Michael Jordan's net worth is

From secret golf courses to a $3 million car,

here's how Michael Jordan makes and
spends his $1.6 billion fortune
Michael Jordan's net worth is estimated at $1.6 billion, according to Forbes. Jordan Brand via
Getty Images

• Michael Jordan is considered the greatest NBA player of all time.

• He's also the richest former professional athlete in the world with a net worth of $2
billion.
• Since he retired in 2003, he has built a lucrative career and uses his wealth for
philanthropic purposes.
• He also indulges: He has a secret golf course, sprawling estates, an NBA team,
restaurants, interest in DraftKings, and even a $3 million car.

Michael Jordan was already a billionaire, and now he just added to his fortune.

The NBA announced that Jordan was selling his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets for $3
billion. Not bad for the $275 million investment he initially made when he bought the club in
2010.

Jordan will keep a minority stake in the franchise.

Before the sale, Jordan was already living the high life. Below we take a look at how he has
amassed his fortune and what he spends it on.

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Jordan has an estimated net worth of $2 billion.

Michael Jordan attends a press conference for the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the Air
Jordan Shoe. Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images

Since Jordan retired 15 years ago, he has built the most successful and lucrative career we've
ever seen from a former athlete.

He 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 $2 billion.
Jordan was the world's first athlete billionaire.

Source: Forbes

According to Forbes, Jordan's yearly earnings were roughly

$145 million.

Elsa/Getty Images

Source: Forbes

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As of 2015, he was reportedly making $100 million a year

from Nike and Jordan Brand royalties alone.
Source: Business Insider

For comparison, LeBron James was estimated to earn less

than $90 million a year from salary, winnings, and
endorsements.
Source: Forbes

Nike founder Phil Knight called signing Jordan the best

decision he ever made, nabbing the NBA rookie for $250,000
a year in 1984.

Source: Business Insider

Jordan reportedly wanted to sign with Adidas in 1984, but

they passed because they preferred NBA players who were 7
feet tall.

Daniel /Allsport
Source: Business Insider

Nike's Jordan Brand alone now brings in roughly $3.6

billion in revenue each year.

NBA legend Michael Jordan holds up an autographed AJ19 shoe, the latest design in the Air
Jordan shoe line, at a Hong Kong news conference. Anat Givon/AP Photo

Source: Forbes, Business Insider, Los Angeles Times

And MJ's 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 the Chicago Bulls.

Source: Forbes, Spotrac, Basketball-Reference

The popularity of Air Jordans has resurged in recent years

thanks to celebrity partnerships to connect to a younger
audience and new versions of retro styles to reconnect to the
older fans.

Rapper Rick Ross performs during his Port of Miami 2 Tour at The Fillmore on October 13,
2019, in Detroit, Michigan. Scott Legato/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

Nike's Jordan Brand has even partnered with the popular

video game 'Fortnite.'

"Fortnite" players can unlock two new skins, Grind and Clutch, by purchasing the Hang Time
bundle. "Fortnite"/Epic Games

Source: Business Insider

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Jordan became a billionaire in 2014 when the Charlotte

Hornets' franchise value rose.

Abbie Parr/Getty Images

Jordan purchased the club for $275 million and he reportedly owned a 97% of the team. He did
sell a minority stake in 2019 before selling most of his remaining ownership for $3 billion.

Source: Business Insider, Charlotte Observer

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.

Jeff Haynes/Staff/Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

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MJ built his own golf course in 2019.

Michael Jordan loves gold so much, he built his own golf course in 2019. Isaac Brekken/Getty
Images

Grove XXIII — keeping with his obsession with the No. 23 — opened in the fall of 2019 in
Hobe Sound, Florida.

Jordan loves to golf, and his course has quite the nickname. 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, especially when playing for money against pro golfers.

Source: Insider
The course has lavish amenities, including a drone delivery
service that brings beer and other refreshments to the club's
exclusive members.

