David Beckham is a billionaire, worth $1 billion by our count—one of just seven living pro athletes (Jordan, Magic, Tiger, LeBron, Federer and retired Romanian tennis ace Ion Tiriac) to manage the feat.
Read more about how Beckham became a billionaire: https://www.forbes.com/sites/maneetahuja/2026/05/20/new-billionaire-david-beckham-on-his-family-team-and-legacy/?utm_source=ForbesMainFacebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ForbesMainFB
- Forbes
The NBA has seen its fair share of “what-if” stories. Players who many pegged to be on a path of greatness, only to be derailed by injuries. This includes the likes of Anfernee “Penny” Hardaway, Brandon Roy, Grant Hill and Greg Oden.
However, arguably the most tragic of them all was Len Bias. A super-talented 6’8″ forward whom the Boston Celtics selected with the second pick in the 1986 NBA Draft, the Maryland standout was expected to lead the team into the future, especially when stars like Larry Bird and Kevin McHale stepped away from the game.
Unfortunately, Bias never even got to play a single second in the big league as he passed away on June 19, 1986, due to cardiac arrhythmia related to his use of powdered cocaine. While the tragedy denied Bias of the chance to realize his basketball dreams, his mother, Lonise, made sure that his death would not be in vain, crusading against drugs in the many years that followed.
Bias’ death sparked a movement across the United States, with authorities cracking down on recreational cocaine use, especially amongst younger people. According to Lonise, she had been told by many people from different parts of the country that Len’s demise served as a reminder for them to stop using drugs or risk injury or even death.
“Many, many people have come to me throughout the [last] 20 years and have told me that the day Len died was the day they stopped using cocaine,” she shared.
“I’ve had people stop me in the street and tell me that. They still do, telling me they’ve remained clean since that time and that it was the turning point in their lives.”
Len’s passing led to tangible change, as the Anti-Drug Abuse Act of 1986 or the “Len Bias Law,” was signed by U.S. President Ronald Reagan in October 1986. The law mandates severe punishment for those who distribute drugs that lead to a person’s death or serious injury.
“His death woke the nation up,” Lonise added. “We got on the ball, and we started a lot of programs, and a lot of things happened to prevent drug use with young people. I believe Len has truly done more in death than he ever could have done in life.”
Len’s glory days came in the NCAA when he established himself as one of the league’s pre-eminent players. After a solid freshman season, his stock rose in his second year when he averaged 15.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game. Playing for Maryland also meant playing in the ACC, the same conference that the North Carolina Tar Heels play in. And as everyone knows, there was a guy by the name of Michael Jordan who starred there.
According to ESPN ace Scott Van Pelt, he relished watching those intense matchups between Len and Michael.
“I have a picture of him in my basement, it’s a black-and-white photo of him, like at least three feet off the ground straight up in the air with Jordan, with his hand in his face,” SVP shared.
“And there’s a grainy old YouTube video of a game where it was Jordan and Carolina, and Leonard and Maryland. When you watch it, the guy in the blue jersey, no one can stop, it’s obvious that’s Michael, and in the light jersey, no one can stop is Len.”
Len obviously had All-Star potential and perhaps so much more. Unfortunately, a bad decision prevented him from ever realizing what he could have been in the NBA.
- Jonas Panerio
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| Tyler Reddick rebounded from a crash to become the first driver in 17 years to sweep the first two races of a NASCAR Cup Series season, winning in double overtime Sunday at Echo Park Speedway. David J. Griffin/Icon Sportswire |
HAMPTON, Ga. — Whether on or off the racetrack, all Michael Jordan does is win in NASCAR.
For the second consecutive Sunday to open the season, the basketball great and co-owner of 23XI Racing celebrated in victory lane with driver Tyler Reddick. This time, after a thriller at Echo Park Speedway.
Jordan’s team now has the top two drivers in the Cup Series points standings with Reddick and Bubba Wallace. The six-time NBA champion already added a ring last week with Reddick in the Daytona 500, the crown jewel of stock-car racing.
Oh, and Jordan also settled a federal antitrust lawsuit with NASCAR in December, a major legal victory that secured a permanent franchise-style model and ensured his team would remain in business for the long-term.
“The guys worked hard all summer, and I know we had our little ordeal,” Jordan said after Reddick’s victory Sunday, referring to the bruising court battle that ended with him making peace with NASCAR CEO and chairman Jim France. “They kept working hard and this is the fruit of their labor. They put forth the effort, and for us to come out and win the first two races says a lot about our whole team.”
It especially says a lot about Reddick, who put on another dazzling performance the week after he became the fourth driver in history to win the Daytona 500 by leading only the final lap.
