Michael Jordan considering selling the Hornets is horrible news not only for the team but also for Blacks. Black ownership of NBA teams is virtually non-existent. Therefore, Jordan’s ownership of the Hornets has always been a ray of hope, revealing possibilities for greater Black ownership of NBA teams. Although it is unclear why Jordan is contemplating selling the Hornets, one thing is transparent: he disappoints Blacks off the court.
If you’re Black and oppose LeBron James on the court, as I do, you must admit that he’s one of the most committed forces for good off the court. While I will never give James the GOAT title, his social justice advocacy and charitable contributions have transformed many lives. M.J. is a “Johnny Come Lately” to the philanthropic space. Even though I will always view Jordan as a better player than LeBron, I will always see LeBron as the better human.
Related: LaMelo Ball Once Said Having Michael Jordan As An Owner is “Amazing”
Michael Jordan considering selling the Hornets
Unfortunately, Michael Jordan fails to comprehend how vital his ownership of the Charlotte Hornets is to Blacks. If he’s ready to relinquish his majority stake in the company for personal reasons, he should at least negotiate a plan to sell his stake to another Black person or a Black-led group.
To evoke Kanye West’s words about former President George W. Bush, even though I know many Blacks no longer like West, Michael Jordan doesn’t care about Black people. Jordan only cares about himself. Even though LaMelo Ball loves Michael Jordan, Ball’s love for Jordan shouldn’t be enough for Hornets’ fans to support any transfer of ownership to someone who is not Black.
Is This All About Money?
According to Forbes, the Charlotte Hornets are valued at $1.7 billion. Given how much the team is worth, I assert that Jordan has weighed the lucrative profits he can yield by selling the team. Jordan has expressed that he will maintain a minority ownership stake in the Hornets after any potential sale. M.J. is already wealthy. However, he has a long history of showing he thinks and acts like a capitalist first and puts everything else secondary to his capitalist interests.
I hope Michael Jordan considering selling the Hornets is more about bringing attention to himself than genuinely contemplating surrendering ownership to non-Black hands.
