This week, basketball icon Michael Jordan decided to sell his majority stake of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets, where he also served as a chairman. On Friday (June 16), the franchise revealed that Jordan, who grew up in North Carolina, sold the team to a buyer group full of fellow celebrities who were also raised in the state.
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The Hornets’ new majority-owning group is led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, who are both alternate governors on the NBA Board of Governors. Additionally, Schnall has been a minority owner of the Atlanta Hawks, a different NBA team, since 2015. Country star Eric Church and rap star J. Cole are also both members of the buying group, as the former was born in Granite Falls, North Carolina, and the latter grew up in Fayetteville, North Carolina.
J. Cole has quite a bit of basketball in his past before today, as well as a pre-established relationship with the Hornets. When the franchise hosted All-Star Weekend for the NBA in 2019, J. Cole was the headlining act for the musical performance in the arena, donning a vintage Charlotte Hornets jacket on stage.
Then in 2021 and 2022, J. Cole earned a contract to play basketball professionally in Rwanda and Canada. For his Rwandan stint, he played three games with the Patriots Basketball Club in the Basketball Africa League. For his Canadian stint, Cole played four games for the Scarborough Shooting Stars of the Canadian Elite Basketball League.
Most recently, Cole made good friends with Miami Heat player Caleb Martin, who used to play for the Hornets. After he was cut from the Hornets in 2021, Martin continued to train at J. Cole’s personal gym, as Cole saw a lot of potential in the baller. Additionally, Cole helped Martin set up a tryout with the Miami Heat, where Martin would eventually earn a spot on the roster and help the team make it to the NBA Finals this year.
With Cole now helping run the team, alongside Church and other moguls, the Hornets likely hope they can stop overlooking talent like Martin and make successful strides as a franchise.
(Photo by Josh Brasted/FilmMagic)
