Top 10 richest NBA team owners and their net worth [2025]

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One of the richest sports club owners worldwide, Steve Ballmer, owner of LA Clippers, has a net worth of about $121.3 billion. 

During his time running Microsoft, he amassed a sizable wealth, and today, his activities in the technology industry help to sustain that income. 

2014 saw Ballmer expend $2 billion on the Los Angeles Clippers, the largest amount paid for an NBA team at the time. 

With immense spending and smart management, he has greatly raised the Clippers' commercial and competitive stances.

Besides that, he's building the team's new home arena, the "Intuit Dome." One of the most innovative arenas in the NBA, it will generate more club revenue on game days and more chances for corporate partnerships. 

Ballmer also gives the team's digital growth top priority. To facilitate optimal performance, he funds artificial intelligence and data analytics. He enhances the Clippers' brand concurrently by engaging fans more actively and marketing the team worldwide.

Owning the Cleveland Cavaliers, Dan Gilbert boasts a net worth of around $21.3 billion. Gilbert's main source of wealth is Quicken Loans, the biggest online lender worldwide. The company's name has since evolved to Rocket Mortgage. 

Gilbert made significant investments in the Cavaliers's squad in the years following the $375 million spent to buy the team in 2005. Thanks mostly to LeBron James' leadership, the Cavaliers's stock price and international profile improved when they won the NBA Championship in 2016.

Apart from running the team, Gilbert is spearheading Detroit's economic recovery. With his real estate and industry investments totalling more than $5 billion, Detroit now boasts a wealth of employment possibilities. These endeavours not only boost his fortune but also help the NBA and the surrounding businesses. 

The owner of the Portland Trail Blazers, Jody Allen, has an estimated net worth of $20.3 billion. Jody is Paul Allen's sister, the late co-founder of Microsoft, who handed her a huge tech and real estate fortune.

Following in her brother's footsteps, Jody Allen developed the Portland Trail Blazers into a competitive team upon inheriting the club. Her methodical and pragmatic approach to management helps the team to maintain financial stability by means of better operational procedures.

She is also dedicated to introducing the sport to all across the globe and supports several youth basketball initiatives the team runs to change their local area.

Owner of the Denver Nuggets, Stan Kroenke, has an estimated net worth of $14.6 billion. Real estate and Kroenke Sports & Entertainment, his holding firm, provide Kroenke's principal sources of riches. 

Besides the Denver Nuggets, Kroenke owns the NFL's Los Angeles Rams and the NHL's Colorado Avalanche. 

By diversifying his sports investment portfolio, he attained generational financial success. 

When the Denver Nuggets won their first-ever NBA championship in 2023, Kroenke's marketing potential rose dramatically.

Owner of the Brooklyn Nets, Joseph Tsai, is valued at over $12.7 billion. A co-founder of Alibaba, the majority of Tsai's income stems from the e-commerce and technology company. 

At the transaction time in 2019, Joe Tsai's $2.35 billion purchase of the Brooklyn Nets was the biggest franchise deal in the NBA. He then subsequently raised the team's brand value and competitiveness by bringing in talents like Kyrie Irving and Kevin Durant. 

His strong promotion of the league's expansion in China and the Asian market helped the NBA's worldwide market growth as well as provide fresh income sources for the Nets.

Jimmy Haslam, worth around $8.7 billion, and Wes Edens, worth about $4 billion, jointly own the Milwaukee Bucks for a combined net worth of $12.7 billion.

While Wes Edens deals in private equity, Haslam is the majority owner of the Pilot Flying J petrol station network.

They have worked in tandem to facilitate the Bucks success league-wise and develop commercially.

Their 2021 NBA title saw the Milwaukee Bucks attract more sponsors and supporters from across the globe.

Owner of the Toronto Raptors, Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment (MLSE) is valued at over $10 billion. Having assets in a variety of sports, including football, hockey, and basketball, MLSE is Canada's biggest sports and entertainment organisation. 

The Raptors' approach to management under MLSE is informed and orderly. Having won their first championship in the 2019 NBA Finals, the Toronto Raptors established their dominance among clubs from Canada. 

The market value of the franchise has since jumped, and its success has helped the NBA flourish generally in Canada.

David Blitzer and Josh Harris, with a combined $9 billion net worth, co-own the Philadelphia 76ers. Josh Harris boasts $7.5 billion, while David Blitzer possesses $1.5 billion. 

Harris co-founded the private equity investment company Apollo Global Management, while Blitzer has a tonne of real estate and sports experience.

Since spending $280 million to acquire the Philadelphia 76ers in 2011, its value has surged to several billion dollars under careful management. 

The two businessmen handled the Philadelphia 76ers scientifically, revamping the roster and improving brand promotion, among other things. 

Using a "The Process" approach—which entails progressively accumulating top draft picks—core players like Joel Embiid have been developed. This approach raised the team's competitiveness as well as attracted additional sponsors and supporters. 

Having financially funded various sports and academic institutions in Philadelphia, Harris and Blitzer have also given the team's community involvement top priority. 

Houston Rocket owner, Tilman Fertitta, reportedly has a net worth of $7.6 billion. Fertitta's fortune largely comes from Landry's Inc., an entertainment, hotel, and restaurant business he developed. He also maintains an active presence on TV, hosting "Billion Dollar Buyer." 

Fertitta expended $2.2 billion for the Rockets in 2017, the highest amount ever paid for an NBA team. The commercial operations of the Rockets have greatly improved under his direction.

Game day income and fan involvement rose dramatically as he improved the home amenities and strengthened digital marketing. Moreover, he has set a target to establish the team's brand worldwide, especially in Asia, where its ties to Yao Ming have produced a substantial fan base from China.

Notwithstanding the team's erratic record in recent years, Fertitta has kept the Rockets' general competitiveness and commercial appeal in the NBA with careful financial management and long-term strategic expenditures. 

Glen Taylor, Marc Lore, and Alex Rodriguez—the owners of the Minnesota Timberwolves—have a combined net worth of over $6.95 billion. Of these are Glen Taylor ($2.5 billion), Marc Lore ($4 billion), and Alex Rodriguez ($350 million). 

Printing magnate Taylor paid $88 million for the Timberwolves in 1994 and in 2021 declared that Lore and Rodriguez would inherit most of the team's interests and would take over team management in the following years. 

Mark Lore's artistic and technological skills, as well as his great knowledge of online merchandising, have produced fresh ideas for the Timberwolves's commercial strategy. He plans to increase team operating efficiency by using digital technologies and data analysis. 

Rodriguez has used his professional baseball relationships and abilities to assist the club in landing fresh sponsors and media coverage. 

Though the Timberwolves have not had the best run in NBA history, the three owners are resolved to use strategic management and long-term investment to turn things around and increase the franchise's appeal to fans.