“I wanna be a billionaire… so freakin bad.” Lyrics from the the song by Travis McCoy, probably plays through the white Beats headphones wrapped around his head, while he sits around and contemplates his next move. Immortality. Fame. Winning a championship. Being a Billionaire. The mind of Lebron James and the decision for his next move will be the biggest conversation through the summer no doubt. But while everyone waves their Chicago Bulls flags, I figure why not put look at a different side side of the story. Kenny ‘The Jet’ Smith, made a great point after game 2 of the Lakers-Suns series. If Lebron wants to be the first billionaire athlete, he needs to hang around billionaires or other aspiring billionaires. Light bulb for my next post..... With that said, let’s take a journey into how Lebron can become a billionaire.
The Dynamic Duo:
New owner of the Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov, is a Billionaire-39th richest man in the world. He goes coast to coast and around the world flying on G5’s, with young female escorts in tote. He’s 6’8”. If he wanted, he could probably buy Russia itself. BS calls him Russian Mark Cuban. I call him Russian Bruce Wayne. Who knows, he might even fight crime at night. He lives the life that most guys want. Even Lebron.
Minority owner of the Nets, Jay-Z, is Lebron's good friend. He's in a three way race with Diddy, and Russell Simmons to be the first hip-hop billionaire. He built his empire in the heart of New York. He wrote this generation's anthem for the city. Some might call him a King in New York. (on a side bet, what odds would you place on Mike Tyson being the first person to owe a billion in debt?)
Resources:
It will be another 2 years until Lebron would get to play in Brooklyn, but Newark is a short hop across the river to NYC. Lebron is contracted with Nike, Sprite, McDonalds, Upper Deck, Glaceau, Bubblicious, and State Farm. Lebron was number one on Forbes list of Top 20 Earners Under 25. He will have access to an infinite amount of resources, before and after the move to Brooklyn.
The Team:
OK. This team isn't great. Its definitely not a step up from Cleveland in its current shape. They posted a horrendous record. They didn't get the top draft pick. You're stuck in NJ. Your best players are Devin Harris and Brook Lopez. But... the upside? We're looking at the best free agent pool, possibly in NBA history. We have a billionaire who owns the club, who probably isn't afraid of throwing some cash around (again he flies in private jets, and sets his friends up with escorts). Let's say they pick up Derrick Favors in the 3rd spot. Now, were looking at a decent squad. Lopez, Favors, James, and Harris. Sign up one of the better upcoming free agents, like a Manu, Ray Allen, or Joe Johnson and you'd be in good shape. Sign on a great player instead, like an Amare, or the stretch Dwyane Wade, and were looking serious. Would this team be able to contend with the Celtics, Magic, or even the Lakers? I'd say no, but hey we're trying to become billionaires in this post. A championship is probably not eminent immediately, but if they grab a few key pieces, and pull in a good coach, who knows what can happen.
*note after a couple hours of debating (and a lame pep talk from the Logo Chick) on whether I should actually play GM and try to piece together a team, I got a headache and decided to keep on with the opinionated portion
Let's rerun that checklist. Rich friends with power and influence. Check. Opportunity to find additional sources of revenue. Check. Playing for a contending team. Check? Whether the New Jersey Nets are a smart move basketball wise would be a debate. But from a financial standpoint, for someone who's trying to grow his fortune, why not go for it? Fortune and infinite exposure? The possibility of being the "King" of New York? Partying with Diddy in the Hamptons? Flying around in a jet with your boss? If Lebron doesn't want it, can I have it? I wanna be a billionaire... so freakin' bad.....
The Dynamic Duo:
New owner of the Nets, Mikhail Prokhorov, is a Billionaire-39th richest man in the world. He goes coast to coast and around the world flying on G5’s, with young female escorts in tote. He’s 6’8”. If he wanted, he could probably buy Russia itself. BS calls him Russian Mark Cuban. I call him Russian Bruce Wayne. Who knows, he might even fight crime at night. He lives the life that most guys want. Even Lebron.
Minority owner of the Nets, Jay-Z, is Lebron's good friend. He's in a three way race with Diddy, and Russell Simmons to be the first hip-hop billionaire. He built his empire in the heart of New York. He wrote this generation's anthem for the city. Some might call him a King in New York. (on a side bet, what odds would you place on Mike Tyson being the first person to owe a billion in debt?)
Resources:
It will be another 2 years until Lebron would get to play in Brooklyn, but Newark is a short hop across the river to NYC. Lebron is contracted with Nike, Sprite, McDonalds, Upper Deck, Glaceau, Bubblicious, and State Farm. Lebron was number one on Forbes list of Top 20 Earners Under 25. He will have access to an infinite amount of resources, before and after the move to Brooklyn.
The Team:
OK. This team isn't great. Its definitely not a step up from Cleveland in its current shape. They posted a horrendous record. They didn't get the top draft pick. You're stuck in NJ. Your best players are Devin Harris and Brook Lopez. But... the upside? We're looking at the best free agent pool, possibly in NBA history. We have a billionaire who owns the club, who probably isn't afraid of throwing some cash around (again he flies in private jets, and sets his friends up with escorts). Let's say they pick up Derrick Favors in the 3rd spot. Now, were looking at a decent squad. Lopez, Favors, James, and Harris. Sign up one of the better upcoming free agents, like a Manu, Ray Allen, or Joe Johnson and you'd be in good shape. Sign on a great player instead, like an Amare, or the stretch Dwyane Wade, and were looking serious. Would this team be able to contend with the Celtics, Magic, or even the Lakers? I'd say no, but hey we're trying to become billionaires in this post. A championship is probably not eminent immediately, but if they grab a few key pieces, and pull in a good coach, who knows what can happen.
*note after a couple hours of debating (and a lame pep talk from the Logo Chick) on whether I should actually play GM and try to piece together a team, I got a headache and decided to keep on with the opinionated portion
Let's rerun that checklist. Rich friends with power and influence. Check. Opportunity to find additional sources of revenue. Check. Playing for a contending team. Check? Whether the New Jersey Nets are a smart move basketball wise would be a debate. But from a financial standpoint, for someone who's trying to grow his fortune, why not go for it? Fortune and infinite exposure? The possibility of being the "King" of New York? Partying with Diddy in the Hamptons? Flying around in a jet with your boss? If Lebron doesn't want it, can I have it? I wanna be a billionaire... so freakin' bad.....
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