By Julie Bolcer

Originally published on Advocate.com December 19 2011 11:55 AM ET

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said he believes a gay player will come out in the NBA within the next three to five years — before the league sees a woman head coach.

TMZ spoke with Cuban and asked for his opinion on the timing of the prospective breakthroughs. He said he believed there would be a woman head coach in the NBA eventually, but probably not in the near future. Cuban mentioned that last year lesbian basketball legend Nancy Lieberman coached the Texas Legends, a Development League team associated with the Mavericks, but he said he had not discussed a more prominent role with her.

“Cuban was then asked about whether he thought there would be an openly gay player in the NBA before a woman head coach, and he said that he absolutely thinks that will be the case,” reports Yardbarker. “Cuban said that he thinks a gay player will come out within the next three to five years.”

Watch the video from TMZ. The discussion with Cuban begins around 3:10.