As soon as Mark Cuban bought the Dallas Mavericks, he became the most recognizable owner in the NBA, passing New York Knicks’ owner James Dolan and Jerry Buss of the Los Angeles Lakers, who both commanded larger markets and bigger superstars.
However, Cuban’s outgoing personality and in-your-face marketing of his team and players quickly took hold. Between Dirk Nowitzki and Luka Doncic, he always had a superstar on his roster up until he sold the team in 2024, and he’s watched Nowitzki’s fame diminish outside of Dallas.
Players who dominated before social media and instant access to highlights haven’t quite fallen into obscurity, but their candle doesn’t burn as hot as modern superstars, and even players for massive-market teams are falling to the wayside.
GettyDallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban celebrates after a 124-103 victory against the Minnesota Timberwolves in Game Five of the Western Conference Finals at Target Center on May 30, 2024 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
Mark Cuban Praises New York Knicks’ Icon
Patrick Ewing, despite never winning a ring, is the best player to ever suit up for the Knicks.
In 15 seasons with the Knicks, Ewing averaged 22.8 points, 10.4 rebounds, and 2.7 blocks. He is the franchise’s all-time leading scorer, although modern players, like Jalen Brunson and Carmelo Anthony, dominate talks thanks to their popularity among younger fans.
“Kids, unless you’re in a highlight film or unless you’re on Instagram, TikTok, or YouTube videos, you’re not truly appreciated any longer,” Cuban told Rich Kleiman on a September 25th episode of Boardroom. “That’s just not Dirk. That’s, you know, Patrick Ewing, guys we all really, truly loved and appreciated as players. It’s just harder for players to really sustain that after they’re done with their careers.”
Ewing, while dominant, didn’t usher in a new style the way Stephen Curry or even Nowitzki did, and his lack of team success has held him back from “greatest centers of all time” discussions, although he is not the only player who has been forgotten in recent years.
David Robinson, Ray Allen, and Isiah Thomas are brought up less and less frequently, just to name a few.
Cuban Thinks Social Media Is Hurting Legacies
Some players, usually guards like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, or Allen Iverson, still get their highlights shown, even decades after their careers are over. Of course, it helps that the guard position is generally more highlight-friendly than centers. No one wants to watch a compilation of offensive rebounds!
Another aspect, which Cuban thinks Ewing especially has fallen victim to, is emulation. The great centers wanted to be compared to Bill Russell or Shaquille O’Neal, who helped shape how the game is played.
Ewing was an elite player, but he didn’t change the NBA.
“Unless the young players are emulating you, you don’t have as much reverence, because they’re not watching you in videos all day, every day,” Cuban added.
Cuban is one of Kyrie Irving’s biggest fans, so the proliferation of short-form highlights has helped some of his favorite players, just as it has hurt some of them.
While Nowitzki and Ewing aren’t subjects of viral trends, Irving, Doncic, and Cooper Flagg all are or will be, helping Cuban keep his former team relevant in pop culture and online.
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