'F You!' Says Cuban To Media Critic Of 'Whiny' Mavs Star Luka
DALLAS - Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is famously protective of his players, and is now demonstrating that in a profane manner after national NBA writer Zach Lowe called star Luka Doncic a "whiner.''
“I’ll tell you exactly what I think,'' said Cuban, guesting on VICE TV’s Cari & Jemele Won’t Stick to Sports. "(F---) you, Zach Lowe. You don’t know (s---).”
ESPN senior writer Zach Lowe does, in fact "know stuff,'' and we would argue that under normal circumstances, Cuban would acknowledge that. Dallas' struggles, however - despite Luka's overall brilliant play - renders these circumstances something less than normal for a Dallas team that planned to contend for a title this year but instead is presently buried in 14th place in the West.
READ MORE: 'Dangerous Situation': Steph Leads Warriors Over Luka's Mavs 147-116
"(Doncic) has become one of the biggest whiners in the league,” Lowe said on his podcast. “It’s become constant. Every time he drives he’s whining.”
The truth is, Doncic is demonstrative when he doesn't get a call, and the Mavs have talked to him over the last two-plus years about funneling that energy in a better direction. Cuban actually acknowledges that here, saying, “It’s just that he’s passionate. He cares, he wants to win. ... You’ll see him (with hand motions) all the time and talking in one of five different languages.''
Our educated guess as to Cuban's real point is that Doncic should be defined by all the wonderful things he does do, and not by a singularly negative label.
"No, he’s not a whiner,'' Cuban said of MVP candidate Luka. "He’s a baller.”
CONTINUE READING: Dallas Mavs Embarrassed And 'Out Of Excuses' - Podcast