A drone hovers in the sky. Richard Newstead/Getty Images

Source: Insider

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Jordan donated $2 million of his earnings from his

docuseries "The Last Dance" to Feeding America's food
banks in Chicago and the Carolinas.

Michael Jordan donated money to support communities during the COVID-19 pandemic. ESPN
Films/Netflix/Mandalay Sports Media/NBA Entertainment

"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.

Source: NBC News, Variety

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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.'

Michael Jordan is actively donating to organizations fighting for racial quality. Marcio Jose
Sanchez/AP Images

The June announcement came amid nationwide Black Lives Matter protests over the killing of
George Floyd.

Source: Insider
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In March, Jordan was part of a $305 million investment in

Dapper Labs, the startup behind virtual trading-card
platform NBA Top Shot.

Dapper Labs has a $2.6 billion valuation after the round, a source close to the company said.
NBA Top Shot

Other investors included Will Smith, Kevin Durant, and 2 Chainz.

Source: Insider

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DraftKings announced in 2021 that Jordan took an equity

stake in the sports betting company, along with a special
adviser role.

AP Photo/Thibault Camus

The company's shares surged 12% immediately following the announcement.

Source: Business Insider

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He has several endorsement deals with companies like

Gatorade ...

Ezra Shaw/Getty

Source: Business Insider

... trading card company Upper Deck ...

Susan Ragan/AP Photo

Source: Business Insider

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... and Hanes. He's been a spokesman for the company for
about 30 years.

YouTube/Hanes

Source: Business Insider

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He once rejected a huge endorsement deal with Beanee

Weenees because he didn't like the name.

Amazon

Jordan said he has always been picky about his endorsements because he wanted to be genuine
and also build his own brand.

Jordan told Playboy, "How can I stand in front of a camera and say I'll eat Beanee Weenees?" He
said the deal was close to $1 million per year — at the time, he had made less than $5 million in
career earnings.

Source: Playboy

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He owns several restaurants including 1000 North in

Jupiter, Florida ...

Lee L./Yelp
Source: Business Insider, Eater

... Michael Jordan's Steakhouse, with locations in

Connecticut, Washington, and Chicago ...

Steve Kagan/Contributor/Getty Images

Source: Michael Jordan's Steakhouse

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... and Michael Jordan's Restaurant in Chicago, an upscale

restaurant serving 'elevated American classics.'

Diana Q./Yelp

Source: Michael Jordan's Restaurant

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In 2019, Jordan and a team of four others created Cincoro

tequila.

Michael Jordan's tequila company opened in 2019. Rachel Askinasi/Business Insider

Jordan is one of many celebrities to start a tequila business. His brand had a co-starring role in
his "The Last Dance" docuseries as it was often by his side during the on-camera interviews.

Source: Insider

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He also owns a Nissan dealership in Durham, North

Carolina.
Nissan signs are seen outside a Nissan auto dealer in Broomfield, Colorado Google Maps

Source: Business Insider, Michael Jordan Nissan

In 2019, many billionaires lost money — but not Jordan. His

net worth rose by $300 million.

Michael Jordan is known as the greatest basketball player of all time. He's also the richest.
Jordan Brand via Getty Images

Source: Forbes

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He has a private jet. It's painted Carolina blue, and the ID

number contains his jersey number (23) and number of titles
(6).

YouTube

Source: Business Insider

Jordan even has a custom, Carolina-blue golf cart with the

Jumpman logo.

@Jeff_Ritter

Source: Business Insider

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He spent $12.8 million building his dream house in Florida

in 2012.

Google Maps
Source: Yahoo, Business Insider

He also has a $2.8 million house near Charlotte.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/18227-Capstan-Greens-
Rd_Cornelius_NC_28031_M59685-34239 and Getty Images

Source: Business Insider

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It has some incredible lake views.

Realtor

Source: Business Insider

He's selling his compound in Chicago, which was originally

listed for $29 million. The estate's gate is emblazoned with
his jersey number.

A gate with the number 23 controls access to the home of basketball legend Michael Jordan.
Concierge Auctions

Source: Business Insider

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But 10 years later, the house is still on the market and the
price is down to $14.9 million.

