Mavs' owner Cuban to host reality TV show on ABC

DALLAS (AP) Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban will give away $1 million of his own money this summer as host of a reality TV show called ``The Benefactor.''

About 30 contestants will compete on the six-episode series for the billionaire's cash on ABC-TV.

``Everyone has dreamed of getting rich, and I want to help one lucky person get there,'' Cuban said Tuesday.

He said the show won't be a traditional contest.

``You don't need special talents,'' he said. ``I'm not looking to find out who is the grossest, funniest, prettiest, smartest or able to go without food or water the longest.

``The right person is going to get on my good side at the right time, and whoever that is, is going to walk away with a check from me for $1 million.''

Cuban has grown accustomed to giving away his money in recent years: He's been fined repeatedly by the NBA since buying the Mavericks in January 2000, mostly for criticizing referees. The penalties totaled more than $1 million.

The largest fine was $500,000 for saying he wouldn't hire the NBA's head of officials to manage a Dairy Queen. Cuban later poked fun at himself by working behind the counter of an ice cream shop, serving cones.

Via Associated Press

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Mavericks activate Delk, place Best on injured list

DALLAS (AP) The Dallas Mavericks activated guard Tony Delk on Friday and placed guard Travis Best on the injured list with inflammation in his right Achilles' heel.

Delk has missed 17 games with a sprained left ankle. He was averaging 6.6 points and 2.0 rebounds in 16.3 minutes a game before that.

Best is averaging 3.2 points and 2.0 assists in 14.2 minutes.

Via Associated Press

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Harris to coach Chinese in Olympics

CLEVELAND (AP) Dallas assistant coach Del Harris doesn't speak very much Chinese, but he isn't worried it will be a problem when he leads the Chinese national team at the Athens Olympics.

``Pick and roll is really pick and roll in any language,'' Harris said Wednesday.

Harris will become the first foreigner to guide China in international play.

``It's an honor,'' the longtime NBA coach said. ``The people of China are looking at this as a very significant, landmark event. It's important for sports, but it's also symbolic of the new, open China that they want to put forward to the world.

``For the Chinese people, this is another step in showing the openness of their country.''

Harris, who has extensive experience coaching international basketball, said the Chinese sports ministry approved him as coach on Tuesday.

During the Summer Games, Harris will coach Houston All-Star center Yao Ming, who is thrilled that his country's team will be coached by someone with Harris' background.

``(Rockets president) Carroll Dawson told me Yao was so excited he could hardly sleep,'' said Harris.

Harris said his NBA coaching background as well as his international resume _ he has been involved with national teams from Puerto Rico, Canada and the United States _ gave him an edge over other candidates for the Chinese job.

Harris was an assistant to Rudy Tomjanovich on the 1998 U.S. team at the World Championships in Athens.

The 66-year-old Harris, who has more than 500 career NBA coaching victories, sees his affiliation with the Chinese team as a positive in many ways.

``It's good for the Mavericks and it's good for the NBA,'' he said. ``It's good for the city of Dallas.''

Harris will not join the Chinese team until the Mavericks' season is over. Former Dallas star Rolando Blackman, now the Mavs' director of player development, will be an assistant on his staff during this summer's games.

Before leaving for Greece, the Chinese team will train in Dallas, Harris said. He's hoping to schedule exhibition games there as well as in San Francisco.

Harris said that Dallas owner Mark Cuban, who has been critical of his players participating in the Olympics, has been supportive of him coaching in Athens.

``I asked him before I agreed to do it and he had no problem with it at all,'' Harris said. ``I think it enhances the Mavericks.''

Dallas coach Don Nelson supports Harris' decision.

``It's quite a sacrifice, giving up your whole summer,'' Nelson said. ``But if it's something he wants to do, I'm happy for him.''

Via Associated Press

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