Ex-Mavericks employee details sexual harassment, says 'I think Mark knew'

Michael Singer | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption What we know about Mavs investigating misconduct claims SportsPulse: USA TODAY Sports' Jeff Zillgitt explains the Mavericks' reaction to sexual misconduct claims detailed in a 'Sports Illustrated' story.

A former Dallas Mavericks employee said Wednesday she believes owner Mark Cuban knew about the sexual harassment going on within his organization.

Melissa Weishaupt, whose first-person essay revealing her identity was published Tuesday by Sports Illustrated, worked in marketing and game operations for the Mavs from 2010-2014. She has publicly detailed how former CEO Terdema Ussery sexually harassed her on numerous occasions.

“I think Mark knew about (the culture), just because of how people talked in the office,” she told The Dallas Morning News. “It was a small office. I think Mark knew, and I think Mark just turned a blind eye to it. … It’s hard for me to believe he just dealt with basketball operations. That’s just an untrue statement.”

One of the most jarring details revealed in last month’s in-depth Sports Illustrated piece detailing the corrosive and hostile work environment at the Mavericks concerned Ussery telling a woman she was going to get “gang-banged.”

As Weishaupt told the The Dallas Morning News, she was that woman.

“He would always bring up motorcycle riders, like I was getting gang-banged by motorcycle riders,” she said. “It was so often I can’t even tell you how many times he said it.”

Weishaupt also said Ussery would make inappropriate comments about her body, but her disclosures to her bosses went unheard.

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On Aug. 12, 2013, she tried talking to her direct boss, Paul Monroe, who was then the Mavs’ vice president of marketing.

“We were in a car together, and he absolutely lost his mind with me,” she said. “He had locked me in the car for an hour. I froze because he just completely lost his mind, screaming and yelling at me.”

Monroe denied recalling that conversation, according to Sports Illustrated.

Weishaupt said Monroe told her she was a “horrible employee” and he would get her fired.

During the incident, Weishaupt said two other Mavs employees walked by, including executive vice president George Killebrew.

“They walked by and pointed and laughed, and my heart sank,” she said. “I knew nobody was ever going to help, so I knew I had to get out of there.

“I describe it like a domestic violence incident because I felt trapped,” she continued. “He was so violent and screaming, and I told everybody who would listen to me, and nobody seemed to care.”

Killebrew told the Dallas Morning News: "I don't recall that occurrence at all. And if I ever saw any Mavs employee in duress I would try to help them."

Ussery left the Mavs in 2015; Monroe left in 2014. Killebrew remains in his position.

Cuban has declined to comment on the allegations, but told SI last month he knew nothing of the claims. Among changes, he hired Cynthia Marshall, a high-profile human resources executive, as an interim CEO. He also mandated sensitivity training for all employees.

On Feb. 22, NBA commissioner Adam Silver said an NBA-sponsored hotline would be set up the next week for employees to use to report abuse.

According to the Dallas Morning News, that hotline went live Sunday, March 18.

Also, the Mavericks have hired two more executives to help bolster their human resources department. Tarsha LaCour, a Houston native, will serve as vice president of human resources. And Cyndee Wales is the new chief ethics and compliance officer.

While Weishaupt said she hasn't been contacted by Marshall, she did say someone else from the organization reached out to offer counseling.

"I don't need your counseling now," Weishaupt responded. "My thing is the workplace needs to change. [Cuban] doesn't get that he needs to take care of all of your workers.

"I went years ago and I received my counseling and came to peace with this. I'm more focused on equality for all workers and not just women and I think that gets lost in the whole story. I feel like there are men who work there who don't get treated well."

Marshall is encouraging others to come forward.

"I don't want people thinking we don't believe these women who come forward," Marshall told the Dallas Morning News. "We need to know these things and it will all fold into the plan. It's sad that people went through this.

"And if people have something to say, tell it to us or the investigators or the newspaper. We absolutely are going to come out of this a better organization. But it will take some time."

Follow Singer on Twitter @msinger

MARK CUBAN THROUGH THE YEARS