Realtor.com

Source: Business Insider, Zillow

It has its own basketball court, as well as a pool with a patch
of lawn in the middle of it.

Concierge Auctions

Source: Business Insider

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It is estimated that Jordan pays more than $100,000 in

annual property taxes.

Zillow

Luxury real estate brokers think the amount of customization the house has undergone in order to
become Jordan's personal palace is one of a few reasons why the property hasn't sold yet.

They also list the mismatch of location and price as a possible reason — homes in the Highland
Park area have a median value of $476,391. Homes at the price point Jordan is listing are
typically located closer to Lake Michigan.

Source: Business Insider

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In 2016, Jordan won a case against a Chinese sportswear

company that was using his Chinese name.

Aly Song/Reuters

The company had been using a logo similar to Jordan's Air Jordan logo, and the symbols used
spell out his name in Chinese — Qiaodan Sports. He first sued the company in 2012, but lower-
level courts ruled in favor of the company.

Source: Business Insider

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That's not the only lawsuit he's been involved in though
pertaining to his name and branding.

Basketball Hall of Famer Michael Jordan arrives at the federal courthouse in Chicago, Tuesday,
Aug. 18, 2015. AP Photo/Christian K. Lee

Two supermarkets, Dominick's and Jewel-Osco, associated themselves with Jordan without his
permission. Jordan sued and won millions.

But he didn't keep all the money. Instead, he donated millions to 23 charities benefiting the
children of Chicago.

Source: Business Insider

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In 2016, Jordan also pledged two large donations to the

NAACP Legal Defense Fund and the International
Association of Chiefs of Police's new Institute for
Community-Police Relations.

Streeter Lecka/Getty

This came after a string of police-involved shootings.

Source: Business Insider

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In 2018, he donated $2 million to Hurricane Florence relief

efforts.

A convoy of utility trucks heading east to assist with damage caused by tropical storm Florence.
AP Photo/Chris Seward

Source: Chicago Tribune

In 2019, he pledged $7 million to open two medical clinics in
Charlotte.

Chuck Burton/AP

Source: Business Insider

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In the same year, Jordan teamed up with driver Denny

Hamlin to become a NASCAR Cup Series team co-owner.

Bubba Wallace will make his debut on Michael Jordan's NASCAR team at the Daytona 500.
Chris Graythen/Getty Images

Together, they formed 23XI racing, and Bubba Wallace is their first driver.

Source: Insider, ESPN

Jordan has three children from his first marriage with

Juanita Vanoy.

Pictured here is an old family photo shared by Jordan's daughter, Jasmine. Jasmine M.
Jordan/Instagram

Source: Biography

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The pair married in 1989 and divorced in 2006. The 17-year

marriage cost Jordan a whopping $168 million in the
settlement.

Pictured above are Michael Jordan and his then-wife Juanita. Reuters
Source: Biography, NBC Chicago

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Jordan's three oldest children have all followed their father

into the shoe business.

Jasmine M. Jordan/Instagram

Jeffrey, the oldest, works at Nike in Oregon, and Jasmine, the youngest, has worked for her
father's NBA team as well as being an Air Jordan representative in Charlotte.

Source: Business Insider

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Marcus, Jordan's second child, opened a boutique sneaker

shop in Disney World called Trophy Room inspired by the
trophy room in his house growing up.

Andy N./Yelp

Source: Business Insider, Bleacher Report

Jordan married Yvette Prieto in 2013, and they welcomed

twin daughters, Victoria and Ysabel, in 2014.

Ethan Miller/Getty Images

Source: USA Today

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Jordan has invested some of his fortune in tech startups.

Gigster cofounders Debo Olaosebikan, left, and Roger Dickey, right. Gigster

He was reportedly one of several celebrities who invested heavily in Gigster — a Silicon Valley
startup connecting companies to freelance software developers, designers, and project managers.

Source: Business Insider, Gigster

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He was also a minority owner of an MLB team — the Miami

Marlins — having been part of Derek Jeter's investment
group.

