(Los Angeles) Michael Jordan, considered the greatest player in NBA history, is in talks to sell his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets franchise, ESPN reported Thursday.
The 60-year-old former basketball player, owner of the team since 2010, has engaged in ‘serious negotiations’ with a group led by businessmen Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, according to knowledgeable journalist Adrian Wojnarowski .
“The deal isn’t imminent, but there is significant momentum ahead of a sale that would make them the Hornets’ new co-owners,” he added.
Jordan, a former University player at North Carolina State, where Charlotte is located, would retain a minority stake in the franchise if the deal goes through, still according to ESPN.
Plotkin, which is worth around $300 million according to Forbesis already a minority shareholder in the Hornets, while Schnall owns shares in another NBA franchise, the Atlanta Hawks.
In a study published in October, Forbes ranked the Hornets 27e rank of the 30 most valuable teams in the league, to the tune of approximately $1.7 billion.
Jordan paid around $275 million in 2010 to become a majority shareholder, becoming the first former NBA player to own a team.
Under his leadership, the Hornets have had a lackluster record so far, with just three first-round playoff appearances.