"We f*king took those c*ksuckers down" - Mat Ishbia's leaked audio shows Suns owner beefing with rival Dan Gilbert
Phoenix Suns owner Mat Ishbia made waves this week after audio surfaced of his trash talking another owner. He made some brash comments towards Cleveland Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert regarding their businesses outside of basketball.
Before becoming owners of NBA teams, Mat Ishbia and Gilbert built empires in the mortage business. Gilbert is known as the founder of Rocket Mortage, while Ishbia is the CEO of United Wholesale Mortage.
In a voicemail that was leaked on social media, Ishbia is heard talking about how much better his business is doing than Gilbert's. The Suns' owner uses a series of explicit words as he proceeds to proclaim they'll always prevail as the better company.
"We f**king took those c**ksuckers down. F**k them, and we're gonna keep f**king sticking it to 'em forever. F**k those guys, we're number one," Ishbia said in the voicemail.
As the voicemail got leaked, the two franchises are slated to face off against each other. Kevin Durant and the Suns will play host to Donovan Mitchell and company on Wednesday night.
Mat Ishbia and Dan Gilbert's feud is well documented
This is far from the first time Mat Ishbia or Dan Gilbert have spoken out about the other. The two have been rivals in business for years, and it has spilled over into the NBA.
Early in 2023, Ishbia became the top suitor to buy the Phoenix Suns following a massive scandal surrounding Robert Sarver. Part of the process of the sale involved all the owners around the league voting. The sale ended up passing 29-0, with one owner decling to vote. That person just so happen to be Gilbert.
Mat Ishbia has been asked countless times about his feud with Gilbert. After he refused to vote on the sale, he felt it shined a light on the kind of person the Cleveland Cavaliers owner is.
Mat’s responses have ranged from, “He doesn’t like me, and I don’t like him” to “I’m glad everyone gets to see what kind of man he is.”
When asked on why he didn't vote on Ishbia's purchase of the Suns, Gilbert gave a rather simple answer. He said it was tough for him to vote for someone that has spoken badly about him on numerous occasions over the years.
The feud stems much deeper than comments and votes. Ishbia is always looking to take down Gilbert in any way possible. Since arriving in Phoenix, Durant has said that the owner has come into the locker room and given speeches before matchups with the Cavaliers.
As the two teams prepare to do battle fresh off the voicemail think, the game could end up having some added energy. Surely the owners will be adding fuel to the fire to try and get bragging rights on the other.