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"When it comes to NBA players, everyone knows they are millionaires and billionaires. Once they become famous, multimillion-dollar contracts effortlessly come their way. Holding such high incomes, some players might indulge in spending, while others showcase remarkable business acumen. They establish their own companies, turning basketball into almost a side venture. Today, let's explore how many hidden bosses there are in the NBA.
Undoubtedly, Kobe was the Black Mamba of success during his playing days, and even in his post-basketball career, he emerged as a winner in life. As early as 2014, Kobe had the idea of establishing a sports beverage company and invested $6 million at the end of the year to create his beverage industry named BodyArmor. In less than five years, BodyArmor became the second-largest sports drink manufacturer in the United States, with a market value of a staggering $1.94 billion! This was nearly 30 times the initial investment, approaching the leading company in sports beverages, which is also an NBA sponsor, Gatorade.
Seemingly adorable, Curry actually possesses outstanding business acumen. In 2018, he independently founded a film production company at Sony Pictures. Naming it Unanimous Media, it reflects the unanimous decision Curry received in the MVP race for the 2015-2016 season. Curry's production company mainly focuses on family, faith, and sports. Perhaps, we'll soon see documentaries produced by Curry himself!
As the most influential current NBA star, LeBron James is also popular in the business world. Almost all NBA players sign contracts with financial companies to manage their assets and contracts. LeBron seized the opportunity and, together with his good friend Rich Paul, founded Klutch Sports, now ranking among the top three sports agencies in the United States. Besides LeBron, many other stars are associated with Klutch Sports, such as Simmons, Wall, Bledsoe, and Booker. Even his old rival Draymond Green became a client in 2019. LeBron is even a minority owner of the English Premier League powerhouse Liverpool. In 2011, amid Liverpool's most challenging year, LeBron capitalized on the opportunity, purchasing a 2% stake in the team for $6.5 million. To date, the value of LeBron's 2% share has increased to €39 million! Truly a business genius.
However, the most famous NBA boss is the basketball legend, Michael Jordan. After retiring, Jordan directly bought a team, the Charlotte Hornets, becoming the first player in NBA history to become a team owner. Although the Hornets' recent records haven't improved, the market value has multiplied compared to when Jordan purchased the team. Coupled with Jordan's unparalleled influence, the future rise of the Hornets is imminent.
In the world, there's no absolute fairness, but fairness indeed exists. Even we ordinary people will retire one day, and the careers of athletes are comparatively shorter. Many gymnasts retire in their early twenties, and NBA players, though better off, generally retire before the age of 40. Once retired, life goes on, and athletes must pave the way for themselves and future generations." |
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