‘Shark Tank’ Season 16 Finale Sneak Peek: Mark Cuban’s Grand Farewell (VIDEO)

This Friday’s (May 16) episode of Shark Tank will mark the end of an era as the show says goodbye to Mark Cuban after more than a decade of on-air dealmaking, and TV Insider has an exclusive sneak peek at how the show will bid farewell to the long-time shark.

In the clip, some of the most successful entrepreneurs from Cuban’s past on the show speak up about how much their deals with him still mean.

“Working with Mark is a company’s dream scenario,” says R. Riveter cofounder Lisa Bradley, who made a deal with Cuban all the way back on Season 7 and has celebrated many years of success since then.

“Since we pitched, we’ve done over half a billion dollars in sales. We’re so grateful to Mark and Shark Tank for where we are today,” added Dude Wipes cofounder Ryan Meegan add.s

We then hear some memorable moments from the man himself, as he says, “I’m the luckiest guy in the world. You know, I wake up every day and try not to take what’s happened to me for granted. When I die, I want to come back as me.”

In another flash to Cuban’s past, we are reminded of the tough negotiation skills he has employed over the years, including telling a prospective partner, “75% of a watermelon is a whole lot better than 100% of a grape,” and advising another, “You always have to run your business like there’s someone else out there working 24 hours a day to kick your butt.”

Perhaps the most emotionally resonant moment comes when he speaks to inspire children to achieve in the business world and says, “I want ya’ll to think, who’s next? And what are you guys going to do to get there? Try different things because there’s absolutely nothing that can stop you guys.”

Mark Cuban has been a part of Shark Tank since Season 2, when he debuted as a guest shark, and he became a full-time shark in Season 3 to replace Kevin Harrington. He has since been part of the show’s main cast — alongside Daymond John, Barbara Corcoran, Robert Herjavec, Kevin O’Leary, and Lori Greiner and announced his intent to retire back in November 2023, and the Season 16 finale will mark his last stand on the show (which has been renewed for Season 17).

The logline for the finale tells us, “For the season 16 finale and Mark Cuban’s farewell episode, entrepreneurs pitch their one-of-a-kind products to the Sharks, including oversized luxury candles, gourmet deviled eggs, a tick-removal mitten, and seamless, invisible undergarments.”

Shark Tank, Season 16 finale, Friday, May 16, 8/7c, ABC