In this interview on the Draymond Green Show, host Draymond Green talks with entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban about his long‑term involvement with the TV series Shark Tank, the most lucrative deals he’s made on the show, and his broader investment philosophy. Cuban explains that he joined Shark Tank initially on a whim for the exposure of network television, but stayed for 15 years because the show inspires aspiring entrepreneurs and teaches business fundamentals. He highlights several standout investments—Dude Wipes, BeatBox Beverages, Mush (packaged oatmeal), and Collars & Co.—detailing their recent revenues (e.g., $200 million for Dude Wipes and BeatBox) and his personal returns, noting that the past three years have been especially profitable after a break‑even period. Cuban also discusses his approach to deals that may not make money, emphasizing the importance of sending a message that “anything’s possible” when entrepreneurs see him on the show. The conversation then shifts to Cuban’s purchase of the Dallas Mavericks in 2000 after selling Broadcast.com. He frames the acquisition as a pursuit of fun and personal freedom, rooted in his upbringing and desire to control his own time. Cuban recounts his hands‑off negotiation, his early love of basketball, and his commitment to keeping Dirk Nowitzki for over a decade, illustrating his patience and willingness to adapt roster decisions as the NBA evolved. Throughout, Cuban’s tone is candid, enthusiastic, and reflective, offering insights into how he balances profit motives with broader messages about opportunity and personal fulfillment.
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What's up everybody? Welcome to the Draymond Green Show YouTube channel. Make sure you hit that subscribe button. Make sure you like the post that you love. Thank you. 2011, you become a Shark on, a Shark investor on Shark Tank.
Yep.
Talk to me about that because that feels to me like something you get into. Obviously you are who you are in the business world, in the tech world. I've actually seen you out here at some of the tech things before. But talk to me about actually like going public with that. Was it more of the competition in it kind of to drive you to do that?
It was, you know, network television, right? It was a chance to be on something, you know, television was a lot different back then. Regular TV was a lot different, right? You know, to be on something, you know, when 10 million, 15 million people could watch you was cool. And, but it was, you know, 'cause they asked me to come on as a guest first.
Yeah.
So they kicked some dude off and then they had Jeff Foxworthy come on to do 3 episodes and then they asked me to come on and do 3 episodes. And I'm like, look, I don't know if this business, this show is gonna last. It's about business, who knows, right? Probably not gonna last, but I'm gonna come on and I'm just gonna raise hell, right? Yes. So I got on there and I'm buying everything, you're right. I'll give you a deal, I'll give you a deal, I'll give you a deal. And then it was just like, they were like, okay, you get it. I loved it. It really sent the message to kids more than anybody that the American dream is alive and well. If you bust your ass, right? And people coming from, you know, up, you know, Michigan, Idaho, Pennsylvania, Texas, standing on that carpet pitching us and going from nothing to something. I mean, that gets people excited. It teaches them about business and to be part of that, that felt good.
Yeah.
And so, you know, I did it on a whim because I didn't know what to expect, but I stayed with it for 15 years now because now kids are coming up to me "Hey, you know, I've got this idea. I'm learning about business with Shark Tank." Parents come up to me, my kids, you know, it's a show we all watch together. It's great, right? So that's why I've done it so long. And I just think it's an important message.
Oh, that's incredible. 'Cause it's a great show. You know, I've watched it for years and it's absolutely incredible. How much success do you see coming out of like companies that you find through Shark Tank?
You know, it's like anything else. Like you invest all the time. Like when we had Bogie, right? He would tell me about your poker games and all the guys and all the investments and shit. And you know, Iggy the same way, right? You guys are like your own little investment club. And so we would talk about it and it's about the same way, right? You got some big hits and then you got, you know, that what the fuck was I thinking, you know, joints, right? And so I've had like Dude Wipes has gotten really big. You know, they could do $200 million in business this year. And I forget, like $250 grand for 20% of the company or 15% of the—
Wow!
Yeah. You know, BeatBox Beverages has just blown up. They'll do $200 million in business this year. They just did a round at $200 million and they're doing, you know, $15, $17 million in EBITDA. I was able to take some money off the table there. Mush, packaged oatmeal that you see, they're killing it. They'll do $100+ million in sales this year. And then there's ones you've never heard of, right? And then I've had some exits, you know, where I've made, you know, $10 million or $20 million. So honestly, I was right around break even, losing up until about 2 years ago. And then these last 3 years, those 3 companies have just blown up. And so, you know, Collars and Co. is another company. It's just, I've had some really good ones that have taken off the last couple years.
