographs from the film Redacted due to copyrights/permissions issues.

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November 17, 2008: SEC Files Civil Suit Against Cuban

On November 17, 2008, the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filed a civil suit against Mark Cuban relating to alleged insider trading in the shares of Mamma.com, now known as Copernic. Cuban disputed the charges.

January 16, 2009: Fine for Yelling at J. R. Smith

On January 16, 2009, Mark Cuban was fined $25,000 by the NBA for yelling at Denver Nuggets player J. R. Smith during a Mavericks-Nuggets game on January 13. Cuban was offended that Smith had thrown an elbow that barely missed Mavericks forward Antoine Wright. Cuban offered to match the fine with a donation to charity.

May 2009: Controversial Comments About the Denver Nuggets

In May 2009, Mark Cuban referred to the Denver Nuggets as "thugs" after a loss to the Nuggets in game 3 of the Western Conference Semifinals. He also made a controversial comment to Kenyon Martin's mother. He later issued an apology. The league decided not to fine him.

May 22, 2010: Fine for LeBron James Comments

On May 22, 2010, Mark Cuban was fined $100,000 for comments he made during a television interview about trying to sign LeBron James.

April 2011: Alleged Incident at Portland Bar

In April 2011, an incident allegedly occurred between Mark Cuban and a female patron at a Portland, Oregon bar, where she claimed he sexually groped her. The Portland District Attorney's office declined to prosecute due to lack of evidence.

November 2012: Offer to Donald Trump

In November 2012, Mark Cuban offered Donald Trump $1 million to a charity of Trump's choosing if Trump shaved his head, responding to Trump's offer to President Obama.

January 18, 2014: Fine for Confronting Referees

On January 18, 2014, Mark Cuban was fined $100,000 for confronting referees and using inappropriate language toward them. He confirmed that he would match the fine with a donation to charity, conditioned on reaching two million followers on his Twitter account.

March 2014: Criticism of High-Frequency Trading

In March 2014, Mark Cuban was on air at CNBC criticizing high-frequency trading (HFT), believing the technology is equivalent to automated insider trading.

February 2015: Comments on Net Neutrality

At the Code/Media conference in February 2015, Mark Cuban expressed his concerns about the FCC overseeing the Internet, regarding net neutrality.

July 21, 2016: Appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

On July 21, 2016, Mark Cuban appeared on a live segment on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert entitled "Gloves Off: Mark Cuban Edition" where he mocked Donald Trump, referencing his companies' bankruptcies, the failed Trump University program, and questioning his net worth.

September 2016: Criticism of Trump's Tax Characterization

In September 2016, Mark Cuban criticized Donald Trump's characterization that paying the minimum required taxes 'is smart', and criticized Trump for not paying back into the system that allowed him to amass such wealth.

February 21, 2018: NBA Fine for 'Tanking' Statements

On February 21, 2018, Mark Cuban was fined $600,000 by the NBA for stating that the Dallas Mavericks should "tank for the rest of the season." Commissioner Adam Silver stated that the fine was "for public statements detrimental to the NBA."

March 6, 2018: Report on Alleged 2011 Incident

On March 6, 2018, Willamette Week reported on the alleged April 2011 incident between Mark Cuban and a female patron of a Portland, Oregon bar, where she accused him of sexual groping. Cuban denied the allegations.

March 8, 2018: NBA Review of Alleged Incident

On March 8, 2018, the NBA announced it was reviewing the alleged April 2011 incident between Mark Cuban and a female patron of a Portland, Oregon bar.

March 6, 2020: NBA Fine for Criticism of Officiating

On March 6, 2020, Mark Cuban was fined $500,000 by the NBA for "public criticism and detrimental conduct regarding NBA officiating", according to the league.

2020: Cuban Supports Anthem Movement

As far back as late 2020, Mark Cuban supported the movement to stop playing the National Anthem at games.

2021: Mavericks Stop Playing National Anthem

In early 2021, Mark Cuban decided to stop playing the National Anthem at Dallas Mavericks games to respect those who felt it did not represent them. The NBA then required all teams to play the anthem, and Cuban complied.

July 2022: Named in Class-Action Lawsuit Regarding Voyager Digital

In July 2022, following Voyager Digital's bankruptcy filing, Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks were named in a class-action lawsuit alleging Voyager Digital was a Ponzi scheme due to Cuban's promotion.