The GOAT Of Basketball, Who Turned 60, Is Still Struggling To Succeed As An Owner

While not as swiftly as the rest of us, basketball’s face is ageing. Michael Jordan, who turned 60 on Friday, is still one of the most well-known figures in the world. He is the owner of the Charlotte Hornets, a struggling NBA team, the co-owner of the NASCAR team 23XI Racing, and the face of his wildly successful Nike line, Jordan. 

His accomplishments on the court are what have made him a mega-millionaire and the benchmark by which all other basketball players are measured. In a survey of current league players, Jordan, who won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls and two Olympic gold medals with Team USA, was chosen as the game’s most influential player before LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. 

He is increasingly influential in charity as well. Jordan has recently constructed a number of health clinics in his home North Carolina, donated $100 million to racial equality and social justice initiatives, and just this week he made the greatest contribution in the history of the Make-A-Wish Foundation when he provided $10 million to the charity. 

With two notable exceptions, namely his strained relationship with longtime teammate Scottie Pippen and his ongoing struggles to field a competitive NBA team in Charlotte, neither of which will be a simple fix, the basketball legend is enjoying everything right in his life.

In his 2021 book, Unguarded, Pippen, 57, said, “They praised Michael Jordan while not offering nearly enough respect to myself and my proud teammates.” Michael was largely to blame for what happened. He was given editorial authority over the finished work by the producers. Otherwise, the whole thing could not have been made public. He served as both the director and the main guy. 

The romance between Jordan’s 32-year-old son Marcus and Pippen’s ex-wife, Larsa, 48, further complicates things. Before separating in 2021, Pippen and Larsa were married for over 20 years and had four children together. On Instagram last week, Larsa described Marcus as her “forever valentine.” 

click to enlarge

Jordan has refrained from publicly commenting on the topic, much like how he did with his opponent Isiah Thomas during their playing days or his most recent spat with his close buddy Charles Barkley. Jordan and Pippen were last seen grinning and embracing at a game in 2016, but it’s unclear whether they’ll rebuild the relationship that helped Chicago win six NBA championships. 

Jordan has had trouble finding managers, trainers, and players in Charlotte to support him the way Pippen previously did in Chicago. Jordan purchased a small ownership in the Charlotte Bobcats in 2006 after a miserable tenure as the Washington Wizards’ Director of Basketball Operations and a fleeting, forgettable return with the franchise. In 2015, he renamed the club the “Hornets,” after the last NBA team that called Charlotte home, after buying the controlling share from media tycoon Bob Johnson in 2010. 

Jordan’s ownership of the Hornets has been unmemorable, except for the name change. Since Jordan became the team’s main owner, Charlotte has only had three winning seasons and two appearances in the postseason. LaMelo Ball is a bright young player for the squad, but the Hornets, who are just 17-43 at the All-Star break, have already had their season destroyed by injuries.

The Hornets are currently +100000 odds to win the NBA championship at BetUS.com

These odds are tied for lowest in the league with multiple other teams.