Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban might be best remembered for ponying up more than $1 million in fines handed down by the NBA, but the billionaire's philanthropic record bears mention as well.

Cuban has created The Fallen Patriot Fund, an organization geared to help families of U.S. military personnel who were killed or wounded in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

	Mark Cuban

"We all spent time talking about our support for our troops, but no one really said anything about the immediate families of those who lost loved ones in Iraq," Cuban said. "I just felt I could and should do something more. This was purely a personal thing with my wife and myself."

Cuban, who said he does not personally know any of the soldiers wounded or killed in battle, pledged that he will match up to $1 million in total donations made online at www.fallenpatriotfund.org or donations earmarked for the fund at local branches of Bank of America.

Money will be distributed to the significant others and children of military personnel killed or injured in the war based on demonstrated need, Cuban said. Funds will be distributed within weeks of the first grant application.

Mavericks players Nick Van Exel and Steve Nash, who wore a "No War. Shoot for Peace" shirt during All-Star Weekend, have been criticized for their anti-war stances, but when the Mavericks played the San Antonio Spurs on March 20, Cuban wore a "United We Stand" T-shirt.

According to figures released by the U.S. Defense Department on Tuesday, 121 Americans have been killed in battle and 495 soldiers have been wounded in the month-long war.

Cuban matched the dollar figure of the fines he received last season with donations to cancer research and MPS, a rare enzyme disorder. He also donated $1 million to the World Trade Center relief effort following the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001.

The Fallen Patriot Fund is not affiliated with the Mavericks, but the team's Web site will feature a banner promoting the program.

Darren Rovell, who covers sports business for ESPN.com, can be reached at darren.rovell@espn3.com.