This time, he led a race-high 53 laps on the 1.54-mile oval south of Atlanta – including the final two in a double-overtime restart. He snatched the lead from Wallace despite the right-front fender of his No. 45 Toyota being damaged in a nine-car crash on the 224th of a scheduled 260 laps. Reddick fell two laps down for repairs but came roaring back from 27th for his 10th career victory.
“I mean, that’s crazy, ain’t it?” said Reddick, who became the first driver since Matt Kenseth in 2009 to win the first two NASCAR Cup Series races of the season. “I just found a way to get back in the top five, and I tried to stay committed to somebody.”
He got a helpful push from runner-up Chase Briscoe. Ross Chastain finished third, followed by the Spire Motorsports tandem of Carson Hocevar (who triggered a large crash in the first overtime) and Daniel Suarez.
“Tyler had like another gear,” Chastain said. “(He had) no fender, and he pulled us so fast.”
In a race that featured a track-record 57 lead changes, Wallace was first entering the final restart but shuffled to eighth. He still gained the second-most points (48) by winning the second stage and leading 46 laps.
“Tyler did an unbelievable job,” Jordan said. “I feel bad for Bubba because he had an unbelievable day. But Tyler drove his ass off. I’m very happy for Tyler. I’m very happy for 23XI.”
Austin Cindric took advantage of a stretch of 61 green-flag laps to open the race, winning the first stage after starting 30th.
It was the second consecutive year that the first stage in the February race was completed without a yellow flag – an oddity for a track known for chaos since its 2022 reconfiguration into a high-banked drafting oval.
The cautions quickly picked up pace in the second stage with three yellow flags in 40 laps that collected 16 cars and eliminated notable drivers Ty Gibbs, Josh Berry, Ricky Stenhouse Jr. and Kyle Busch. The 160-lap middle segment ended under another yellow when defending Cup Series champion Kyle Larson slammed the outside wall after a collision with Shane van Gisbergen.
Busch was perturbed after his No. 8 Chevrolet “got rammed” exiting Turn 2 by the No. 4 Ford of Noah Gragson on the 125th lap.
Though both drivers hail from Las Vegas, Nevada, the 40-year-old Busch felt little kinship in taking issue with the aggressive style of Gragson, who is 13 years younger.
“He didn’t give me an opportunity to make sure I was straight before hitting me or get into me gently to try and get the momentum back,” said Busch, who finished 33rd. “He just drove right through me.”
The NASCAR Cup Series will race at the Circuit of the Americas, the first road course of the 2026 season, on Sunday, March 1. Christopher Bell outdueled Kyle Busch and William Byron to win at the Austin, Texas, track last year.
- Associated Press
A 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Emblems of Endorsements card of Kobe Bryant recently sold for $1.22 million, including buyer's premium, with Goldin Auctions.
It's the third highest public sale for a solo Bryant card all-time.
The card is autographed in blue ink, numbered 8/15 and graded near-mint 8 by Beckett Grading Services. It features two multicolored game-used patches cut from a then-No. 8 Bryant jersey.
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| A 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Emblems of Endorsements card of Kobe Bryant recently sold for $1.22 million, including buyer’s premium, with Goldin Auctions. Courtesy of Goldin Auctions |
In the same Goldin auction, the Bryant card was one of four cards to top $500,000. The others: A 2005 Topps Finest SuperFractor die cut Tom Brady card, which sold for $704,550; a 1997-98 Skybox Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems Red Michael Jordan card, which sold for $651,334; and a 1998 Pokémon Japanese Promo Holo Illustrator Pikachu card, which sold for $610,000.
The all-time record paid for a sports card still belongs to one featuring Bryant. A one-of-one numbered, on-card autographed Bryant/Jordan dual Logoman, purchased by Shark Tank's Kevin O'Leary, mega-collector Matt Allen (better known as Shyne150 in the collecting space) and entrepreneur Paul Warshaw for $12.932 million last August.
- Dan Hajducky
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| Michael Jordan, co-owner of 23XI Racing, sits in his pit box during a NASCAR Cup Series auto race at Talladega Superspeedway, Sunday, Oct. 6, 2024, in Talladega, Ala. (AP Photo/ Butch Dill) (Butch Dill) |
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR reached a settlement Thursday of the bruising antitrust lawsuit filed against the stock car series by two of its race teams, including one co-owned by NBA great Michael Jordan.
“Today’s a good day,” Jordan said as he waited in the gallery for attorneys to announce the deal. Details were not immediately released.
The settlement came on the ninth day of the trial before U.S. District Judge Kenneth Bell, who set aside motions hearing for an hour-long sidebar. Jeffrey Kessler, attorney for 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, emerged from a conference room at the end of the hour to inform a court clerk “we’re ready.” Kessler then led Jordan and 23XI co-owner Denny Hamlin, as well as Front Row owner Bob Jenkins, to another room for more talks.
