NBA legend Michael Jordan just made history again, but this time for his financial prowess off the court.
Jordan has been named to the esteemed Forbes 400, according to Forbes magazine. This is the first time a professional athlete has been given the recognition.
Despite being a Jordan billionaire for nearly a decade, the NBA legend landed on the Forbes 400 list this year following the sale of the Charlotte Hornets in August for $3 billion.
The Forbes 400 touts other magnates like Tesla CEO Elon Musk and Amazon.com founder Jeff Bezos. Notables need to an estimated net worth of at least $2.9 billion to be considered for the list.
As previously reported by ESSENCE, Bloomberg shared the NBA icon’s net worth currently sits at $3.5 billion, the largest fortune any athlete within the organization has earned. This is attributed to a licensing deal with Nike the recent sale of his majority stake in the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, and other major investments.
According to a report from The Street, Jordan earns about $255 million every year from the Nike deal, which dates back to 1984 when Jordan’s career arc started ascending with the Chicago Bulls.
“I’m thrilled to be able to pass the reins to two successful, innovative and strategic leaders in Gabe and Rick,” Jordan said in a statement issued August 3 about the sale of the Charlotte Hornets. “I know the Hornets organization is in great hands moving forward. I’m excited about the future of the team and will continue to support the organization and the community in my new role in the years ahead.”