Billionaire Mark Cuban’s reveals how Diet Coke ‘helped’ defeat LeBron James

Mark Cuban explains how a Diet Coke 'helped' Dallas Mavericks defeat LeBron James' Miami Heat to the NBA title in 2011.

Billionaire Mark Cuban’s reveals how Diet Coke ‘helped’ defeat LeBron James

Mark Cuban and the Dallas Mavericks won the 2011 NBA title against the LeBron James led Miami Heat

While Mark Cuban may not be the majority owner of the Dallas Mavericks anymore, he did turn around the franchise’s fortunes in his 23 at the helm. He took them from their lows and made them one of the most competitive teams in the league.

One of the major steps to build the team to that character was winning the 2011 NBA title against LeBron James and the Miami Heat. The billionaire was a guest on Andrew Schultz‘s podcast Flagrant, where he discussed that championship-winning series.

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I’m superstitious beyond belief. I’m sitting there like this (forward tensed position), I’ve got a Diet Coke right here (down on the floor between his feet). Every time we have the ball, I have to take a sip of the Diet Coke, put it down and straighten out the straw. Because if I don’t, we won’t make the hoop.

Mark Cuban said

This superstition is something Mark Cuban did throughout those 2011 Finals. Superstitions are looked at as a farce, but for the former Mavericks majority owner, it brought him his first NBA title in his second NBA Finals.

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The team’s first NBA Finals qualification under Cuban was in 2006 when they lost to Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal‘s Miami Heat. After that heartbreaking loss, superstar Dirk Nowitzki completely changed his approach to the game. Motivated and aided by a better supporting cast, they defeated the heavily favored James’ Heat four games to one.

The 2011 NBA title changed the course of the franchise. Only towards the end of the Hall of Famer Nowitzki’s career did they begin to wane off, though that winning culture did secure them Luka Doncic‘s services.

Mark Cuban says Luka Doncic is better than Dirk Nowitzki

Dallas Mavericks have resumed their playoffs and NBA title-contending culture ever since the team drafted Luka Doncic. Mark Cuban has stated that the Slovenian is better than Dirk Nowitzki.

Luka’s a better player. Dirk is amazing, he’s the all-time best Mav. Dirk, you needed to get him the ball. With Luka, you just inbound the ball to him, and he just does the rest.

Mark Cuban said

So far, Doncic has proven Cuban right. In six seasons, the superstar has led the team to one Western Conference Finals and a runner-up finish in the NBA Finals last season. Nowitzki, however, needed eight seasons to achieve the same.

Cuban did not mean to put down the German’s achievements with the team. Rather, the two have had different roles. Doncic is the primary ball handler and playmaker, which he performs with aplomb, and is the team’s leading scorer also. Nowitzki, on the other hand, concentrated mainly on scoring.