23XI and Front Row filed their lawsuit last year after refusing to sign agreements on the new charter offers NASCAR presented in September 2024. Teams had until end of day to sign the 112-page document, which guarantees access to top-level Cup Series races and a revenue stream, and 13 of 15 organizations reluctantly agreed. Jordan and Jenkins sued instead and raced most of the 2025 season uncharted.
Both teams said a loss in the case would have put them out of business.
Bell told the jury that sometimes parties at trial have to see how the evidence unfolds to come to the wisdom of a settlement.
“I wish we could’ve done this a few months ago,” Bell said in court. “I believe this is great for NASCAR. Great for the future of NASCAR. Great for the entity of NASCAR. Great for the teams and ultimately great for the fans.”
All teams felt the previous revenue-sharing agreement was unfair and two-plus years of bitter negotiations led to NASCAR’s final offer, which was described by the teams as “take-it-or-leave it.” The teams believed the new agreement lacked all four of their key demands, most importantly the charters becoming permanent instead of renewable.
The settlement followed eight days of testimony in which the Florida-based France family, the founders and private owners of NASCAR, were shown to be inflexible in making the charters permanent.
When the defense began its case Wednesday it seemed focused more on mitigating damages than proving it did not act anticompetitively.
An economist earlier testified 23XI and Front Row were owed over US$300 million in damages.
- Jenna Fryer, The Associated Press
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| Image via UNC Basketball |
The Air Jordan 10 "UNC" PE returns to the spotlight with a new set of images that show why this pair sits in a special tier. The silhouette has always carried a different kind of weight in Jordan history.
The sneaker represents a moment when Michael stepped away from the game, yet the design still honored his legacy. That story gives every PE extra meaning, especially when it ties back to his North Carolina roots. UNC pairs always hit a nostalgic nerve.
The colors connect two eras of Michael’s life. They call back to his time in Chapel Hill while still sitting firmly in the Jumpman lineage. That mix gives any UNC themed model a clean sense of identity.
The Air Jordan 10 adds another layer, since the shoe represents a chapter built on milestones and reflection. Player exclusives remain a rare item as only athletes and insiders tend to see pairs like this in person.
That scarcity fuels the energy behind every "UNC" PE reveal. New photos of this Air Jordan 10 show why that excitement never fades. The suede hits look bold under the arena lights.
The classic Jumpman branding sharpens the look even more. The images above capture all of these details and remind everyone why UNC themed PEs always command attention.
This Air Jordan 10 "UNC" PE uses a mix of white leather and carolina blue suede. The upper features crisp black accents along the collar and tongue.
The mudguard and midsole use black to anchor the bright colors. Also, the outsole carries alternating blue and black stripes. The lateral side features a white stitched Jumpman.
The heel liner comes in soft blue fabric. Further the tongue tag uses a black base with a silver Jumpman. The inner pull tab helps finish the clean build. Every detail stays consistent with UNC’s signature palette.
- BEN ATKINSON
John W. Rogers Jr. beat NBA legend Michael Jordan in a real 1-on-1 game.
In 2003, Rogers attended Jordan's Senior Flight School in Las Vegas, Nevada. The matchup ended 3-2, and the moment was caught on video. When he sank the final shot, Jordan reacted with a simple, "Oh, no." People at the camp watched it unfold in real time and confirmed it.
To this day, it remains the only recorded and documented one-on-one win against Jordan. Rogers who now runs a $14.5 billion investment firm said, "He knew that was one of my patented shots."
stayinspirednews.com/the-only-person-to-ever-beat-michael-jordan-one-on-one
BREAKING: Steph Curry is set to release his first-ever Jordan Brand sneaker. The announcement has sent waves through the basketball community as two generational names join forces in a landmark moment for performance and culture; marking a rare crossover moment between two of basketball’s biggest icons. The collaboration signals a historic partnership in the sportswear world, drawing major attention from fans, athletes, and collectors worldwide.
Stephen Curry signs with Jordan Brand! ••
Stephen Curry is officially joining Michael Jordan and Jordan Brand after parting ways with Under Armour. MJ reportedly stepped in personally - even calling Steph to help close the deal. Jordan Brand is now developing an exclusive Curry Brand line poised to shake up the sneaker world.
#stephcurry #jordanbrand
According to reports, Michael Jordan’s first U.S. World of Flight store opened in Philadelphia’s Center City, drawing massive crowds of fans eager to experience the launch.
The store marks Jordan Brand’s first American flagship of its kind, combining sneaker releases with immersive storytelling and exclusive merch.
The design celebrates Philly’s deep basketball roots while giving fans a space to connect with the culture. Many see it as a major win for the city’s growing influence in sports and streetwear. 👏💯
MJ holds the distinction of having the highest vertical leap in NBA history at 48 inches. His nickname was Air Jordan for a reason 🚀
#maxsportsblog #greatness #michaeljordan #MJ #Basketball #Verticle #maxsports
