It’s life, and sometimes certain decisions come back to haunt you, and few understand that better than Mark Cuban. In December 2023, he sold 73% of the Dallas Mavericks for $3.5 billion. But after watching the team move on from Luka Doncic almost a year later, Cuban was reportedly filled with regret. Although a return never materialized, he is now turning the page and looking toward a new basketball venture by investing in a Canadian league.

After a successful run with the Dallas Mavericks, winning the franchise’s first NBA championship in 2011 and helping turn it into one of the league’s most recognizable teams, the billionaire has now invested in the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) team, the Brampton Honey Badgers.

Now, it’s not like he has completely cut ties with his old team. The 67-year-old still owns a minority stake in the Dallas Mavericks, roughly 27%. He told Front Office Sports that he would like to fully own the team again, but the current owners are unwilling to sell. It is because of that that Cuban has decided to invest in Canadian basketball instead. He believes the sport has a very bright future in Canada.

“Canada is producing more stars than any other country,” Cuban told Front Office Sports. “I think there is a ton of upside.”

And if you look at it closely, it actually makes sense. Some of the most prominent Canadian basketball players to make a name for themselves in the NBA include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, RJ Barrett, Andrew Wiggins, and Dillon Brooks. So, Canada clearly has a strong pipeline of basketball talent, and Mark Cuban already sees that potential. But the real issue is that the country currently has just one NBA team: the Toronto Raptors.

Owing to this, many talented Canadian basketball players do not get the exposure they deserve. As a result, the country still needs more teams and leagues where players can compete, gain experience, and develop their skills. The Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) helps provide those opportunities. So, by investing in the Badgers, Cuban is trying to help fill that gap.

The CEBL started in 2017 and played its first season in 2019. Today, the league has 10 teams located across six provinces in Canada. Their success rate is also very impressive, as their fan base reached 4.1 million Canadians, which is a 57% increase since 2022.

On top of it, the league also included players who already have NBA experience. Last season, more than 15 players in the CEBL had already spent time in the NBA, including Jalen Harris and A.J. Lawson. So, it’s pretty clear why Cuban chose them in the first place.

But the question arises: why did Mark Cuban choose the Badgers and not any other team?

Why did Mark Cuban choose the Badgers?

Mark Cuban’s investment in the Brampton Honey Badgers didn’t come out of the blue. He already had strong connections with people involved in the team. The team’s CEO, Al Whitley, worked for the Dallas Mavericks for nearly 22 years in different management roles. Cuban himself hired Whitley during his time with the Mavericks.

Cuban also has a long business relationship with Leonard Asper, who is the main owner of the Honey Badgers. Back in 2019, Mark Cuban sold most of his company, HDNet LLC, which owned the TV channels AXS TV and HDNet Movies, to Asper’s company, Anthem Sports & Entertainment. Given these past investments and strong relationships, Cuban didn’t think twice before investing in the Brampton Honey Badgers.

The 2026 Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) season is starting soon. The Honey Badgers will play their first game on May 15 against the Ottawa BlackJacks. Every team in the league will play 24 regular-season games. After that, teams will play playoff games to compete for the championship.

This year, the CEBL championship will be special because it will use a best-of-three series for the first time in league history. So, it will be interesting to see how this new partnership turns out for Mark Cuban.