The ownership scene in the NBA for 2025 is made up of a mix of billionaires whose wealth comes from sectors like technology, casinos, mortgages, and private equity. These owners not only steer their teams' strategies but also help the league expand by investing in facilities, bringing in players, and engaging in community efforts. Leading the charge is Steve Ballmer , whose vast riches from Microsoft overshadow the competition.
Steve Ballmer - Los Angeles Clippers ($155.8 Billion)Steve Ballmer, who was the CEO of Microsoft from 2000 to 2014, has most of his wealth tied up in his roughly 4% share of the company, making him the biggest individual shareholder. His net worth is around $155.8 billion, which shows a year-to-date rise of $32 billion, or 21.9%, thanks to how well Microsoft's stock has been doing.
In 2014, Ballmer bought the Clippers for $2 billion after a scandal with the previous owner, Donald Sterling, as mentioned in a Vanity Fair article about the NBA's forced sale. Since he took over, the team's value has skyrocketed to about $5.5 billion, and Ballmer has been in charge of building the Intuit Dome, a $2 billion arena that opened in 2024 to enhance revenue by improving fan experiences.
In a 2025 interview, Ballmer refuted claims about bypassing the salary cap with Kawhi Leonard, saying he merely linked Leonard to a startup without knowing the specifics. His charitable work features the Ballmer Group, which aims at boosting economic mobility, and he has donated over $4 billion.
Miriam Adelson - Dallas Mavericks ($39.9 Billion)Miriam Adelson is a doctor who focuses on addiction treatment. She got her fortune from her late husband, Sheldon Adelson, who built the casino empire Las Vegas Sands Corp., where she owns most of the shares. Bloomberg reports that her net worth is around $39.9 billion, having increased by $2.68 billion or 7.2% this year.
Adelson bought a majority share in the Mavericks in December 2023 for $3.5 billion from Mark Cuban, with plans to merge casino operations with the team as Texas moves towards legalizing gambling.
In her first complete season, the team made it to the NBA Finals but ended up trading Luka Doncic to the Lakers, which upset fans due to an 8.6% hike in ticket prices. Adelson, a significant donor to the Republican party, gave $111 million to pro-Trump PACs in 2024. She mentioned to Forbes Israel in 2023 that "radical Muslim and Black Lives Matter activists...should be dead to us," while she was advocating against antisemitism.
Robert Pera - Memphis Grizzlies ($29.6 Billion)Robert Pera, the founder and CEO of Ubiquiti Inc., a company specializing in wireless networking, owns around 93% of its shares, which has helped him amass a fortune from $2.6 billion in revenue for fiscal 2025. Forbes reports his net worth at $29.6 billion, a significant increase thanks to Ubiquiti's share price tripling in recent years.
Pera bought the Grizzlies back in 2012 for $377 million, and now the team's worth has skyrocketed to $3 billion. He greenlit $550 million for renovations at FedExForum, with $80 million coming from public funds, and extended the lease past 2029.
In a statement from 2015, Pera referred to sports as a "$2.5 trillion or $3 trillion asset class." In 2025, the Grizzlies made headlines by firing coach Taylor Jenkins, which surprised many in the league as they were aiming for the playoffs.
Dan Gilbert - Cleveland Cavaliers ($26.7 Billion)Dan Gilbert, the guy behind Rocket Mortgage, holds around 54% of Rocket Companies, which dished out $79 billion in mortgages in 2023. Forbes pegged his net worth at $26.7 billion, which took a hit after he handed over $5 billion in shares to his ex-wife Jennifer during their divorce settlement in July 2025.
Gilbert snagged the Cavaliers back in 2005 for $375 million; now, the team's value has skyrocketed to $3.95 billion. He poured $5.6 billion into revitalizing Detroit through Rock Ventures, leading to the creation of 24,000 jobs. In a statement from 2025, Gilbert mentioned, "We are absolutely a more profitable (and better) business because we have a mission beyond the sole pursuit of profits". He is exploring selling a 15% minority stake in the Cavaliers.
Stan Kroenke - Denver Nuggets ($21.3 Billion)Stan Kroenke has made his fortune through real estate, with more than 1.6 million acres of ranches and 60 million square feet of commercial properties, along with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. Forbes estimates his net worth at $21.3 billion.
Kroenke owns several teams, including the Nuggets, which he bought in 2000. The Nuggets clinched the 2023 NBA championship, raising their value to $3.4 billion. To follow NFL regulations, he handed over ownership of the Nuggets and Avalanche to his wife Ann in 2015. In a 2025 interview, Kroenke highlighted the importance of diversification, "Sports, real estate... it's all about building long-term value".
