LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer picks Michael Jordan as the GOAT: "Saying who is the best basketball player of all time, for me it’s very easy"
The debate on who is the greatest player of all time usually involves Michael Jordan and LeBron James. Jordan is the de-facto G.O.A.T. for many, including fellow team owner Steve Ballmer of the Los Angeles Clippers.
In an appearance on Serge Ibaka's How Hungry Are You? show on YouTube, Ballmer discussed a variety of topics, including his relationship with Jordan as NBA team owner. The former Microsoft CEO also noted that there is no doubt that "His Airness" is the G.O.A.T.
"I forget exactly how much he put in to buy the Hornets and I know the Hornets are worth many, many, many, many times what he paid. That's how you think of a guy's business, man. He's done pretty well now," Ballmer said.
"He's a great businessman, but he's probably the best ever at what he did in basketball. Saying who's the best businessman of all time is very hard. Saying who's the best basketball player of all time for me, it's very easy. It's Michael Jordan," Ballmer added.
Steve Ballmer then revealed that he was a big fan of the Pistons, being from Detroit. He used to watch the "Bad Boys" beat down on Jordan, but that did not prevent him from trying and trying until he swept the Pistons in 1991. Ballmer also mentioned that before buying the LA Clippers in 2014, he tried purchasing the Pistons in 2006.
Meanwhile, Michael Jordan became a minority owner of the then-Charlotte Bobcats in 2006. After a few years in 2010, Jordan finally became the owner of the team, changing the name of the team back to the Hornets in 2014.
What is Michael Jordan's net worth?
Michael Jordan played 15 seasons in the NBA, retiring three times and playing the majority of his career with the Chicago Bulls before finishing it off as a member of the Washington Wizards. Jordan earned just a total of $93.7 million from playing in the NBA.
But how was Jordan able to afford the Charlotte Hornets? What is his net worth? According to Forbes, Jordan has an estimated net worth of $1.7 billion and the majority came from being corporate partners of companies such as Nike, Gatorade and Hanes.
5x NBA MVP Happy Birthday Michael Jordan. 🎉
➖ 5x NBA MVP
➖ 6x NBA Champion
➖ Net worth estimated around $1.6 billion
➖ Earned $93.2 million in the NBA
➖ First former player to own majority stake in an NBA team https://t.co/W4IS6301pY
"His Airness" purchased the Hornets in 2010 for a reported $275 million. Now, the Hornets franchise is valued at $1.5 billion. The Air Jordan shoe brand is also a big money maker for the NBA legend. In addition to the Hornets, Jordan has also owned a NASCAR Team since 2020 called 23XI Racing.
But in comparison to Steve Ballmer, Jordan's net worth is a relatively small fortune. Ballmer is among the ten richest people in the world with a whopping net worth of $95.4 billion. He bought the LA Clippers in 2014 from Donald Sterling for $2 million. The Clippers have a current net worth of $3.3 billion.
Michael Jordan on Sunday morning:
rooting for his NASCAR team in Daytona
Michael Jordan on Sunday night:
at the NBA All-Star Game in Cleveland
Just an average day for the GOAT https://t.co/u9JVlwEmtQ