Daily Dirt: Jordan still going strong, now worth $3 billion

Daily Dirt for Tuesday, Jan. 16, 2024

Michael Jordan’s journey, first as a player and then as a businessman/philanthropist, has been one impressive trip. Welcome to today’s three thoughts that make up Vol. 841 of The Daily Dirt.

1. Jordan has seemingly been around forever. First, as a college basketball phenom, then as the face of the NBA. Interestingly, Jordan, who will turn 61 in February, has become as famous in the business world as he was on the basketball court.

According to Forbes magazine, Jordan is now worth $3 billion. Yes, that’s with a “b.”

Most of his bank account has been stockpiled since his playing days. Jordan “only” earned $90 million in NBA salary, and $63 million of that came during his final years as an active player. Only twice during a 15-year NBA playing career was Jordan the highest-paid player in the league. That’s kind of insane.

Most of his post-playing days, wealth has been generated through endorsements and shrewd business ventures. 

Jordan is the world’s first athlete billionaire, and he’s also quite the philanthropist. He has donated $10 million last year to the Make-A-Wish Foundation, $7 million to open two medical clinics in Charlotte, N.C., millions to food banks in Chicago and the Carolinas and been a major backer of hurricane relief efforts. He has also pledged for than $100 million to organizations fighting for ‘”racial quality, social justice, and greater access to education.”

Jordan also indulges upon himself. He likes to gamble and enjoys buying mansions and splurging on other luxuries. He even had his own golf course built.

At the center of Jordan’s ongoing success? Those Nike Air Jordan shoes. Yep, they’re still around and more popular than ever. Nike’s Jordan Brand alone now brings in roughly $3.6 billion in revenue each year.

What does this tell us? Never, ever underestimate the power of a jump shot.

2. I got a note from a reader a few days ago asking when the next edition of “Chuck Norris accomplishments” would appear in The Daily Dirt. 

Ask, and ye shall receive. Here’s the latest from the world of Chuck Norris:

• There are streets named after Chuck Norris because no one would ever cross Chuck Norris.
• Chuck Norris doesn’t flush the toilet. He scares the crap out of it.
• In school, teachers had to raise their hand to speak to Chuck Norris.
• Chuck Norris can fold airplanes into paper.
• Chuck Norris can gargle peanut butter.
• If you spell Chuck Norris in Scrabble, you win. Forever.
• Chuck Norris was exposed to Covid-19. Covid-19 had to go into quarantine for a month.
• Chuck Norris can make sticks by rubbing two fires together.
• When Chuck Norris lifts dumbbells, they get smarter.
• The dinosaurs looked at Chuck Norris the wrong way once. You know what happened to them.
• Chuck Norris does not own a stove, oven or microwave, because revenge is a dish best served cold.
• Chuck Norris does not sleep. He waits.
• Chuck Norris can dribble a bowling ball.
• Chuck Norris built the hospital he was born in.

3. Each day we get a little closer to spring training. Here are some baseball thoughts for a cold winter day:

• “Baseball, it is said, is only a gamer. True. And the Grand Canyon is only a hole in Arizona.” — journalist George Will.
• The 300 home run/400 stolen base club has two members: Bobby Bonds and his son, Barry.
• During this week in 1954, Willie Mays became the highest-paid player in MLB when he signed a $105,000 contract with the then-New York Giants. Converted via current inflation standards, if Mays signed the same contract today, it would be worth $7,228,848.

Steve Thought O’ The Day
Glad I’m not a Philadelphia Eagles fan. What the heck happened the last couple of months?

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. Did you know the resale value for an original pair of Air Jordan 1s from 1985 can range anywhere from $3,500 to more than $25,000, depending on size, condition and color?