How did the Chicago Bulls great become the richest athlete on the planet?
ichael Jordan is the top contender for the NBA’s Greatest of All Time (GOAT). His achievements on the court and his legendary skills with the basketball are well known. But there’s another, slightly lesser-known list where Jordan also leads by a wide margin: the richest basketball players in history.
In a recent issue, Hola magazine compiled a list of the wealthiest current and former NBA players, and none of them come close to Jordan’s level of wealth. In sixth place is Shaquille O’Neal, whose $500 million net worth stems from his work as a television analyst and his investments in the entertainment industry.
O’Neal shares the spot with Vinnie Johnson, who earned the nickname “The Microwave” as the sixth man for the Detroit Pistons during the Isiah Thomas era. While Johnson made just $6 million from his NBA contracts, he built a massive $500 million fortune after retiring by founding The Piston Group, an auto parts supplier with contracts major brands like Ford and General Motors.
In fourth place is Ulysses “Junior” Bridgeman, with an estimated $600 million net worth. After retiring from basketball, the former Milwaukee Bucks forward invested in Wendy’s franchises and established Bridgeman Foods, which became a supplier for Coca-Cola. Bridgeman also entered the publishing business by acquiring Ebony and Jet magazines.
Top of the list
Despite these impressive figures, the top three on the list stand far above the rest. LeBron James and Magic Johnson share second place with net worths of approximately $1.2 billion, according to Forbes.
James is the only active player on the list. He earns an average annual salary of $40 million with the Los Angeles Lakers and has endorsements with major brands like Nike, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and McDonald’s. His biggest income streams come from investments in companies like Beats, Blaze Pizza, Fenway Sports Group, and Liverpool FC.
Magic, on the other hand, invested much of his earnings into building Magic Johnson Enterprises, a company involved in the hospitality industry and a lucrative partnership with Starbucks. He later acquired a stake in EquiTrust Life Insurance, which propelled his wealth to its current levels.
Jordan: In a league of his own
Michael Jordan entered the NBA as the third overall pick by the Chicago Bulls in the 1984 draft and retired in 2003 after two final seasons with the Washington Wizards. During his career, “Air Jordan” amassed significant wealth from his contracts and endorsements.
However, the majority of the former Bulls guard’s wealth came from his post-retirement business ventures. A large portion of his net worth comes from his multi-million dollar deal with Nike for the “Air Jordan” sneaker line. But his biggest financial windfall came from selling his stake in the Charlotte Hornets in 2023.
This business move not only solidified Jordan as the NBA’s first billionaire, but it also placed him in a completely different financial stratosphere from the league’s other wealthiest players.
“His Airness” now has a net worth of approximately $3.2 billion, making him not only the richest NBA player but also the wealthiest athlete in the world.
News
Angel Reese goes viral for this single moment with a bottle on Sky bench – Does she have any class?
Angel Reese suffered a season-ending injury last week so she was in street clothes for the Chicago Sky’s blowout loss to the Washington Mystics on Wednesday night. During…
Caitlin Clark Sparks Outrage with ‘Like’ on Taylor Swift’s Political Post – Fans Divided, Can’t Accept the Truth
Caitlin Clark found herself at the center of controversy after liking an Instagram post supporting Kamala Harris. The Indiana Fever rookie point guard’s action stirred mixed reactions among her fans, with…
Things Are Getting Strange! Angel Reese Finds Herself in Odd ‘Dating’ Scandal!
Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese has been vocal about her frustration with ongoing dating rumors throughout the 2024 WNBA season. Whether she’s spotted courtside with NBA stars such…
Skip Bayless Defends Caitlin Clark Praise with ‘White Guilt’ Excuse, but Fans Aren’t Buying It
Skip Bayless, the once-controversial sports pundit, now finds himself out of the spotlight and, apparently, feeling guilty for cheering on one of college basketball’s rising stars, Caitlin…
VIDEO: Caitlin Clark Turns Up the Heat! Her Most Recent Daring Leg-Baring Pregame Outfit Has Everyone Talking
Caitlin Clark (Photo via @IndianaFever/Twitter) Caitlin Clark was grabbing online attention with her pregame outfit well before she went to the court at Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Clark was going…
Caitlin Clark’s Toughest Battle Yet: On-Court Injury, Performance Slump, and Political Controversy Hit Hard
It was a tough outing for Indiana Fever’s rookie sensation Caitlin Clark, who struggled during the team’s 86-75 loss to the Las Vegas Aces. Clark shot just 27 percent from the field,…
End of content
No more pages to load