Mark Cuban is back in the political rumor mill, and this time, he’s teasing a hypothetical presidential ticket with NBA legend Charles Barkley as his running mate. The billionaire businessman and minority owner of the Dallas Mavericks stirred up speculation during a recent appearance on The Steam Room podcast, where he fielded questions from Barkley and sports broadcaster Ernie Johnson about his political ambitions.
Cuban admitted he’d seriously considered running for president in 2020, even consulting a pollster, but his family vetoed the idea. “They said, ‘H*ll no. We don’t want to go through that,’” Cuban explained, citing the harsh political climate and the potential toll on his children, who are active on social media. However, when Johnson floated the idea of teaming up with Barkley, the conversation took a playful turn.
“We’d win,” Barkley declared. Cuban agreed: “Yes, absolutely. We definitely would win. Running away. No question about it.”
The idea of a Cuban-Barkley ticket is intriguing, combining two outspoken personalities with massive public appeal but virtually no political experience. Cuban, known for his sharp criticism of President-elect Trump, has championed progressive causes like healthcare reform and support for small businesses. Barkley, on the other hand, is a Hall of Famer turned sports analyst famous for his blunt, no-nonsense commentary on social and political issues. Together, they’d make an unconventional duo, to say the least.
This isn’t the first time Cuban has flirted with politics. During the 2024 presidential campaign, he was a prominent supporter of Kamala Harris, endorsing her candidacy and co-founding the “Business Leaders for Harris” initiative alongside LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman. Despite his vocal support and public appearances in swing states like Wisconsin and Arizona, Cuban insisted he didn’t make financial contributions to Harris’s campaign. “I haven’t given her a penny,” he told The View shortly before the election.
Cuban’s involvement in Harris’s campaign stemmed from his deep opposition to a second Trump term, warning that Trump’s policies, especially tariffs, could hurt small businesses and drive up costs for American consumers. Yet, Cuban also congratulated Trump after his reelection, showing a pragmatic side to his political commentary.
For now, Cuban’s musings about a Barkley partnership remain in the realm of hypotheticals. But in a political era defined by celebrity candidates and unconventional campaigns, it’s not hard to imagine Cuban and Barkley making a splash—if they ever decide to get serious.
Now that is exactly what this country needs, a real a$$hole making believe he knows how to run a country—just another socialist liberal with too much money and no common sense.