Mark Cuban, seen here at a game in Dallas between the Mavericks and the Chicago Bulls last month, has bought an ownership stake in the CEBL team, the Brampton Honey Badgers.Albert Pena/The Associated Press
A Shark has entered the Honey Badger den.
Billionaire entrepreneur and former Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban has joined the Brampton Honey Badgers ownership group, the team announced on Thursday. The club plays in the Canadian Elite Basketball League.
“Canadian basketball is probably the most underappreciated in the world,” Cuban said in a news release. “The talent here is through the roof and getting better by the day.”
The announcement comes just before tip-off on the CEBL’s season on Saturday. Cuban, who holds approximately a 27 per cent stake in the Mavericks, is familiar with the Honey Badgers’ owner, Leonard Asper and the team’s CEO, Al Whitley.
Asper, who bought the Honey Badgers in March 2025, and Cuban have been business partners for many years. Asper is the owner of Anthem Sports and Entertainment – a company which Cuban owns a “piece of,” according to Whitley.
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Whitley, who joined the Honey Badgers in November, spent 22 years with the Mavericks from 2001 to 2023. The former NBA executive served in roles such as special adviser to Cuban and general manager of the Mavericks’ NBA G League affiliate, the Texas Legends.
“When [Leonard] bought the team in Brampton last year, he [sought] out Mark for advice for running a pro sports team, especially basketball,” Whitley told The Globe and Mail.
“I’ve worked for Mark for 25 years – 22 years with the Mavericks – so he gave [Leonard] my name, and we started conversations and those conversations turned into a pretty significant role in trying to revive this franchise.”
“I am thrilled that Mark has decided to formally join me on this journey after having already helped along the way, including introducing me to our current CEO, Al Whitley,” Asper said in the news release. “No one brings more basketball knowledge and winning culture than Mark, and all of us at the Honey Badgers are honoured to have him join this organization.”
Whitley said there’s a built-in trust factor for Cuban given the trio’s relationship.
The Belleville, Ont., native said Cuban’s exact role with the team is yet to be determined but added that the former co-host of Shark Tank provides instant visibility and credibility to not only the team, but the league as well.
“He’s a championship-level owner at the highest level in the game of basketball,” Whitley said. “His insights, his direction, I’m in constant contact with him, and so that alone is invaluable to us.”
Whitley said the process of Cuban joining Brampton’s ownership group came together relatively quickly.
“Mark, knowing that I’m up here and having done business with Len, the conversation started [with] if he’s interested,” Whitley said. “Mark at heart is a basketball junkie and he’s aware of how good Canada basketball is.”
Things came together after Whitley joined the Honey Badgers organization in November and had “been talked about for months.”
“Mark just wants to be a part of the game of basketball,” Whitley said. “So, I think it was an easy decision for him.”