Rising to the level of superstar athlete often comes with access to early-stage companies and relationships in the business world.
Here are ten of the most successful athlete investors based on deal frequency, best investment, and overall business acumen.
A thread
Here are ten of the most successful athlete investors based on deal frequency, best investment, and overall business acumen.
A thread
Kobe Bryant
Career earnings: $323 million
Investments: Dell, Epic Games, Alibaba
Alternative investments: Founded a media company, Granity Studios
Best investment: Body Armor. Turned $7 million into $200+ million
Career earnings: $323 million
Investments: Dell, Epic Games, Alibaba
Alternative investments: Founded a media company, Granity Studios
Best investment: Body Armor. Turned $7 million into $200+ million
Shaq
Career earnings: $286 million
Investments: Krispy Kreme, Papa John’s, Auntie Anne’s, and Five Guys.
Alternative investments: Owns 40 gyms and 150 car washes, owns stake in Sacramento Kings
Best investment: Buying Google in 1999
Career earnings: $286 million
Investments: Krispy Kreme, Papa John’s, Auntie Anne’s, and Five Guys.
Alternative investments: Owns 40 gyms and 150 car washes, owns stake in Sacramento Kings
Best investment: Buying Google in 1999
A-Rod
Career earnings: $455 million
Investments: 62 companies, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Oura, Snap, Acorns, and UFC Gym
Alternative investments: Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Lynx,
Best investment: Cold calling Warren Buffett to ask for mentorship
Career earnings: $455 million
Investments: 62 companies, including Dick’s Sporting Goods, Oura, Snap, Acorns, and UFC Gym
Alternative investments: Minnesota Timberwolves, Minnesota Lynx,
Best investment: Cold calling Warren Buffett to ask for mentorship
Andre Iguodala
Career earnings: $184,324,259
Investments: Jumia, Zoom, PagerDuty, Allbirds, Casper, Datadog
Alternative investments:
Best investment: Early stage investor in Zoom
Career earnings: $184,324,259
Investments: Jumia, Zoom, PagerDuty, Allbirds, Casper, Datadog
Alternative investments:
Best investment: Early stage investor in Zoom
Kevin Durant
Career earnings: $306,172,746 (ongoing)
Investments: Postmates, Whoop, Acorns, Robinhood, Overtime and others
Alternative investments: sports business show The Boardroom, stake in MLS’s Philadelphia Union
Best investment: Postmates $1 million → $15 million+
Career earnings: $306,172,746 (ongoing)
Investments: Postmates, Whoop, Acorns, Robinhood, Overtime and others
Alternative investments: sports business show The Boardroom, stake in MLS’s Philadelphia Union
Best investment: Postmates $1 million → $15 million+
Joe Montana
Career earnings: $25.5 million
Investments: 32+ seed-stage companies, Pinterest, Gitlab
Alternative investments: General Partner at VC firm Liquid 2 Ventures
Best investment: Pinterest (invested in 2011 Series A)
Career earnings: $25.5 million
Investments: 32+ seed-stage companies, Pinterest, Gitlab
Alternative investments: General Partner at VC firm Liquid 2 Ventures
Best investment: Pinterest (invested in 2011 Series A)
Michael Jordan
Career earnings: $94 million
Investments: SportRadar, DraftKings, Jordan Brand
Alternative investments: Partial owner of NASCAR team, owner of Charlotte Hornets, $1.5 billion in endorsement deals
Best investment: Charlotte Hornets $175 million → $1.5 billion
Career earnings: $94 million
Investments: SportRadar, DraftKings, Jordan Brand
Alternative investments: Partial owner of NASCAR team, owner of Charlotte Hornets, $1.5 billion in endorsement deals
Best investment: Charlotte Hornets $175 million → $1.5 billion
Serena Williams
Career earnings: $94 million
Investments: Serena Ventures (50+ portfolio companies), billie, Daily Harvest, Impossible Foods
Alternative investments: S by Serena fashion line
Best investment: Invested early in Impossible Foods (current value ~$10 billion)
Career earnings: $94 million
Investments: Serena Ventures (50+ portfolio companies), billie, Daily Harvest, Impossible Foods
Alternative investments: S by Serena fashion line
Best investment: Invested early in Impossible Foods (current value ~$10 billion)
Lance Armstrong
Career earnings: ~$20 million/year during peak years
Investments: Trek, Next Ventures (his VC firm), Oura
Alternative investments: Coffee + bike shops in Texas, speaking fees
Best investment: $100K into Uber in '09 thanks to @sacca's Lower Case Capital
Career earnings: ~$20 million/year during peak years
Investments: Trek, Next Ventures (his VC firm), Oura
Alternative investments: Coffee + bike shops in Texas, speaking fees
Best investment: $100K into Uber in '09 thanks to @sacca's Lower Case Capital
Lebron James
Career earnings: $346 million
Investments: Beats by Dre, stakes in Liverpool and Boston Red Sox
Alternative investments: Spring Hill, Uninterrupted, 19 Blaze Pizza franchises
Best investment: Made $700 million when Apple bought Beats by Dre
Career earnings: $346 million
Investments: Beats by Dre, stakes in Liverpool and Boston Red Sox
Alternative investments: Spring Hill, Uninterrupted, 19 Blaze Pizza franchises
Best investment: Made $700 million when Apple bought Beats by Dre
Sources:
sportscasting.com/lance-armstron…
yahoo.com/now/peek-insid…
insider.com/lebron-james-m…
cnbc.com/2020/02/14/nba…
forbes.com/sites/kurtbade…
cnbc.com/2021/03/16/a-r…
forbes.com/sites/zackomal…
frontofficesports.com/shaq-is-a-busi…
bleacherreport.com/articles/10009…
cnbc.com/2020/02/01/ric…
sportscasting.com/lance-armstron…
yahoo.com/now/peek-insid…
insider.com/lebron-james-m…
cnbc.com/2020/02/14/nba…
forbes.com/sites/kurtbade…
cnbc.com/2021/03/16/a-r…
forbes.com/sites/zackomal…
frontofficesports.com/shaq-is-a-busi…
bleacherreport.com/articles/10009…
cnbc.com/2020/02/01/ric…
tl;dr here are ten of the best athlete/investors of all time
Kobe Bryant
Shaquille O'Neal
A-Rod
Andre Iguodala
Kevin Durant
Joe Montana
Michael Jordan
Serena Williams
Lance Armstrong
Lebron James
Kobe Bryant
Shaquille O'Neal
A-Rod
Andre Iguodala
Kevin Durant
Joe Montana
Michael Jordan
Serena Williams
Lance Armstrong
Lebron James
• • •
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