Mark Cuban: There Absolutely Will Be An Openly Gay NBA Player “Within The Next Three To Five Years”

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is certain there will be an openly gay pro basketball player well before a female coach breaks the glass backboard.

The well-spoken billionaire called up TMZ to discuss the possibility of a female coach, but took it upon himself to mention the more real possibility of an NBA player coming out of the closet.

“I think there’ll be guys who come out of the closet and continue to play in the NBA,” Cuban said. When asked for clarification, he said it was going to happen “within the next three to five years, absolutely.”

He seemed to indicate that NBA insiders weren’t clamoring around a specific closeted player, and defended the organization from the notion that it’s a homophobic sport. “There’s certain words that were accepted five to ten years that you can’t use anymore,” he said. “I think it’ll be more of a media sensation when somebody comes out than a player issue.”

Image via Keith Allison