That's amazing. That's incredible. And to see that type of deal flow all as often as you get to see it. Yeah.
That's fast.
You know, it's not just about killing it either, you know, because I've done deals where it's somebody that I know I'm not gonna make any money, probably gonna lose my money, but you know, it sends a message, right? That, hey, if I look like this person and they gotta deal with Mark, anything's possible. And to me, that's important.
Absolutely. And that's gonna bring us back to a topic later because I do want to talk about how you work with your employees, but we'll get there. So I think it's absolutely amazing. I'm gonna just go ahead and throw that out there with what you've done with your employees, with the sales team, of the Mavericks. I saw what you're doing even after that, you know, not washing your hands with it because you're still very involved, but to give back to people who's helped build these businesses. I talk about that all the time. So we'll get into that. But so in 2000, after selling broadcast.com in '99, you then go on and you buy the Dallas Mavericks.
Yeah.
When you bought the Dallas Mavericks in 2000, did you think like you look up 20, 24 years later and that you'd be selling that thing for $3.5 billion or was it more fun for you?
No, it was all about fun. It wasn't like I'm gonna buy this thing. Look, I'm the luckiest motherfucker in the world, right? You know, to come where I come from and then all of a sudden to have a B, multiple Bs next to your name, I never imagined that, right? And so, you know, my dad did upholstery in cars and his thing was always about, You only have so much time on this earth and you better enjoy it, right? And that's what I tried to do. You know, my motivation always, yeah, I wanted to get paid, but I wanted to get paid so I can bring, control my own time.
Yes.
Right? Until I got an iWatch, I never, the day I sold MicroSolutions, I took off my watch and said, I'm never gonna wear a watch again because I never wanna be on anybody else's time. I wanted everyone else to have to work to my time, right? And so, That to me, like when I bought the Mavs, that was the thing, right? I was 40, 41 years old. I would play pickup 3, 4, 5 times a week. So the idea of going and getting up shots with Nash and Dirk and Finley, you know, and getting into little runs every time and not completely embarrassing myself back then, right? I mean, that was like a dream.
Yeah.
So, you know, and, Like negotiating that deal, I didn't even negotiate. I was just like, "Yes, whatever." Right? And it was done. I walked in, changed some things up and just, you know, it was a ride. But I never thought, honestly, I never thought I would sell it at all. But you know, the world changes.
Yeah, no, I mean, it's been incredible to watch what you were able to do with that franchise. Like I remember growing up as a young kid and like the Dallas Mavericks being the laughingstock of the NBA. Very similar to how the Warriors were.
Yeah, for sure. Like being the laughingstock.
And to watch that and you draft Dirk and, well, you didn't draft Dirk, but you kept Dirk. And you know, but to have Dirk and the guys that y'all had coming through there and to watch you build up the Dallas Mavericks into what they've become is absolutely amazing.
How— Yeah, made it easy though, obviously.
Yeah. Well, I mean, but here's the thing though. You take over the team in '99, Y'all don't win the championship until 2011. To stick with Dirk for 12 years, that says a lot about you though.
Yeah, I mean, look, he was my guy no matter what, thick or thin, right? And you know, some, this game is hard, right? And it takes a lot of luck, right?
You know. Yes, it does.
You want, you know, and you know the story, like Monta or Steph, right? Who you gonna take, right? You know, for Bogie. And so, you know, you try not to, you know, I let Nash go. I might've had as many rings as you if I don't, you know, if I make a different decision there. And so, you know, sticking with Dirk wasn't hard, but trying to figure it all out, it's always hard. And the game changes every single year. You know, right now the teams are so much more talented. You know, you could ride one horse, two horses back then, right?
Yes.
And there's two guys on the court that couldn't shoot, one defender, one rebounder, just a different game. And one guy could get you 50 wins in the season. You know, it's not like that anymore, but all the way through you have to adapt and try to figure it out. But you know, Dirk was just kind of a, a cornerstone that, that just made it easy.
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