A decade without the playoffs and voted the worst sports professional franchise, Mark Cuban had his work cut-out in 2000.

The 66-year-old billionaire bought the Dallas Mavericks 24 years ago for just $285 million an investment that has paid-off with the franchise valued now at $3.3 billion.

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Although the 66-year-old billionaire claims that he “didn’t buy the Mavs as an investment, [but] as a basketball junkie.”

Cuban bought the team at a relatively low-point, as in 2000 the franchise had not made the playoffs for ten years but were on an overall upward trajectory with Steve Nash and Dirk Nowitzki earning the Mavs a 40-win season the year before for the first time in nine years.

The season the billionaire bought the team, Dallas improved to 53 wins with Cuban becoming a fan-favourite for his outspoken personality and his notable moves to give the players more luxury including expensive apartments and increased team spending.

Recently appearing on the The Steam Room Podcast with Charles Barkley and Ernie Johnson, Cuban recounted the state of the team when he bought and why he made choices like luxury apartments for the players.

“So a couple of reasons. One, remember when I bought the Mavs, you know, the previous 10 years, we hadn’t made the playoffs. We were voted the worst professional sports franchise,” Cuban told Barkley and Johnson. 

“So I had to change hearts and minds. I had to let them know that things were going to change. And one way to do that was to invest.” 

The 66-year-old specifically mentioned a time where former Mavs player Gary Trent Jr expressed concern with the set-up the players had with their hotels not even having room service.

“I remember the first time I met with the players, and I think it was Gary Trent said, Mark, you know, we get into Oakland, California on a back-to-back at three in the morning, and we’re staying in a hotel with no room service,” Cuban said.

“I had to send a message that, you know, we needed to upgrade.” 

Cuban’s way of running the team with a much more involved approach was crucial to the transformation that would take from outsiders to champions.

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The billionaire spent huge amounts on almost every aspect of the franchise and spoke about how he also revolutionised the coaching structure of the team.

“I just wanted to put the players in a position to succeed. And when you put them in a position to succeed, they don’t have excuses,” Cuban explained.

“You remember Chuck, there were three or four coaches and that was it. So I brought in 15 different former Mavericks to be coaches.

“The more guys could work on their skills, you know, the better we’ll be and the better the team will be. So to me, it just made perfect sense.”

Much has changed since 2000 when Cuban bought the team not least with the fact he is no longer a majority owner as he sold 72.3% of the team to the Adelson family for $3.5 billion in December 2023.

Cuban admitted last year when he sold his majority stake that he could not keep up with the new demands of ownership and the vast resources needes, a change from 2000 when he was the owner setting the spending trends.

“When I first bought it in 2000 I was the tech guy in the NBA,” Cuban told the All-In podcast.

 “I was the media guy. I had every edge and every angle. Now fast-forward 24 years later… other teams in all sports for that matter talking about casinos, talking about doing real estate development. That’s just not me,” the former Shark Tank star said.

Now a minority owner, Cuban leaves a legacy of making the Mavs NBA champions – an impressive feat considering where he picked up the franchise from 2000.