Michael Jordan Made Forbes World’s Billionaire

Michael Jordan's twenty-years career at the top of basketball made him a household name; It wasn't just his exploits on court with the Chicago Bulls that made him famous - there was

also his huge endorsement deals, most notably with sports gear giants Nike, whose 'Air Jordan' range of trainers have been best-sellers for 30-odd years now.

But as much as his income kept on piling up, Jordan never quite made billionaire status. Tiger Woods surpassed Jordan's wealth and became sport's first billionaire in 2009 - though it's believed that he dipped back under the line following his sex scandal and divorce - but Jordan himself always fell short.

Until now, that is, because Jordan has finally made it into the list of the world's billionaires, according to the American wealth bible that is Forbes magazine.

And the reason? The borderline-insane racist rant by former LA Clippers owner Donald Sterling.

Sterling's horrifying race hatred - which was beamed across the world after it was recorded by a former lover - prompted basketball authorities to demand that the ageing billionaire sell his team.

Sterling did as instructed and received an eye-watering $2 billion from Microsoft co-founder Steve Ballmer.

Forbes claims that the size of Ballmer's offer took the sport by surprise, and sent values of all the sport's other teams skyrocketing.

And Jordan's majority shareholding in the Charlotte Hornets means that he is now worth over $1 billion for the first time - a fact that the magazine guessed at last year, and confirmed on Monday.