When an NBA player retires, teams are under no obligation to pay them any remaining money on their contract. But when the smallest NBA player at 5-3 Muggsy Bogues hung up his sneakers back in 2001, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban apparently didn't bat an eye before paying him the entirety of the remaining three years, and $3.6 million on his contract. A decade later, Bogues is still singing Cuban's praises.

During an appearance on HBO's "Real Time with Bill Maher" a few months ago, Cuban was caught pigeonholed by the host and panel as the greedy billionaire type. Whether it was deserved or not, any comment that Cuban made regarding tax laws or job creation was sloughed off as just another excuse from a rich guy, trying to keep his tax rate low. It was an uncomfortable watch, as Cuban was wrongly dismissed as no fan of the little man.

Well, thanks to a recent interview with SLAM, the littlest man in NBA history appears to be Mark Cuban's biggest fan.

In 1999, the diminutive free agent signed a one-year contract with the Toronto Raptors, to serve as a calming bench influence behind a rotating group of point guards in name only like Doug Christie, Alvin Williams and Dee Brown(notes). Bogues came through with such a steadying hand (averaging just one turnover for every 29.4 minutes played) that the Raptors re-signed the 5-3 veteran to a four-year deal the following summer, despite also signing Mark Jackson as a point guard in the same offseason.

And despite the fact that Bogues, while a successful surprise in 1999-00, was 36 years old.

Predictably, he fell off the next season; and the Raptors dealt both Bogues and Jackson to New York for a future first-rounder midway through the campaign. The Knicks, perpetually in win-now mode, followed up by organizing a three-team deal that would hand New York Shandon Anderson and Howard Eisley (two players that then-GM Scott Layden had drafted in Utah), sending Bogues to Dallas along the way.

And this is where Muggsy, as detailed by SLAM's Tzvi Twersky, gets to sing the praises of Cuban:

"I've never met Mr. Mark Cuban, but I tell people that I thank him more than life itself," Bogues, 46, said recently over the phone from his home in Charlotte. "I had three years left on my contract when my mom passed away, and I decided it was time to move on [from basketball]. I walked away from the game with three years left on my contract. He (Cuban) could have easily just have bought me out of my contract, but he went on and honored it and paid the three years out and never looked back."

[…]

"I was never able to thank Cuban in person for that, but I do thank him," said Bogues.

Another great find by Twersky. And, as he notes, the final balance came out to just over $3.6 million over three years, without Bogues ever once lacing up for the Mavericks. By retiring, Bogues forfeited every cent of that remaining contract, and yet Cuban continued to honor the contract Muggsy walked away from.

Would Cuban do this today? 2001 was only his second season as an NBA owner, and he was coming off Dallas' first playoff appearance in over a decade, and spending quite a bit back then. A few years later he would be (grudgingly and sorrowfully, it should be noted) waiving franchise cornerstone Michael Finley(notes) under the NBA's tax-saving amnesty program, and though he still works with a high payroll in Dallas, he has cooled off a bit.

But as Cuban found his way, Bogues was a notable beneficiary. Just something to think about, in whatever direction you want to take it, as the NBA and its teams let go of "non-essential" employees making far, far less during this lockout.

[Edited 9/16/11 14:30pm]

Mark Cuban is a cool guy. If you email him, he will email you back - no matter who you are.

We were coaching a youth league team a few years back, and we were the Mavericks. We were not very good, and I told the coach about Cuban. I said, "Hey, send him an email and ask him if he has any advice for some little Mavericks".

He did, and I'll be darned if Cuban didn't email him back a couple days later, telling our coach to let the players know it isn't how you start but how you finish.

Cool dude!

RodeoSchro said:

Mark Cuban is a cool guy. If you email him, he will email you back - no matter who you are.

We were coaching a youth league team a few years back, and we were the Mavericks. We were not very good, and I told the coach about Cuban. I said, "Hey, send him an email and ask him if he has any advice for some little Mavericks".

He did, and I'll be darned if Cuban didn't email him back a couple days later, telling our coach to let the players know it isn't how you start but how you finish.

Cool dude!

I always liked him UNTIL he got rid of Steve Nash. But we've hugged it out since then.

His wife is a SAINT!

I wish I had his money.

I went a couple rounds with him on Twitter about getting rid of Nowitzki before the beginning of last season.... looks like he was right.

I've never ever had a problem with Mark Cuban, though I was a Spurs fan and I never really paid much attention to the Mavs (except when they played SA). But from what I've read, he seemed like a GREAT guy to work for. I remember he upgraded the players' facilities and locker room, and he genuinely seemed passionate about his club and basketball in particular. You can't hate on an owner like that.

A lot of the old, stodgy, fuddy-duddy owners just own their teams as a simple business (with no heart), and that's it. He really cares about the product he puts on the court and his players, seemingly. So, Cuban will never get bits of hate from moi. Though, if they keep smackin' around my Spurs, my attitude is subject to change.

It looks like the sale of the Houston Astros has hit some sort of snag. I don't know what it is - could be the new owner doesn't want to move to the American League (I SURE DON'T!), but maybe he can't raise the money.

So there's an undercurrent of "Hey, maybe Mark Cuban will buy the Astros! Please please please please!!!!!"

But I doubt it would happen. I don't see how you can own a Dallas team and a Houston team, even if they're in different sports. I mean, why would us Houstonians want to step down a level or two?

alexnvrmnd777 said:

I've never ever had a problem with Mark Cuban, though I was a Spurs fan and I never really paid much attention to the Mavs (except when they played SA). But from what I've read, he seemed like a GREAT guy to work for. I remember he upgraded the players' facilities and locker room, and he genuinely seemed passionate about his club and basketball in particular. You can't hate on an owner like that.

A lot of the old, stodgy, fuddy-duddy owners just own their teams as a simple business (with no heart), and that's it. He really cares about the product he puts on the court and his players, seemingly. So, Cuban will never get bits of hate from moi. Though, if they keep smackin' around my Spurs, my attitude is subject to change.

Get ready, partna!

RodeoSchro said:

It looks like the sale of the Houston Astros has hit some sort of snag. I don't know what it is - could be the new owner doesn't want to move to the American League (I SURE DON'T!), but maybe he can't raise the money.

So there's an undercurrent of "Hey, maybe Mark Cuban will buy the Astros! Please please please please!!!!!"

But I doubt it would happen. I don't see how you can own a Dallas team and a Houston team, even if they're in different sports. I mean, why would us Houstonians want to step down a level or two?

Really? Maybe it makes sense tho

SCNDLS said:

alexnvrmnd777 said:

I've never ever had a problem with Mark Cuban, though I was a Spurs fan and I never really paid much attention to the Mavs (except when they played SA). But from what I've read, he seemed like a GREAT guy to work for. I remember he upgraded the players' facilities and locker room, and he genuinely seemed passionate about his club and basketball in particular. You can't hate on an owner like that.

A lot of the old, stodgy, fuddy-duddy owners just own their teams as a simple business (with no heart), and that's it. He really cares about the product he puts on the court and his players, seemingly. So, Cuban will never get bits of hate from moi. Though, if they keep smackin' around my Spurs, my attitude is subject to change.

Get ready, partna!

Please don't remind me.

alexnvrmnd777 said:

SCNDLS said:

Get ready, partna!

Please don't remind me.

Cheer up, buckaroo, may be there won't be a season.