Reports: Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban was investigated for sexual assault in 2011
What's the story?
Bleacher Report ran a story on Wednesday morning which was the latest in bad press for the Dallas Mavericks. A police report obtained by Nigel Jaquiss of Willamette Week, a news organization in Portland, Oregon, states that Mavs owner Mark Cuban was accused of sexual assault in 2011.
In case you didn't know...
Mark Cuban purchased a majority stake in the Dallas Mavericks from H. Ross Perot, Jr. in 2000. During his tenure, they won the NBA Championship once in 2011.
The heart of the matter
The women who made the allegations against Cuban stated that this occurred at The Barrel Room in Portland, Oregon after she had asked for a picture. The Mavericks were in Portland at the time for a first-round playoff series against the Trail Blazers.
Ultimately, the Multnomah County District Attorney declined to press charges citing insufficient evidence. Cuban would send the following memo to the Dallas Morning News in response to the situation:
"The case detective and the complainant both agree with the conclusion there is no corroborative evidence to support the complaint's allegation. The complainant has also consistently and repeatedly stated to police investigators she does not want to pursue this matter further. The complainant requested documentation and investigation of her complaint but has confirmed with me she will not participate in a criminal prosecution and agrees her claim cannot be proven."
Cuban denied the allegations as well by simply saying, "it didn't happen."
This news comes a week after Sports Illustrated revealed that there was an ongoing investigation within the Mavericks organization that was described as a "corporate culture rife with misogyny and predatory sexual behaviour."
What's next?
On the court, the Dallas Mavericks (20-45) will host the Memphis Grizzlies (18-45) on Saturday evening. It is a battle of two struggling teams this season as Dallas ranks 13th in the Western Conference; while Memphis is dead last.
Author's take
While this doesn't look good in the wake of Sports Illustrated's report last week, it's important to state that the matter was looked into by the authorities in Portland, and found no evidence of the situation.