How Jordan Built His Fortune
Michael Jordan is best known for his dominance in the NBA, but most of his wealth was built off the court. He did earn an amazing salary of around $90 million over 15 seasons in the NBA, which is quite a hefty sum during the 1980s and 1990s.

His real fortune came from turning his athletic success into a global brand. The launch of Nike’s Air Jordan line in 1984 transformed him from an athlete into a marketing phenomenon, with royalties that still earn him tens of millions each year. Over time, endorsement deals with brands like Gatorade, Hanes and McDonald’s helped Jordan amass over half a billion dollars in off-court earnings.

But his biggest wealth growth came from purchasing a majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets in 2010 for about $175 million. He then sold off a minority stake in the team in 2019 at a valuation of $1.5 billion, and his majority stake in 2023 at a $3 billion valuation, according to NBC News. With those moves and his other ventures (like NASCAR’s 23XI Racing, the Cincoro tequila brand and equity in DraftKings), his net worth is estimated at around $3.8 billion as of 2025.