The NBA denied Mark Cuban’s request to impose an age limit on the Team USA Olympic roster.
The billionaire mogul Cuban discussed the topic, which he joked was the reason he sold the Dallas Mavericks in 2023.
Former Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban walks off the court after a past game[/caption]
Since 1992, NBA players have been allowed to represent Team USA in major international tournaments like the Summer Olympics.
International basketball has since prospered as the best players in the world represent their country every four years.
However, Cuban is opposed to sending NBA players to international competitions because he feels the players and NBA teams are being exploited.
Cuban appeared on SiriusXM NBA Radio over the weekend and said that NBA owners risk their star players to injury during international play.
“I complained about it every single year, because with my attitude, guys are going to play for the Olympics, Comcast NBC is making billions,” he said.
“The IOC is making billions, and even FIBA is making a lot.
“I don’t know exactly.
“And we are giving all these guys for free and taking all the injury risks.”
Due to the numerous examples of stars getting hurt
There have been numerous examples of players getting hurt during international basketball tournaments (Paul George, broken leg during the 2014 FIBA World Cup, Manu Ginobili, ankle injury during the 2008 Beijing Olympics).
NBA teams have had to cover the medical expenses from injury to full recovery, and players get paid for the games they missed.
When Cuban was the owner of the Mavericks, he had pitched to commissioners David Stern and Adam Silver to have their version of the soccer World Cup and have an age limit on Olympic rosters.
“What I would tell David Stern and then Adam, I’m like, ‘You know how in soccer for the Olympics is 21 and under or 22 and whatever it is. And then they own the World Cup? And the World Cup’s a bigger event? I’m like, ‘Give them more young kids.’ Do the same thing as soccer. Let the 21 and under play for the Olympics and then create our own international World Cup,” he said.
The FIFA rules allow the men’s Olympic soccer roster to consist of players under 23 years old and a maximum of three players older than that.
Steph Curry and other legends have helped Team USA claim its dominance in international basketball[/caption]
But Cuban was rejected over his proposals and joked that being declined led to him selling the Mavs after 23 years of ownership.
“Just think of how much money is involved. The players, right, literally, I mean, we could be almost as big as the soccer World Cup, which is one of the biggest sporting events in the world,” Cuban said.
“. … You could support a lot of the global teams, all the different countries.
“But Adam [Silver] wouldn’t go for it, so that’s why I sold my team.”
Cuban is still a minority owner of the Mavericks.
The 66-year-old is also the co-owner of the media and entertainment company 2929 Entertainment.
