OT: Mavs consider drafting Brittney Griner

Mark Cuban may draft Brittney Griner

LOS ANGELES -- Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban would be willing to give Baylor women's star Brittney Griner the opportunity to prove she could play in the NBA.

Cuban said he would consider selecting Griner, a 6-foot-8 three-time All-American and Big 12 player of the year, in the second round of the NBA draft. If the Mavs don't draft her, Cuban said he would have "no problem whatsoever" inviting Griner to try out for a spot on Dallas' summer league team.

"If she is the best on the board, I will take her," Cuban said before the Mavs' Tuesday night game against the Los Angeles Lakers. "I've thought about it. I've thought about it already. Would I do it? Right now, I'd lean toward yes, just to see if she can do it. You never know unless you give somebody a chance, and it's not like the likelihood of any late-50s draft pick has a good chance of making it."

Griner dominated women's college basketball with her size and athleticism, scoring 3,283 points and blocking 748 shots in her career. She also had 18 dunks, including 11 her senior season.

Griner would love the opportunity. "I would hold my own! Lets do it." she wrote on Twitter on Tuesday night in response to Cuban.

Full story: http://espn.go.com/dallas/nba/story...-brittney-griner-opportunity-dallas-mavericks

LOL at Griner playing men's bball... she's too weak. She'd get pushed around.

Mark Cuban is a smart man. Good marketing opportunity.

Les Grossman said:

LOL at Griner playing men's bball... she's too weak. She'd get pushed around.

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Sexist.

thats possible?

I don't think she would be able to compete

Not only is this something that I foresaw YEARS ago (and this entire forum laughed me out of the room for) but this is something I am certain WILL happen.

This isn't Ann Meyers, who got a camp invite from the Pacers at 5-5" 120 pounds. This is a 6-8" 210 pound physical specimen who can dunk on your head.

If it was some marginal womens basketball player I would say no way but given the right circumstances and adjustments I can absolutely see a team investing a second round pick on Brittany Griner (especially a team that is in dire need of some attention and revenue).

The second Brittany Griner, one of the greatest female players to ever play puts on an NBA jersey and steps out onto an NBA court for the first time EVER that would be the highest-rated basketball game in the history of the NBA.

So many things we would tune in dying to see:

1. What's going to happen?

2. How many points will she score? How many rebounds? How many blocks?

3. Will she dunk? On a break-away will someone try and block her or risk getting dunked on? If and when she dunks on a small player (like our own Nate Robinson for example) what will the reaction be for HIM? Will he be razzed for the remainder of time or will he be gracious?

4. If she succeeds what does this mean? Will it open the floodgates for MORE elite womens players to make the jump to where the NBA is a co-ed league (we all laughed at the thought of female refs and now look at where we are).

5. How will she be guarded? Will the Artests and the Hansbroughs and the Stephen Jacksons pop her as they would a man? Would players let up on her or will they play her as hard as anyone else? If they dominate her will they be ridiculed for NOT easing up?

There are SO many questions, they would sell the gym out night after night and there would be record-number ratings (all those little girls, bringing in non-traditional viewers, making more women fans of the game, guys who will either be proven right or humbled).

Telling you guys - whether it's a short 10-day contract experiment or it's a 2-year deal this is going to happen.

3 years ago many of you guys laughed me out of the room.

Now all I want to know is, whose laughing now?

This would be a watershed moment in the landscape of sports and put the NBA more on the map than it's ever been.

This isn't NASCAR or horse racing where it's women competing against men but where the real athlete is a car or an animal.

This would be the best in the womens game against the best in the mens game and there would be so much buzz around this there may be more ratings than the Super Bowl.

It's never been done before!

Frank Breakfast Styleham said:

This would be a watershed moment in the landscape of sports and put the NBA more on the map than it's ever been.

This isn't NASCAR or horse racing where it's women competing against men but where the real athlete is a car or an animal.

This would be the best in the womens game against the best in the mens game and there would be so much buzz around this there may be more ratings than the Super Bowl.

It's never been done before!

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Stop.

nwfisch said:

Stop.

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Collaborate and listen.

I think it would be awesome if Cuban drafted her.

You don't agree with any of that?

You don't think this would be a ratings bonanza for the NBA?

Monk316 said:

Collaborate and listen.

I think it would be awesome if Cuban drafted her.

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Frank Breakfast Styleham is the worst poster on CCS.

nwfisch said:

Frank Breakfast Styleham is the worst poster on CCS.

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So. I still think it would be awesome, and I enjoy quoting Vanilla Ice lyrics.

Well, she probably wouldn't last too long, unless she was OK with going from dominant female player to a pretty crappy male player (best case scenario imo).

Les Grossman said:

Well, she probably wouldn't last too long, unless she was OK with going from dominant female player to a pretty crappy male player (best case scenario imo).

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Still sexist.

Clearly a publicity stunt by Cuba n who needs attention because his team is having a down year.

Cuban just likes attention

Monk316 said:

Still sexist.

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How so? We are talking about a bunch of dudes playing basketball...

She would be destroyed. It would be nothing but money and ratings for the NBA. The dudes in this league are too big, strong and fast for any kind of female.

Everyone on here that is either hyping it up or bitching about it is doing exactly what Cuban wants. All of you in here are going to constantly tune in and see if she can make it or if she fails miserably. Mark Cuban is a self made billionaire for a reason.