Table of Contents

Introduction

Many fans consider Michael Jordan the greatest basketball player ever. The Chicago Bulls drafted him in 1984. He then led Chicago to six NBA championships. Jordan took a break in 1993 to play baseball. He returned in 1995 and later played two seasons with the Washington Wizards. In 2003 he retired. This legendary career and marketability turned him into a global icon and set the stage for enormous wealth. He ended his playing career with the Washington Wizards and retired in 2003. He later became majority owner of the Charlotte Hornets. In 2023 he sold his Hornets stake for about $3 billion. Major endorsements and business deals built this fortune.

What is Michael Jordan’s net worth in 2025?

Michael Jordan’s net worth is around $3.5 billion as of 2025. Forbes and other outlets report a figure in this range. That makes him one of the wealthiest athletes ever. Analysts note that this value comes from many sources, not just basketball earnings. In fact, Jordan became the first NBA player billionaire in 2016, and endorsements and investments have kept growing his wealth.

How did Michael Jordan become so wealthy?

Jordan earned only about $94 million from NBA salaries during his 16-year careerl. By itself this is modest compared to today’s top players. His wealth soared mostly from off-court deals. He signed landmark endorsement contracts with Nike, Gatorade, Hanes, McDonald’s and others. Lucrative business ventures – like part ownership of the Hornets and 23XI Racing – also added big money. All these sources combined made him a billionaire far beyond his playing salary.

How much does Michael Jordan earn from Nike and Air Jordan deals?

Nike’s Jordan Brand is a huge money-maker. Jordan gets royalties every time Nike sells Air Jordan shoes. In fact, he reportedly earned about $349 million from Nike in 2024 alone. That single stream makes him more income per year than most active players. The Jordan Brand now generates around $7 billion in sales for Nike each year. In return, Nike pays Jordan tens of millions (even hundreds of millions) annually. This Nike partnership is arguably his single largest ongoing income source.

What major endorsement deals does Michael Jordan have?

Jordan signed many high-profile endorsement deals that paid off over decades. For example, he worked with Coca-Cola and even flew to Japan for commercials. He had a long contract with Gatorade (he appeared on Gatorade bottles) and a multi-year deal with Hanes for apparel. He also did memorable ads for McDonald’s (like the famous Big Mac commercial). These marketing contracts each paid him millions of dollars per year. Nike remains the biggest, but Gatorade, Hanes, Coca-Cola, and McDonald’s all contributed substantial income.

What happened when Michael Jordan sold the Charlotte Hornets?

Jordan became a minority owner of the Charlotte Hornets (then the Bobcats) in 2006 and a majority owner in 2010. In 2023 he agreed to sell that majority stake to new investors. The sale price was about $3 billion. Jordan pocketed roughly $1.1 billion cash from the deal and still kept a small minority share. This single transaction dramatically boosted his net worth. In short, the Hornets sale made him billions more and cemented his wealth.

How much is Michael Jordan’s new NBC deal worth?

In 2025 Jordan began working as a special contributor (sports analyst) for NBC’s NBA coverage. Reports say his contract is about $40 million per year. That would make him the highest-paid TV analyst in history. His NBC role focuses on select games and segments. This deal alone adds tens of millions to his annual income.

What movies or documentaries has Michael Jordan appeared in?

Michael Jordan has appeared in several notable films and TV projects. He starred as himself in the live-action/animated film Space Jam (1996), a basketball/fantasy movie that was a huge hit. Jordan was also the star of the award-winning documentary series The Last Dance (2020) about the Bulls dynasty. Other works include the TV biopic Michael Jordan: An American Hero (1999) and the documentary Michael Jordan to the Max (2000).

Micheal Jordan made cameo appearances in films like Like Mike (2002) and Like Mike 2 (2006), and he is featured in the feature film Air (2023) as the real-life figure behind the Nike story. Notably, Space Jam earned about $230 million at the box office and Jordan benefits indirectly from its continued popularity.

Year	Title	Role / Notes
1996	Space Jam	Starred as himself (feature film with NBA stars)
1999	Michael Jordan: An American Hero	TV movie biopic (Jordan is subject)
2000	Michael Jordan to the Max	Documentary (focus on Jordan’s career)
2002	Like Mike	Family film (Jordan cameo as himself)
2006	Like Mike 2: Streetball	Cameo appearance
2020	The Last Dance	ESPN/Netflix documentary series (Jordan focused)
2021	Space Jam: A New Legacy	Cameo appearance in sequel
2023	Air	Feature film (Jordan portrayed by actor)

How many NBA championships did Michael Jordan win?

Michael Jordan won six NBA championships. He led the Chicago Bulls to title wins in 1991–1993 and 1996–1998. (He did not win any with the Wizards.) This six-title count is tied for the most in NBA history by a single player and adds to his legend. Jordan also earned five NBA MVP awards and six Finals MVP honors during those championship runs.

Is Michael Jordan the richest basketball player of all time?

Yes. By net worth, Michael Jordan is at the top of NBA players. Multiple reports note he is far richer than any current player. For example, an analysis shows Jordan’s wealth is “far ahead” of LeBron James and others. No other basketball player comes close; Jordan’s $3.5+ billion dwarfs even the next richest (like LeBron, around $1 billion). In short, Jordan holds the crown as the wealthiest basketball player ever.

How does Michael Jordan continue to make money today?

Even decades after retiring, Jordan still earns massive income. He gets around $300–400 million per year from Nike royalties (the Air Jordan brand). His new NBC contract adds about $40 million per year. He also continues earning from licensing deals, appearance fees, and dividends from his businesses (like the small Hornets stake and NASCAR team 23XI Racing). All these active income streams keep growing his net worth year after year.