6 NBA players who own a stake in sports franchises

#4 Michael Jordan

Michael Jordan sits courtside during a Charlotte Hornets game

MJ headlines a list of former NBA players who own NBA teams. While Jordan is the majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets, the franchise that he bought in 2010, a number of other NBA players own a stake in other franchises. Former Miami Heat star Dwyane Wade bought a stake in the Utah Jazz earlier this year while Grant Hill has ownership rights in the Atlanta Hawks.

Shaquille O’Neal, too, would have been one of the names listed here, except that it has recently been reported that O’Neal would be selling his minority stake in the Sacramento Kings. What one needs to remember, though, is that O’Neal purchased a one percent stake with the Kings in 2013.

But to return to Jordan, he bought the team for $180 million. That figure has now burgeoned to $1.5 billion according to Forbes. That still puts the Hornets as among the lower-valued NBA franchises but rounds off a solid investment for His Airness.

#5 Kevin Durant

Kevin Durant recently helped Team USA to a Gold medal in the Tokyo Olympics

While the NBA was in the midst of the COVID-19 enforced lockout last season, one NBA player was busy growing his sporting footprint. In June 2020, two-time Finals MVP Kevin Durant purchased a 5% stake in Major League Soccer (MLS) team Philadelphia Union.

Working. Winning. DOOPing. The Union family just grew one champion bigger.📝👉https://t.co/Ko83uMDiRF#DOOP | @KDtrey5 pic.twitter.com/okinEuimCB

— PhilaUnion🛡 (@PhilaUnion) June 15, 2020

Durant made the purchase into the Philadelphia Union’s ownership structure through his firm Thirty Five Ventures, which he runs with sports executive Rich Kleiman. Durant reportedly has the option of purchasing another five percent at a later date.

#6 James Harden

James Harden shows off his Houston Dynamo jersey

James Harden is a former NBA MVP and also one of the best scorers in the game. In 2019, Harden added another impressive accolade to his list of career accomplishments when he added a 5% stake in the group that controls MLS’ Houston Dynamo and National Women’s Soccer League's Houston Dash.

James Harden's portfolio continues to grow:- Saks Fifth Avenue- Houston Dynamo & Dash- Therabody- BodyArmor- Art of Sport- Stance and PuraHe also founded Thirteen, a Houston-based fine-dining restaurant. pic.twitter.com/KMWQOpffqR

— Front Office Sports (@FOS) June 14, 2021

What remains to be seen is whether Harden will become a champion either through his NBA team, the Brooklyn Nets or through his two soccer teams.