Where does Michael Jordan's net worth rank among other NBA team owners?

Michael Jordan had one of the NBA's most historic careers. Over the course of his two stints in the league, Jordan went 6-for-6 in the NBA Finals. Add on to that numerous records still standing to this day, and it's no wonder many consider Jordan the greatest of all time.

Of course, it's Jordan's endeavors off the court that have pushed him to billionaire status. Between the success of Jordan Brand, his ownership of the Charlotte Hornets and countless investments, his net worth is through the roof. As it stands right now, Jordan and LeBron James are the only two NBA players to ever be worth a billion dollars.

Michael Jordan’s net worth after owning Charlotte Hornets

Following his playing career, Jordan purchased a minority stake in the then-Charlotte Bobcats. Although the team was in the midst of a historic slump, since then they have turned things around as the Charlotte Hornets. It wasn't until several years later, however, that Jordan was able to become the majority owner of the franchise.

The feat made him the first player-turned-owner to have majority ownership of a franchise and helped fuel his net worth growth. In 2014, Jordan became a billionaire by increasing his stake in the team. Jordan's net worth is estimated at nearly $2 billion. As impressive a feat as it is, it still doesn't put Jordan in the top five wealthiest owners.

Michael Jordan’s net worth ranking in comparison to other NBA team owners - Top 5 richest NBA team owners

#5: Tilman Fertitta (Houston Rockets)

Success seems like it continues to find members of the Fertitta family. According to Forbes, Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta is reportedly worth $7.7 billion. The amount puts him comfortably in fifth place ahead of the Detroit Pistons' Tom Gores in sixth place.

According to Fertitta's bio, he is the chairman and CEO of Landry's Inc., which includes more than 600 restaurants, hotels and casinos across the United States.

#4: Ann Walton Kroenke (Denver Nuggets)

In fourth place and worth an estimated $8.4 billion is Ann Walton Kroenke. Walton Kroenke holds the unique distinction of being the only female on the list of the top five wealthiest NBA franchise owners. Her father, Bud Walton, and uncle, Sam Walton, were the founders of Walmart.

Upon her father's death, Walton Kroenke and her sister inherited a large amount of Walmart stock. As it stands right now, she is the owner of the Denver Nuggets as well as the Colorado Avalanche NHL team. Interestingly enough, her husband is the majority owner of several major franchises, including the LA Rams and Premier League powerhouse Arsenal.

#3: Dan Gilbert (Cleveland Cavaliers)

The longtime owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dan Gilbert, sits in third place on the wealthiest NBA owners list. With a reported net worth of over $16 billion, Gilbert sits comfortably over Ann Walton Kroenke for the third-place spot. He is the co-founder of Rocket Mortgage and has used his wealth to acquire more than just the Cavaliers.

According to Gilbert's bio, he also owns several minor league Cleveland teams, including the AHL's Cleveland Monsters and the NBA G League's Cleveland Charge. Interestingly enough, Gilbert's company owns the Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse, where the Cavaliers play.

#2: Robert Pera (Memphis Grizzlies)

Robert Pera holds the distinction of being one of the youngest billionaires in the world. Nearly 10 years ago, he secured his spot on Forbes' list of 10 youngest billionaires in the world. With a reported net worth of $17.9 billion, Pera's net worth largely stems from his founding of Ubiquiti Networks communications.

Just one year after the company went public on the U.S. Stock Market, Pera purchased the Memphis Grizzlies.

#1: Steve Ballmer (LA Clippers)

Standing alone far ahead of any other NBA team owner is Steve Ballmer. The energetic owner of the LA Clippers is worth an estimated $78 billion. Ballmer, of course, is not only one of the wealthiest owners in the league but also one of the wealthiest in the world.

Ballmer, who was the CEO of Microsoft for over a decade, purchased the Clippers after several failed attempts to purchase other NBA teams. The 2020 "best owner in basketball" has owned the Clippers for nearly a decade and has no plans of selling any time soon.

Check out a clip of Ballmer from last season putting on a show during DeAndre Jordan's free-throw attempts.