Getty Michael Jordan transitioned from a player to an owner.
Michael Jordan retired from the NBA for the final time in 2003, but the legendary Bulls star continues to stay busy today. Jordan is still involved with the NBA as the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets. He also remains active with Nike’s Jordan Brand which continues to grow in popularity.
Jordan has a number of properties including houses in Jupiter, Charlotte and Chicago. It appears Jordan spends the majority of his time in either Jupiter or Charlotte. Jordan’s youngest son, Marcus Jordan, believes his dad has increased the amount of golf he is playing but still has no concern for social media.
“He can give two [bleeps] about what’s happening on Twitter,” Marcus Jordan joked to the Chicago Sun-Times. “He’s retired; he’s living his life. He’s playing 36 holes of golf pretty much every day.”
Jordan was married to Juanita Vanoy Jordan during the time period that The Last Dance documentary focuses on, but the couple divorced in 2006. Jordan married his wife Yvette Prieto in 2013 and they are the proud parents of twin daughters, Ysabel and Victoria.
Jordan Purchased the Hornets for $175 Million in 2010
Purchasing the Hornets has turned out to be one of the best business investments Jordan made. Jordan purchased the Charlotte franchise for $175 million in 2010, per Forbes. The Hornets are now worth an estimated $1.5 billion thanks to the rising value of NBA franchises. Jordan recently sold 20 percent of the team but is still the majority owner.
Jordan has never been one to lack confidence and the Bulls legend believes he can still play. He told the French publication L’Equipe in 2015 that he believes he can beat Hornets players in a one-on-one game.
“I’m pretty sure I can, so I don’t want to do that and demolish their confidence,” Jordan said, per FadeAwayWorld.net. “So I stay away from them, I let them think they’re good…but I’m too old to do that anyway.”
The 2015 quote has since resurfaced with the popularity of The Last Dance. Hornets forward Miles Bridges retweeted the quote and challenged Jordan to a game. We will see if the 57-year-old Hornets owner takes him up on the challenge.
Jordan Made More Money in the Last Year With Nike Than He Earned Over His Entire NBA Career
The popularity of the Jordan Brand is strong, especially with the re-release of some of his signature sneakers from his playing days in the 1980s and 1990s. According to Forbes, Jordan earned $145 million from Nike in 2019 which is more than he was paid over his entire NBA career. Jordan earned $93.7 million from the Bulls and Wizards over his NBA career. He first topped $100 million in Nike earnings in 2015 and the numbers have continued to increase ever since.
Jordan spent much of the 1990s being away from his children as an NBA player. The Hornets owner seems to be enjoying much more family life these days and became a grandfather in 2019 thanks to his daughter Jasmine Jordan.
“Actually, it’s fun because I can actually hold him and play with him and I’m having fun watching him,” Jordan explained to The Today Show.