Michael Jordan’s Already Gigantic Net Worth Has Reached a Historic Level

NBA legend Michael Jordan piled up points on the court and continues to pile up dollars after his playing days.

Jordan, 60, made history on Monday as he became the first athlete to appear on the annual Forbes 400 list of the wealthiest Americans. He now has an estimated net worth of $3 billion.

While Jordan is known for his mastery of the hardwood, his burgeoning net worth is primarily due in part to his savviness as a businessman. Here’s a breakdown of how Jordan’s wealth reached GOAT-like proportions.

MJ Profits from Hornets Sale

Jordan’s net worth made a giant leap this August when he completed a sale of his majority ownership stake in the Charlotte Hornets.

MJ purchased the NBA franchise—then known as the Charlotte Bobcats—back in 2010 for what proved to be an absolute bargain price of $275 million. While the team wasn’t successful during his tenure, making the playoffs only three times and never winning a series, Jordan watched its value steadily rise. This culminated in the August sale, when a group led by finance executives Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall purchased the Hornets from Jordan for an estimated $3 billion, according to CBS Sports.

Not a bad investment, right? Plus, Jordan remains a minority owner of the team after the deal.

The Rest of Jordan’s Fortune

According to Forbes, the six-time champion and five-time MVP made only $94 million over his playing career for the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards. Most of his net worth stems from his longtime relationship with Nike and other ventures.

Jordan made roughly $260 million last year with his royalties off Nike alone. However, combining all of his off-court partnerships with the shoe giant and other brands like McDonald’s, Gatorade, and Hanes underwear, Jordan has brought in an astonishing $2.4 billion before taxes throughout his career and to date.

Jordan also owns the NASCAR team 23XI Racing, which he operates with minority partner Denny Hamlin. Their drivers Tyler Reddick and Bubba Wallace qualified for the series playoffs this year, and the team is backed by sponsorships with McDonald’s, Monster Energy, Dr Pepper, Columbia, and Doordash.

So What

Who Else Is on the 400 List?

Jordan is incredibly wealthy, but he only ranks No. 379—in a 16-way tie—on the Forbes 400 and sits far behind some familiar names at the top. Everyone on the list has at least an estimated $2.9 billion to their name.

Tesla founder Elon Musk is the richest American by a wide margin, with his $251 billion valuation well ahead of runner-up and Amazon founder Jeff Bezos ($161 billion). Oracle chairman Larry Ellison ($158 billion), famed investor Warren Buffett ($121 billion), and former Google CEO Larry Page ($114 billion) round out the top five.

Other notables include Bill Gates (No. 6), Mark Zuckerberg (No. 8), Walmart founder Sam Walton’s daughter Alice Walton (No. 14), Nike co-founder Phil Knight and his family (No. 18), and Rupert Murdoch and his family (No. 40).

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