Who Are the Richest NBA Team Owners and How They Built Their Fortunes

As someone who has spent over a decade analyzing sports economics, I’ve always been fascinated by the wealth dynamics behind the NBA’s most influential team owners. The staggering fortunes behind franchises like the Golden State Warriors or the Los Angeles Lakers didn’t just appear overnight—they were built through savvy investments, relentless ambition, and sometimes, a little luck. But what really intrigues me is how these owners translate their financial power into team performance. Take, for instance, a recent observation from the East Asia Super League: even talented players like Lassiter can hit a rough patch, missing all four of his three-pointers against Hiroshima last Wednesday. It’s a reminder that money alone doesn’t guarantee success, but it sure helps build the infrastructure for it.

Let’s start with Steve Ballmer, the exuberant former CEO of Microsoft and current owner of the Los Angeles Clippers. With a net worth hovering around $110 billion, Ballmer didn’t just ride the tech wave—he helped create it. I remember studying his career trajectory and thinking how his hands-on leadership style at Microsoft, where he oversaw everything from Windows to cloud services, prepared him for the NBA. When he bought the Clippers for $2 billion back in 2014, many thought it was an overpay. But look at them now—a state-of-the-art arena in the works, a competitive roster, and a brand that’s no longer in the Lakers’ shadow. Ballmer’s fortune stems from decades in tech, but his impact on the Clippers shows how diversified business acumen can reshape a team’s destiny.

Then there’s the Memphis Grizzlies’ Robert Pera, a relatively young billionaire who made his fortune through Ubiquiti Networks, a company he founded with just $30,000 in seed money. Pera’s story is one of my favorites because it’s so unconventional. He started by selling wireless technology in emerging markets, and by 2022, his net worth had ballooned to roughly $14.5 billion. What stands out to me is his risk-taking mentality—he once leveraged his shares to buy the Grizzlies, a move that could’ve backfired but instead paid off handsomely. It’s owners like Pera who remind me that the NBA isn’t just about basketball; it’s a high-stakes business where innovation off the court can drive wins on it.

Of course, we can’t ignore the old-money dynasties. The late Paul Allen, co-founder of Microsoft and former owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, amassed a fortune that peaked at around $20 billion before his passing. Allen’s approach was more philanthropic—he poured millions into the team’s facilities and community programs, something I’ve always admired. But even with deep pockets, challenges persist. Remember Lassiter’s slump in the EASL? It’s a microcosm of how unpredictable sports can be, no matter how much capital an owner injects. Allen’s legacy teaches us that while wealth builds foundations, resilience—both financial and emotional—is what sustains it.

Shifting to the Buss family, who control the Lakers, their story is a blend of real estate brilliance and basketball passion. Jerry Buss, the patriarch, bought the team in 1979 for $67.5 million, a sum that seemed astronomical then but looks like a steal today. His background in chemistry and real estate—he owned over 1,000 apartments in Southern California—gave him the cash flow to transform the Lakers into a global brand. Personally, I think the Buss family’s hands-off yet strategic ownership model is underrated. They’ve navigated eras of dominance and rebuilding without selling out, proving that long-term vision often trumps short-term spending sprees.

In wrapping up, it’s clear that the richest NBA owners share a common thread: they built their fortunes outside basketball, whether in tech, real estate, or manufacturing. But what sets the great ones apart, in my view, is their ability to blend that wealth with genuine passion for the game. As we saw with Lassiter’s off-night in Hiroshima, even the best-laid plans can falter. Yet, owners like Ballmer and Pera show that with enough resources and smart management, teams can bounce back stronger. So next time you watch a game, remember—the drama on the court is just one part of a much larger, wealth-driven narrative.