Tony Ding/AP

While Jeter sold his share of the team, it is not clear if Jordan is still an owner.

Source: Business Insider

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Jordan is also a famous gambler.

John Swart/AP

Charles Barkley told Dan Patrick Jordan used to wager hundreds of thousands of dollars on a
single hole when he played golf. While others, like Barkley himself, would wager a few hundred
dollars.

Source: Business Insider, Dan Patrick Show

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He also used to play $100 post-practice shooting games that

allegedly ruined Rodney McCray's career.

Pictured above is Rodney McCray. Jonathan Daniel /Allsport

MJ would reportedly taunt McCray him by yelling: "You're a loser! You've always been a loser!'

Source: Business Insider

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He even took $500 from a fan at a charity golf tournament

when the fan said Jordan couldn't land the ball on the green.

Isaac Brekken/Getty

Source: deepac66 via YouTube, Golf Digest

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And he reportedly cheated in some bets with his teammates

to make sure he won.

John Swart/AP

ESPN's Amin Elhassan said Jordan would bet his teammate, Scottie Pippen, on the outcome of
mid-game, animated Jumbotron races, even though Jordan already knew which animated
character would win.

Source: CBS Sports

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He's also competitive at other kinds of games. He reportedly

won $500 beating his business manager Estee Portnoy in
sudoku.

greencolander/Shutterstock

Source: ESPN

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Jordan started golf while at UNC in a threesome with his
then-roommate and Davis Love III.

Cliff Hawkins/Getty Images

Jordan plays a lot of golf. But, as Barkley put it, what's the point in playing the sport if not for
some cash?

Source: Business Insider

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Jordan reportedly never travels overseas without a security

team, which sets him back a cool $1,000 to $1,500 per hour.

AP

His codename is reportedly 'Yahweh,' a Hebrew word for God.

Source: ESPN, Money

Other travel setbacks include this 154-foot rented mega

yacht named Mr. Terrible.

YouTube/zdoryan95

Source: Business Insider, ESPN

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The yacht is complete with its own branding.

YouTube

Source: LaserAdvertising
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The very first cars Jordan bought after he received his

reported $10 million signing bonus from the Chicago Bulls
were a collection of Mercedes and Pontiacs.

He bought his siblings a Pontiac Firebird Trans Ams, though the exact car is not pictured here.
Steve Lagreca / Shutterstock

He bought seven cars at once for himself and his family members.

Source: D Magazine

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Since his rise to fame, he's been spotted in all kinds of cars,
from Ferraris to Land Rovers.

BRIAN BAHR/Stringer/Getty Images

Source: Cheat Sheet

Jordan is well known for his love of cigars and told Cigar
Aficionado magazine that he smokes six a day.

Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Source: Cigar Aficionado

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At age 60, he still works out.

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

In 2013, he declared he was going to get down to his playing weight of 218 pounds — it is
unknown if he reached the goal.

Source: ESPN

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His post-basketball career is already influencing the next

generation.

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

Kevin Garnett has talked about following in Jordan's footsteps and buying the Minnesota
Timberwolves. LeBron James has expressed interest in owning an NBA team in Las Vegas.

Source: USA Today

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In addition to winning six NBA championships, Jordan has

won other prestigious awards.

Carlos Barria/Reuters

In 2016, President Barack Obama awarded him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom because,
as Obama joked, Jordan is 'more than just an Internet meme.'

Source: Sports Illustrated

Jordan has been a preferred meme for years — many still

post this photo of Jordan crying during his 2009 Basketball
Hall of Fame induction speech all over social media.

Stephan Savoia/AP

Source: Know Your Meme

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Jordan provided a moment of levity at the memorial service
for Kobe and Gigi Bryant in February 2020: 'Now he's got
me — I'll have to look at another crying meme for the next
three years.'

Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images

He was also sentimental, saying: "Everyone always wants to talk about the comparisons between
he and I. When Kobe Bryant died, a piece of me died."

Source: Business Insider