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Mark Cuban just raked in a $1,000 check for drawing a picture of two stick-figure cats kissing each other ... seriously.
It's not as random as it seems -- Mark is an "investor" on the reality show "
Shark Tank" ... and recently sunk $25k into a company called, "I Want to Draw a Cat for You" -- a website that sells personalized cartoon cats for $9.95 a piece.
After he bankrolled the company, IWTDACFY jokingly posted an offer on the website that Cuban would personally sketch some cat art for $1,000 ... not thinking anyone would actually bite.
But they were wrong ... 'cause a short time later, a 24-year-old dude named David Switzer put up the cash ... and requested a kitty pic featuring himself and his girlfriend.
Mark tells TMZ ... although he has no prior cat-drawing experience, he's taking the job seriously ... and even reached out to the regular cat artist to get an idea of what the pic should look like (see below).
Cuban tells us he's already started on the drawing -- and hopes to have it out to his first cat client shortly.
Breaking News
Stick a fork in
Lamar Odom ... 'cause he's officially DONE in Dallas.
Odom released a statement explaining he will "step away from the team" ... effective immediately.
He added, "I'm sorry that things didn't work out better for both of us, but I wish the Mavs' organization, my teammates and Dallas fans nothing but continued success in the defense of their championship."
According to ESPN, Odom will leave the team ASAP ... but he will not be cut.
Instead, Odom will be listed as "inactive" for the rest of the season ... which means he could still be traded after the season.
Odom has been downright atrocious this season -- he's put up career low numbers and just hasn't appeared motivated on the court.
Sucks even worse for his wife
Khloe Kardashian ... because the couple had just leased a condo in Dallas and had planned to begin shooting footage for the family reality show.
Dallas Mavericks owner
Mark Cuban tells TMZ ...
Lamar Odom WILL rejoin the team after a
brief stint down in the D-League ... claiming L.O. simply needs to get his timing back.
Cuban explains, "[Lamar] is doing great. D-League is rehab. [He] needs to get in great shape and then rejoin the Mavs."
He continues, "Know how baseball teams send a guy down to the minor leagues to get some games in and get timing back? Same thing."
"Things are going great. He is working super hard. All is good."
Lamar Odom has been dropped from the
Dallas Mavericks roster and sent down to the NBA Developmental League... in the midst of his worst season as an NBA player.
The Mavs have assigned Odom to play for the Texas Legends ... which means he's officially off the Mavericks roster ... but will still receive his $8.9 million annual salary.
According to ESPN, Odom was dropped to the D-League to "get his legs back under him."
Odom had missed a few games to deal with family issues back in L.A. Odom's father said the NBA star
took care of him during a recent stomach illness.
Odom has struggled immensely ever since he was traded away from the Lakers at the beginning of the season ... and turned in career low stats with the Mavs.
Mark Cuban really does have the Midas touch -- his $25,000 investment into an online business that produces stick figure drawings of cats (yes, really) is actually proving to be a moneymaker ... and the guy behind it can't keep up with the demand!
Steve Gadlin's appearance on the ABC show "
Shark Tank" aired just this Friday. For the uninitiated ... entrepreneurs go on the show seeking investments from a team of business "sharks," such as Cuban.
The Dallas Mavericks owner pledged $25k to Gadlin in return for 33% of his business. Within 30 seconds of receiving Cuban's blessing, Gadlin tells TMZ,
his site crashed.
Gadlin tells us, he's gotten over a thousand orders in the past few days, where before he averaged between 10-40 a week. Gadlin charges $9.95 for his customized cat drawings ... and they only cost him about $0.63 in materials.
He says he's going to take a week off from his real job as a web developer to catch up with the demand.
We talked to Mark Cuban, who said "[Steve] is the master of the bizarre, which means we will be great partners. He comes up with ideas that sound crazy but make perfect business sense," adding, "I'm fired up to work him with."
Dallas Mavericks owner
Mark Cuban just dropped the ultimate "IN YOUR FACE" statement to a minority owner of the team ... who tried to take control away from Mark last year.
Long story short -- the minority owner, a company owned by
Ross Perot Jr. -- filed legal papers in May 2010 calling Cuban a "careless and reckless" owner who was running the team into the ground.
Perot begged a judge to remove Cuban from operational control of the squad before it was too late.
Now, Cuban has responded in legal docs with the greatest statement ever ... a photo of the Mavs hoisting the NBA championship trophy.
In the docs, Cuban adds, "Under Cuban's stewardship, the Mavericks have become one of the league's most successful teams and are now NBA champions."
He adds, "Accordingly, there can be no genuine question that [Perot's] claims of mismanagement lack merit and .... should be disposed of."
Hail to the champ.
Mark Cuban tells TMZ he's STILL interested in purchasing the
L.A. Dodgers ... but he's afraid the team is "such a mess," it wouldn't be worth the investment.
Cuban appeared on "TMZ Live" Tuesday ... claiming the Dodgers are still an enticing franchise ... but the organization appears to be so messed up financially, that it could be impossible to turn around.
Cuban says he will take a closer look at the team -- and insists, "If they're fixable and the deal is right, then I'm very interested."
The
Dallas Mavericks continued to stick it to the Miami Heat last night even AFTER they won the NBA Championship... partying at the same place
LeBron's mom got arrested back in April.
NBA Finals MVP
Dirk Nowitzki, owner
Mark Cuban, several other Mavs, and a few celebs like
Lil Wayne and
Trey Songz ... celebrated at LIV nightclub in the swanky Fontainebleau Miami Beach Hotel -- where just two months ago,
Gloria James was arrested for slapping a valet.
To the victors, go the spoils.
So how the hell can
LeBron James recover from one of the worst PR moves in NBA history?? According to
Dallas Mavericks owner
Mark Cuban ... dude needs "media training."
Obviously, Cuban is referring to the fact that James decided to amp up the drama ... and screw with practically everyone's emotions ... before announcing on live TV last night that he was ditching the city that loved him to try and win a quick championship with a "super team" in Miami.
LeBron had toyed with the idea of going to Chicago, New York, New Jersey and L.A. too ... so now everyone hates him.
In just two days,
NBA teams will officially get the green light to go after free agents -- like
LeBron James,
Dwyane Wade,
Chris Bosh -- and one NBA owner claims he's already got TWO private jets gassed up and ready to go ... just in case he needs 'em.
TMZ spoke with
Dallas Mavericks owner
Mark Cuban -- who tells us he doesn't think he'll have to pull any crazy stunts to get players to want to sign with the Mavs this year ... saying, "This crop of free agents is taking a much more sophisticated approach than other years. I think that helps the Mavs."
Cuban adds, "Less BS and more business."
But Cube wasn't joking about the jet-setting -- saying, "Since we can't talk to agents 'til [Thursday] it's up in the air, but I have two jets fueled and ready to go if we need to."
