Why Did Billionaire Mark Cuban Disrespect Black Owners of FRSH on Shark Tank?

Noah A. McGee
·2 min read
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Photo: Christopher Willard/ABC
Photo: Christopher Willard/ABC
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Billionaires are so funny. They are the wealthiest people in the world and yet, they have some of the most fragile personalities. You might think I’m talking about the new owner of Twitter, but I’m actually referencing Mark Cuban, the owner of the Dallas Mavericks.

On the seventh episode of season 14 of Shark Tank, brothers Donovan and Trey Brown appeared on the show to pitch their air freshener company, FRSH. The brothers, who graduated from Howard University, sell air fresheners that include NBA logos and other fun quotes that include, “Picture Me Rolling,” “Life is a Highway” and “Drive Slow Homie.”

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During their pitch, they showed off a variety of their most popular air fresheners. One of the owners smelled one of their NBA-themed fresheners that had a logo of the Golden State Warriors and said, “This one smells like winning. Sorry, Mark.”

That’s when the mood in the room changed.

After the owners of FRSH passed out samples, the Sharks noticed Cuban was quieter than normal. He was also visibly seething. Then he let them have it! “Dumbest marketing move ever,’’ he said, then voicing what no Shark tank contestant ever wants to hear. “I’m out. Seriously! You gotta read the room. Wrong move, wrong time.”

When asked by the other Sharks why he was so angry, Cuban said, “What do you think?! The one air freshener from the NBA is the team that beats us in the NBA conference Finals. You gotta know that it could backfire.”

Look, the Brown brothers could have brought a Dallas Mavericks-themed air freshener, but they didn’t. They brought one for the most popular team in the NBA who just won the freaking NBA Finals. Cuban could’ve poked fun at it and played along, but why get mad just because they brought a Warriors-themed air freshener? There was no need for it.

If you want to be mad at anyone, be mad at your team for not beating the Golden State Warriors during the 2022 Western Conference Finals. The Mavericks lost that series in five games and the only player that consistently showed up for Dallas was superstar guard Luka Dončić. Be mad at your team for being inconsistent from the three-point line. Be mad that they couldn’t defend.

Instead of being sensitive, Mark could’ve used this opportunity as a coachable moment and taught them that they have to appeal to their potential investors. Instead, he used it as a moment to embarrass them on national television.

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