Michael Jordan, one of the best NBA players ever, recently stepped out of the ownership club in basketball by selling the Charlotte Hornets. Following the record-breaking sale, it appears the Chicago Bulls legend has turned his focus to NASCAR.
When it launched, Jordan invested $150 million into 23XI racing, becoming co-owner along with NASCAR driver Denny Hamlin. However, Hamlin primarily focused on racing in the Sup Series for Joe Gibbs Racing, while Jordan kept his attention on the Hornets and his personal life.
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However, things are now changing at 23XI Racing. As Hamlin told Jeff Gluck of The Athletic, Jordan has now become much more involved in the day-to-day operations since he sold his NBA franchise at a $3 billion valuation earlier this year.
“It’s just like, ‘Oh boy. This is going to be interesting. I think he has some more time and perhaps he’s going to use that more on the race team.”
Denny Hamlin on Michael Jordan becoming more actively involved with 23XI Racing
With Hamlin focused on the ongoing Cup Series, trying to climb up the standings, Jordan is becoming an active presence within the team. As Hamlin described, Jordan has recently been much more involved “in more meetings” and he noted that the NBA legend wants to be included in every email regarding team branding.
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It’s a significant development for the team in the months heading into NASCAR’s offseason. Jordan’s sale of the Hornets provides him with significant financial capital, which he could use to help 23XI Racing become one of the better teams in racing.
Early in August, Bubba Wallace is 14th in the standings with 541 points this season. While he hasn’t made a trip to victory lane, Wallace does have six top-10 finishes and four top-five placements. However, Wallace’s pit crew has been a significant problem this season with mistakes and slow times proving costly.
With 23XI Racing focused on taking another step forward in 2024, Jordan’s increased involvement bodes well for the future. Further investments into the pit crew and more money spent amid talks with Toyota could prove beneficial to Wallace and the rest of the team in the years to come.
