SPORTS n ON THE BALL WITH JERROD MUSTAF
But this latest news out of Charlotte, that
MJ is selling ownership interests of his
NBA franchise to Gabe Plotkin and Daniel
Sundheim, has to be the most damaging
yet to his reputation. Michael Jordan has
held a special place in the African Amer-
ican community since he demoralized
the great Larry Bird in his legendary play-
off performance in 1986. His Air Jordan
commercials, with our beloved Spike Lee,
gave personality to his polished image.
His ability to single-handedly carry the
NBA as Magic and Bird were retiring had
some of us calling him Black Jesus. Even
though we weren’t Chicago Bulls fans,
Mike was so special that we all rooted for
the Bulls. Number 23 became the single
greatest number in sports. Grown men
were singing the jingle, “I wanna be like
Mike,” in grocery stores.
We loved Mike so much, and all we want-
ed was for him to love us back. We didn’t
stop loving Mike, or buying his shoes,
when young Black men were killing for
a pair of them. Not even when Mike re-
mained silent on issues in the Black com-
munity. Mike stayed on the sideline for
the Rodney King riots, remained neutral
in the North Carolina Senate race against
the racist segregationist Jesse Helms,
and avoided endorsing Barack Obama in
2007 as this nation’s first black President.
In 2010, His Airness became the majority
owner of the Charlotte Hornets and has
remained the only African American major-
ity owner in any of the four major sports.
Although his teams have underperformed
on the court, he has made millions from the
monumental increase in value of the fran-
chise. It’s estimated that the Hornets val-
16
IBA Success Magazine
n
VOL 5, Issue 4
Don’t
Sell…
Out,
Mike!
By Jerrod Mustaf
ue has increased a billion dollars since he
brought the team from the only other ma-
jority black owner in sports, Bob Johnson.
A few years ago, the NBA almost implod-
ed when privately recorded conversations
of the LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling
making racist remarks were released pub-
licly. The NBA condemned his comments
and moved swiftly to force Mr. Sterling to
sell the franchise. But, as much as we sup-
ported the sale, for what was a record 2
billion dollars, it did absolutely nothing to
benefit the African American community,
as the Clippers were sold to another white
male billionaire.
That brings us back to Michael, who prob-
ably wouldn’t win a Martin Luther King, Jr.
Social Justice award, but he is the only
African American majority owner left in
U.S. major sports.
For Mike to sell any part of his franchise
to anyone other than African Americans
is an insult and a tremendous blow to our
efforts to sit in the owner’s box. Before he
became minority owner of the Hornets, he
was basically frozen out of the exclusive
owner’s club. Being considered the great-
est to ever play the game didn’t even mat-
ter when it comes to his offers to purchase
other franchises that were on the market.
Coincidentally, his admittance as a full-
fledged member in the owner’s box was
by black billionaire, Robert Johnson, who
was willing to let Mike in when others shut
him out. We know MJ didn’t forget how
the Washington Wizard’s late owner, Abe
Pollin, humiliated him by refusing to allow
him to buy back his ten percent interest in
the team he played for in DC.
Just as Mike received right of first refusal
to buy the majority of the Charlotte Hor-
nets shares when he came in as a minority
shareholder with Johnson, I’m sure that
Gabe and Dan have demanded the same
from him. And if this sale is ratified by the
NBA, we can forget about ever owning a
piece of the NBA again.
Don’t Sell…out, Mike!
Former NBA veteran Jerrod
Mustaf will give the reading
audience an insider's view
of what's current in the
sports world. From the
gridiron, to the diamond,
to inside the paint, Jerrod will enlighten and
entertain with the latest trends and forecasts in
your favorite sports.
Jerrod Mustaf, Executive Director
Take Charge Juvenile Diversion Program, Inc.
www.Takechargeprogram.org
www.Takechargepride.com
301.420.7395
STOCK
M
ichael Jeffrey Jordan, consid-
ered by many to be the great-
est basketball player in the
history of the game, has main-
tained a less than all-star performance as
an NBA executive. From his head scratch-
ing draft selections, to his coaching hires,
to his inability to attract star talent to the
Queen City, Mike seemed to have left his
midas touch with that winning jumper
over Byron Russell in Utah.