Joseph Tsai - Brooklyn Nets ($13.7 Billion)Joseph Tsai, who co-founded and chairs Alibaba Group, holds 1.4% of the company, which is projected to generate $138 billion in revenue for fiscal 2025. As of October 2025, his net worth stands at $13.7 billion. In 2019, Tsai bought the Nets for $2.3 billion, and the team's current value is $5.6 billion. He mentioned to Bloomberg back in 2019, “I’ve got to take care of the Brooklyn Nets first” when asked about NFL ownership. Tsai sold 15% of BSE Global in 2024 for $700 million.
Antony Ressler - Atlanta Hawks ($12.2 Billion)Antony Ressler is one of the co-founders of Ares Management, which has $572 billion in assets under management as of June 2025.
He owns a 17% share, which plays a big part in his net worth of $12.2 billion as of October 2025. Ressler purchased the Hawks in 2015 for $850 million, and now the team's value has skyrocketed to $3.8 billion.
He’s also working on a massive $5 billion, 50-acre development close to State Farm Arena. In a profile from 2025, Ressler shared his investment philosophy: "invest, don’t endorse."
Josh Harris - Philadelphia 76ers ($10.7 Billion)Josh Harris started 26North back in 2022, overseeing $25 billion in assets. Forbes estimates that his net worth will hit $10.7 billion by October 2025. He bought the Philadelphia 76ers in 2011 for $280 million via Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. Now, he's working on a $4 billion arena in Washington, D.C., with $1 billion coming from public funds. Harris shared this with Forbes in 2023, "Sports is a growth industry".
Tilman Fertitta - Houston Rockets ($10.5 Billion)Tilman Fertitta is the owner of Landry's Inc., which includes casinos and restaurants such as Golden Nugget and Morton's The Steakhouse. Forbes has estimated his net worth to be around $10.5 billion. He purchased the Rockets in 2017 for $2.2 billion, and the team's current valuation is $4.9 billion.
In 2025, he was appointed as the U.S. ambassador to Italy and put his superyacht Boardwalk on the market for $192 million. In his book "Shut Up and Listen!", Fertitta wrote, “Customer service and hospitality are everything”.
Mat Ishbia - Phoenix Suns ($9.8 Billion)Mat Ishbia is the CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage, owns 71% of the firm, which went public back in 2021. Forbes places his net worth at about $9.8 billion. In 2023, he purchased a majority stake in the Phoenix Suns and Mercury for $4 billion. He committed $4.6 billion in shares for loans associated with that purchase. In a statement made in 2023, Ishbia expressed, "I’m committed to building a winner".
Steve Ballmer - Los Angeles Clippers ($155.8 Billion)Steve Ballmer, who was the CEO of Microsoft from 2000 to 2014, has most of his wealth tied up in his roughly 4% share of the company, making him the biggest individual shareholder. His net worth is around $155.8 billion, which shows a year-to-date rise of $32 billion, or 21.9%, thanks to how well Microsoft's stock has been doing.
In 2014, Ballmer bought the Clippers for $2 billion after a scandal with the previous owner, Donald Sterling, as mentioned in a Vanity Fair article about the NBA's forced sale. Since he took over, the team's value has skyrocketed to about $5.5 billion, and Ballmer has been in charge of building the Intuit Dome, a $2 billion arena that opened in 2024 to enhance revenue by improving fan experiences.
In a 2025 interview, Ballmer refuted claims about bypassing the salary cap with Kawhi Leonard, saying he merely linked Leonard to a startup without knowing the specifics. His charitable work features the Ballmer Group, which aims at boosting economic mobility, and he has donated over $4 billion.
Miriam Adelson - Dallas Mavericks ($39.9 Billion)Miriam Adelson is a doctor who focuses on addiction treatment. She got her fortune from her late husband, Sheldon Adelson, who built the casino empire Las Vegas Sands Corp., where she owns most of the shares. Bloomberg reports that her net worth is around $39.9 billion, having increased by $2.68 billion or 7.2% this year.
Adelson bought a majority share in the Mavericks in December 2023 for $3.5 billion from Mark Cuban, with plans to merge casino operations with the team as Texas moves towards legalizing gambling.
In her first complete season, the team made it to the NBA Finals but ended up trading Luka Doncic to the Lakers, which upset fans due to an 8.6% hike in ticket prices. Adelson, a significant donor to the Republican party, gave $111 million to pro-Trump PACs in 2024. She mentioned to Forbes Israel in 2023 that "radical Muslim and Black Lives Matter activists...should be dead to us," while she was advocating against antisemitism.
Robert Pera - Memphis Grizzlies ($29.6 Billion)Robert Pera, the founder and CEO of Ubiquiti Inc., a company specializing in wireless networking, owns around 93% of its shares, which has helped him amass a fortune from $2.6 billion in revenue for fiscal 2025. Forbes reports his net worth at $29.6 billion, a significant increase thanks to Ubiquiti's share price tripling in recent years.
