Victor Wembanyama’s former coach reveals Michael Jordan & Magic Johnson’s sage advice on relevance and investment: “Everybody forgets about you”
Michael Jordan famously became the first NBA player to become a billionaire and join the three-comma club. Thanks to the success of his Jordan brand, the six-time NBA champ has become a business mogul who has a hand in many industries.
Thanks to the advice of MJ and Magic Johnson, Hall of Famer Tony Parker, the coach of Victor Wembanyama has become a successful entrepreneur in his own right since retiring.
A four-time NBA champ who spent the best years of his career with Gregg Popovich in San Antonio, Parker spent one year in Charlotte before retiring. There, he played under Michael Jordan's ownership and received some valuable advice.
As he explained to Fox News Digital, his time in Charlotte was very formative because of how it prepared him for life after basketball. Thanks to the lessons learned from Michael Jordan in Charlotte and Magic Johnson, Parker set himself up for success in the world of business.
"I think one of the best advice I had was from Magic Johnson. Early in my career, I wanted to meet him. He’s one of the most successful basketball players after his career.
"He told me to create your network while you’re playing. Don’t wait until you retire because when you retire, everybody forgets about you."
Tony Parker's most notable investments following investment advice of Michael Jordan & Magic Johnson
NBA fans may recall that in 2011, the league dealt with a lockout. The situation was incredibly unique in the sense that it was the first time a lockout occurred in the social media era. At the time, LeBron James, for example, played flag football with Kevin Durant, but Tony Parker went back to France.
There, he joined LDLC ASVEL, a professional French basketball team in Villeurbanne, which he invested in 2009. As it was described at the time, his investment in LDLC ASVEL was a move made with his post-basketball life in mind.
Now, Parker serves as the President of LDLC ASVEL and the owner, but that isn't his only investment based in France. Parker is also an owner in Chateau Saint-Laurent, a winery in Southern France.
As he told Food & Wine earlier this month, Parker has always been an avid fan of wine since his first taste. Early on in his NBA career, he began hosting informational wine nights at his house, which allowed him to delve deeper into the industry.
With his business portfolio thriving and Parker involved in things he truly loves, it sounds as though post-basketball life has been great for the former champ. With Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson to thank, it serves as a great example of the NBA Brotherhood we hear former players talk so much about.