Michael Jordan made less than $100 million as the NBA’s greatest player of all time, but that hasn’t stopped him from becoming a billionaire with an estimated net worth of $1.6 billion.
Since Jordan retired 15 years ago, he has built the most successful and lucrative career we’ve ever seen from a former athlete.
From secret golf courses and sprawling houses to custom planes, Jordan is clearly enjoying life after hoops.
Jordan loves to golf, and this year, his exclusive golf course Grove XXIII’s nickname surfaced. Called “Slaughterhouse 23,” it earned the name since it was designed by Jordan, for Jordan, and aimed at maximizing Jordan’s style of play against his opponents.
Michael Jordan loves gold so much, he built his own golf course in 2019.
The course has lavish amenities, including a drone delivery service that brings beer and other refreshments to the club’s exclusive members.
In March, Jordan was part of a $305 million investment in Dapper Labs, the startup behind virtual trading-card platform NBA Top Shot. Other investors included Will Smith, Kevin Durant, and 2 Chainz.
Last fall, Jordan donated $2 million of his earnings from his docuseries “The Last Dance” to Feeding America’s food banks in Chicago and the Carolinas. “In these challenging times and in a year of unimaginable difficulty due to COVID-19, it’s more important than ever to pause and give thanks,” he said in a statement.
In 2020, Jordan and Nike’s Jordan Brand pledged to donate $100 million over 10 years to organizations fighting for ‘racial quality, social justice, and greater access to education.’ The June announcement came amid nationwide Black Lives Matter protests over the killing of George Floyd.
DraftKings announced last September that Jordan took an equity stake in the sports betting company, along with a special adviser role. The company’s shares surged 12% immediately following the announcement.
The recent money moves come as no surprise. Jordan is the world’s first athlete billionaire.
As of 2015, he was reportedly making $100 million a year from Nike royalties alone.
he Chicago BulAnd his income now is way more than his total playing salary during his career. He earned $90 million total in NBA salary, and about $63 million of that came in his final two seasons with tls.
His net worth is now believed to be $1.6 billion thanks to the value of his NBA team, the Charlotte Hornets …
He bought the Charlotte Hornets in 2010 for $175 million …
… and he officially became a billionaire in 2014 when the NBA franchise value rose.
The team is now worth more than $1.5 billion, and he owns 97% of the equity in the club.
Jordan did sell a minority stake in the club in 2019, but he reportedly has no interest in giving up control of the team.
Jordan is still waiting for the day the Hornets win a championship. He has said that winning a championship as an owner would be more gratifying than any of the six rings he won as a player.
