Of all the athletes who have ever played in the NBA, Michael Jordan is the one who proved that a career off the court can be worth more than the career on it. So when people ask what is Michael Jordan networth, the answer is a number in the billions, and almost none of it comes from his playing salary.
What is Michael Jordan networth, according to Forbes?
Forbes has estimated his net worth at roughly three billion dollars or more in recent years, which made him the first retired athlete to appear on its billionaire list, in 2014. In the years since, its figure rose, and by the mid-2020s it was reported as being in the high three billions. As always, it is an estimate, and I am using “roughly” because the exact figure moved with each update.
The playing years
His NBA salary over his 15 seasons with the Chicago Bulls and Washington Wizards added up to around 90 million dollars, according to widely cited records. That is small by today’s standards. His last season with the Bulls included a one-year contract worth over 30 million dollars, which was then the highest in the league. But his off-court deals were already much bigger than his pay.
Nike and Jordan Brand
In 1984, before he had played a professional game, he signed with Nike, which launched the Air Jordan line in 1985. The shoes were a huge success, and the Jordan Brand became a separate division of Nike in 1997. He earns royalties on sales, and Forbes has repeatedly named the Nike deal as the largest source of his income. Nike’s own reports have said that the Jordan Brand generates several billion dollars in annual revenue.
The Charlotte Hornets
In 2010 he bought a controlling share of the Charlotte Bobcats, later renamed the Hornets, for a price reported at around 275 million dollars. In 2023 he sold a majority stake as part of a deal that valued the team at about three billion dollars, while keeping a small minority share. Forbes said this sale delivered a large profit and was one of the biggest boosts to his net worth in recent years.
Other ventures
23XI Racing
He co-owns a NASCAR team called 23XI Racing with driver Denny Hamlin, which began racing in 2021.
Tequila and other brands
He is a co-founder of the tequila brand Cincoro, and has held stakes in a sports-betting company and other businesses.
Real estate and golf
He has owned property in North Carolina and Florida, including a golf club he was involved in building.
Film and media
Space Jam in 1996 brought him film income, and the documentary series The Last Dance in 2020 renewed interest in his career, which probably helped his brand.
Why the estimate is solid and not solid
The Hornets sale and Nike royalties are tied to known deals, which makes parts of the estimate fairly firm. The rest depends on how Forbes values the other assets and what he has spent or given away.
Questions people ask
Is he the richest athlete ever?
Forbes has described him as the wealthiest retired American athlete, though other sportspeople, such as Cristiano Ronaldo and Tiger Woods, are also reported to be billionaires or close to it.
How much did he earn in his NBA career?
Around 90 million dollars in salary according to the usual sources.
Does he still earn from Nike?
Yes. Reports say it provides a large part of his annual income.
Why athletes rarely get this rich after retiring
Most professional athletes earn their money in a short window and then watch it shrink through spending, taxes and bad investments. Jordan avoided that trap by building equity in businesses instead of relying on his pay. The shoe royalties pay him every year without him doing anything, and a team that appreciates in value is an asset that grows on its own. Financial writers often use his example to illustrate the difference between income and ownership. A person who earns ninety million dollars over fifteen years can end up with a few billion if a large share of earnings turns into ownership of a growing brand, and that is the pattern behind his Forbes ranking.
Where to check for updates
Forbes revises its billionaire list regularly, and Nike’s annual reports show how the Jordan Brand is performing. News coverage of NBA franchise sales gives a good guide to team values. These three sources together will tell you more than any single net worth page.
*General information, not financial advice. All figures are reported estimates.*
More like this: browse our Celebrity Net Worth section. For background, see the Wikipedia entry.
