“Got one more year”: Mark Cuban set to bid adieu to Shark Tank after 15 years

Mark Cuban’s stint with Shark Tank is nearly coming to an end. The Dallas Mavericks governor, who has been with the show since Season 2, has been a big part of the show. Cuban became a full-time panelist in 2012 and has been heavily investing in the goal of helping aspiring entrepreneurs get the right opportunity to succeed. The billionaire previously criticized the platform but has become a big fan since he joined them as a guest in 2011.

In an interview with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson on “All the Smoke,” Cuban had this to say about his tenure with the said franchise:

(1:13:12 mark)

“This is our 15th year, and next year, our 16th, is gonna be my last year. So I got one more to go.”

When Mark Cuban went all-in with the reality TV series, he was a panelist with Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran, Robert Herjavec and Kevin O’Leary. Cuban replaced Kevin Harrington, who was a staple in the first two seasons.

Lori Greiner later joined the panel in 2013. The six have been the main engine of the show since then. They will be together until 2025 in Cuban’s last year with the franchise.

The Dallas Mavericks governor had this to say about how he managed to stay for so long:

“I love it because it sends the message [that] the American dream is alive and well. I feel like doing Shark Tank all these years, we’ve trained multiple generations of entrepreneurs that if somebody can come from Iowa or Sacramento or wherever, and show up on the carpet of Shark Tank and show their business and get a deal, it’s going to inspire generations of kids. That’s what happens, right?”

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Mark Cuban is still looking for a second NBA championship

The biggest priority on Mark Cuban’s list is still the Dallas Mavericks. Cuban last lifted the Larry O’Brien Trophy in 2011 when Dirk Nowitzki led one of the biggest upsets in NBA history. The Mavericks toppled “The Heatles” which had prime LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

Since then, they’ve either missed the playoffs or gone home after the first round in 10 years since the championship. They broke through during the 2021-22 season when Luka Doncic led the Mavericks to the Western Conference finals.

Mark Cuban’s agony continued when his team was dispatched by the eventual champion Golden State Warriors. The following season, they couldn’t even make it to the play-in tournament.

After an embarrassing end to last season’s campaign, the billionaire retooled the roster around Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving. They’re fifth in the West right now with a 10-6 record. Cuban vowed to push deep in the playoffs this season. The Shark Tank panelist is also looking forward to another shot at the Larry O’Brien Trophy in the next few years.