Michael Jordan Becomes First Athlete on Forbes 400 After Net Worth Rises to $3 Billion

The NBA legend and businessman has amassed a financial empire since stepping off the court.

Michael Jordan is one of the most successful and celebrated basketball stars of all time -- and now he's also one of the most successful people on the planet.

When he was still playing in the NBA, he was one of the highest-paid athletes in the game. However, his real money earning power came from his slew of endorsements and branding opportunities, which have earned him hundreds of millions per year, even two decades after his retirement in 2003.

However, according to a report by Forbes, Jordan's recent sale of his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets in August raised his net worth to an estimated $3 billion, making him one of the nation's wealthiest people.

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With the sudden and immense financial gain, Jordan has become the first-ever professional athlete to find himself on the elite Forbes 400 list -- coming in at No. 379

Jordan is also one of only three professional athletes to attain the status of billionaire -- and was the first to do so, back in 2014.

Subsequently, LeBron James and Tiger Woods have both joined the so-called "three-comma club," although only Jordan has made it onto Forbes' prestigious list.

While the sale of his stake in the Hornets is what propelled his overall wealth to new heights, Forbes reports that Jordan's endorsement deals have earned him over $2 billion throughout the years. Additionally, he earned $260 million in just his most recent royalty check from his partnership with Nike.

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