Pera bought the Grizzlies back in 2012 for $377 million, and now the team's worth has skyrocketed to $3 billion. He greenlit $550 million for renovations at FedExForum, with $80 million coming from public funds, and extended the lease past 2029.
In a statement from 2015, Pera referred to sports as a "$2.5 trillion or $3 trillion asset class." In 2025, the Grizzlies made headlines by firing coach Taylor Jenkins, which surprised many in the league as they were aiming for the playoffs.
Dan Gilbert - Cleveland Cavaliers ($26.7 Billion)Dan Gilbert, the guy behind Rocket Mortgage, holds around 54% of Rocket Companies, which dished out $79 billion in mortgages in 2023. Forbes pegged his net worth at $26.7 billion, which took a hit after he handed over $5 billion in shares to his ex-wife Jennifer during their divorce settlement in July 2025.
Gilbert snagged the Cavaliers back in 2005 for $375 million; now, the team's value has skyrocketed to $3.95 billion. He poured $5.6 billion into revitalizing Detroit through Rock Ventures, leading to the creation of 24,000 jobs. In a statement from 2025, Gilbert mentioned, "We are absolutely a more profitable (and better) business because we have a mission beyond the sole pursuit of profits". He is exploring selling a 15% minority stake in the Cavaliers.
Stan Kroenke - Denver Nuggets ($21.3 Billion)Stan Kroenke has made his fortune through real estate, with more than 1.6 million acres of ranches and 60 million square feet of commercial properties, along with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment. Forbes estimates his net worth at $21.3 billion.
Kroenke owns several teams, including the Nuggets, which he bought in 2000. The Nuggets clinched the 2023 NBA championship, raising their value to $3.4 billion. To follow NFL regulations, he handed over ownership of the Nuggets and Avalanche to his wife Ann in 2015. In a 2025 interview, Kroenke highlighted the importance of diversification, "Sports, real estate... it's all about building long-term value".
Joseph Tsai - Brooklyn Nets ($13.7 Billion)Joseph Tsai, who co-founded and chairs Alibaba Group, holds 1.4% of the company, which is projected to generate $138 billion in revenue for fiscal 2025. As of October 2025, his net worth stands at $13.7 billion. In 2019, Tsai bought the Nets for $2.3 billion, and the team's current value is $5.6 billion. He mentioned to Bloomberg back in 2019, “I’ve got to take care of the Brooklyn Nets first” when asked about NFL ownership. Tsai sold 15% of BSE Global in 2024 for $700 million.
Antony Ressler - Atlanta Hawks ($12.2 Billion)Antony Ressler is one of the co-founders of Ares Management, which has $572 billion in assets under management as of June 2025.
He owns a 17% share, which plays a big part in his net worth of $12.2 billion as of October 2025. Ressler purchased the Hawks in 2015 for $850 million, and now the team's value has skyrocketed to $3.8 billion.
He’s also working on a massive $5 billion, 50-acre development close to State Farm Arena. In a profile from 2025, Ressler shared his investment philosophy: "invest, don’t endorse."
Josh Harris - Philadelphia 76ers ($10.7 Billion)Josh Harris started 26North back in 2022, overseeing $25 billion in assets. Forbes estimates that his net worth will hit $10.7 billion by October 2025. He bought the Philadelphia 76ers in 2011 for $280 million via Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment. Now, he's working on a $4 billion arena in Washington, D.C., with $1 billion coming from public funds. Harris shared this with Forbes in 2023, "Sports is a growth industry".
Tilman Fertitta - Houston Rockets ($10.5 Billion)Tilman Fertitta is the owner of Landry's Inc., which includes casinos and restaurants such as Golden Nugget and Morton's The Steakhouse. Forbes has estimated his net worth to be around $10.5 billion. He purchased the Rockets in 2017 for $2.2 billion, and the team's current valuation is $4.9 billion.
In 2025, he was appointed as the U.S. ambassador to Italy and put his superyacht Boardwalk on the market for $192 million. In his book "Shut Up and Listen!", Fertitta wrote, “Customer service and hospitality are everything”.
Mat Ishbia - Phoenix Suns ($9.8 Billion)Mat Ishbia is the CEO of United Wholesale Mortgage, owns 71% of the firm, which went public back in 2021. Forbes places his net worth at about $9.8 billion. In 2023, he purchased a majority stake in the Phoenix Suns and Mercury for $4 billion. He committed $4.6 billion in shares for loans associated with that purchase. In a statement made in 2023, Ishbia expressed, "I’m committed to building a winner".
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