As fans were engrossed in the victory parade in Denver following the Nuggets’ inaugural NBA Championship win, reports of Michael Jordan selling his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets spread through the Internet. The process of Jordan selling the Hornets has been in the works for some time now. So it wasn’t shocking news for the basketball community. But the NBA losing its only Black majority owner was certainly big news for many fans. Many welcomed the news, highlighting His Airness’ failed tenure as the owner of the North Carolina side. Soon FS1 analyst Skip Bayless joined the party, calling the move ‘the greatest play ever’ in sports history.
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Reports have suggested that Jordan has agreed to sell his majority share in the Hornets to a group led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall. Plotkin and Schnall’s group, which includes rapper J. Cole and country singer-songwriter Eric Church, will buy the Charlotte side at a $3 billion evaluation. While Jordan intends to retain a minority share in the franchise, his majority share is projected to bring him over $ 2 billion.
Skip Bayless deems Michael Jordan selling the Charlotte Hornets the greatest play in sports history
The GOAT debate is one of the most lucrative sources of revenue in sports television. In fact, FS1 analyst Skip Bayless has made a career out of his strong opinions on the GOAT discussion. Bayless’ almost comical bias toward Michael Jordan at the expense of LeBron James has contributed to his sky-high popularity. The veteran NBA analyst’s almost shocking dismissal of LeBron James’ accolades time and again, in an attempt to promote Jordan’s greatness, was peak television for a long period of time.
However, Bayless’ hero’s near flawless resume, perfectly embodied by his perfect 6-0 record in the NBA Finals, had one big smudge on it. Jordan had amassed a losing record of 423-600 is his 13-year tenure as Hornets’ owner, which is 26th among the 30 teams in the NBA, as per an AP report. In addition, MJ’s team has failed to win a single playoff series during his stint as the Boss. In fact, they haven’t even qualified for the playoffs for the last seven seasons.
Therefore, even Skip Bayless found it difficult to defend Jordan’s terrible showing as Charlotte’s owner. So it’s not surprising that he welcomed the Bulls legend’s move with a sigh of relief, dramatically calling it ‘the greatest play ever’ in sports history. Bayless tweeted:
“Relieved for Michael Jordan, the greatest play ever IN ANY SPORT.”
Relieved for Michael Jordan, the greatest play ever IN ANY SPORT.
— Skip Bayless (@RealSkipBayless) June 17, 2023
Jordan getting rid of the biggest weakness in his career will only embolden Bayless’ stance in the GOAT debate. King James could expect even more digs and jibes directed at him in the near future, especially after getting swept in the Western Conference Finals this year.
Jordan’s Charlotte Hornets deal could be his biggest business move yet
Michael Jordan bought the Charlotte Hornets in 2010 for $275 million dollars. His majority share in the $3 billion franchise could bring him a projected amount of over $2 billion.
The six-time NBA champion has amassed a net worth of a whopping $2 billion dollars across the span of his almost 40-year career as an NBA player and a businessman. Jordan owes a majority of his net worth to the Jordan Brand and his deal with Nike.
However, his current bargain on the Hornets will easily dwarf that deal, bringing him a fortune overnight. However, MJ still wants to retain a minority share in the franchise.
