Mark Cuban’s cheese isn’t up for grabs either. The billionaire Shark made his customary appearance on season 6 of The Steam Room during Thanksgiving week. But only after his multiple appearances on the show does Charles Barkley ask how does the former Mavs shotcaller not spoil his kids. Not surprisingly, Cuban shares a similar stance to his and Chuck’s bestie, Shaquille O’Neal. The Cuban kids are in a similar boat as the O’Neal kids but they also have the blueprint to be their own selves.

When Barkley brought it up, Mark Cuban said, “I use your line, ‘it’s my money, not yours.” We don’t recall when Chuckster said that. Or if Cuban remixed it with Shaq’s famous line to his kids – “We ain’t rich. I’m rich.” 

Cuban, O’Neal, and Barkley have a total of 10 kids between them and are firm on not spoiling their kids. But the retired NBA pros have grown up kids doing their own thing. Mark is hoping his kids stay on a similar path.

Mark and his wife, Tiffany, have three children, Alexis (born 2003), Alyssa (2006) and Jake (2010). He dished that Alyssa kind of rebels against Cuban’s stern policy and Jake takes advantage of it a bit. But the parents balance it through chores. “We’re not the type of family that just like, presents… ‘oh you’re mad at me, let me buy something, you’re sad, let me buy you something.’ That’s just now how it works.” 

However, the billionaire admits it comes with its own set of challenges. He could employ Shaquille O’Neal’s policy for that.

The Shaq’s Guide to Parenting works

Mark Cuban tells Chuck and Ernie that his kids are unique and very different from himself and his wife. It’s a fine balance between travelling in private jets and not letting it get to their heads, and “you just do your best.” He once expressed his fear that he didn’t want his kids to become “entitled jerks.”

Shaquille O’Neal navigated around that. While his kids don’t have any claim on his $500 million empire, he incentivized it. His best offer to his six kids is, “In order to touch daddy’s cheese, you gotta have 3 degrees.” His daughters, Taahirah, Amirah, and Me’Arah get a few extra perks, maybe more for going to college.

Even Shareef admitted that his sisters get treated better but he doesn’t mind. Shaq spoils his kids with presents on occasion but credits their mothers, his exes, for raising them well.

Shareef and Taahirah have said on different occasions that Shaq gave them examples of multi-generational business families to encourage them. Despite his stern stance, Shaq bought Myles his own console after discovering his DJ talents. He convinced Shareef to put overseas basketball on hold to help him at Reebok. He loves gushing  about Taahirah’s degrees and has her involved in Big Chicken marketing.

Mark Cuban can look at the O’Neal kids and be assured, the “We ain’t rich. I’m rich,” approach does let the kids grow individually.