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Rapper DaBaby Utilized Billionaire Michael Jordan’s One Special Privilege of Hornets Ownership

Published 04/26/2024, 7:54 AM EDT

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Michael Jordan became the richest NBA player after selling his majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets. There’s no reason for him to regret his decision. But one gesture by the Charlotte Hornets management might irk the Chicago Bulls legend and his fans. Rapper DaBaby sat down with Los Angeles Lakers legend Shaquille O’Neal on The Big Podcast to discuss the disappointing treatment he received as a season ticket holder from the Hornets.

While he appreciated receiving Michael Jordan’s parking spot and had love for the team, DaBaby shared that the Hornets could have offered him a far better experience. “I like how they let me park in Michael Jordan spot underground but other than that man you could have did me a little bit better,” DaBaby said. Even though it is unclear for how long he was parking his car in MJ’s spot, this might serve as proof that the Hornets have swiftly moved on from His Airness.

Nonetheless, DaBaby’s experience at the Spectrum Center fell way below expectations. Last year, Jordan sold his majority stake to Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall for about $3 billion. The decision came after analysts and fans expressed their disappointment in Jordan’s seemingly poor ownership skills. 

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While his role was essential to the franchise, the team never had playoff success during his tenure. After the sale, the franchise is also headed for a new era with new owners. However, does it justify for the Hornets to give away the parking spot to someone else when the Chicago Bulls legend still holds a minority stake? O’Neal also had essential advice for the team.

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Shaquille O’Neal slammed the Hornets’ poor management after DaBaby incident

The Big Aristotle suggested that the Charlotte Hornets’ management team needs to understand the entire marketing process. He further suggested that they should fire the problematic person to elevate the experience for the artist or celebrities like DaBaby. “Charlotte Hornets marketing department, somebody needs to be fired,” O’Neal claimed in his podcast.

O’Neal’s comment came after DaBaby opened up about his bad experience with the management. “I had eight courtside seats. I paid good money for, six figures a month. Players come, they see me, they recognize me. They roll the ball over and say to me ‘Shoot man, Shoot’. I get the ball, I try to get out there, they (Security) try to tackle me, bro,” the 32-year-old shared his story. But this wasn’t the first time he had issues with something related to His Airness.

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Earlier in February, DaBaby also took his frustration out on Air Jordans. While he probably joked about it, the rapper switched to NFL legend Deion Sanders’ “Coach Prime” Nike sneakers from Air Jordans. The rapper claimed that while he appreciates Jordan, he never received any free sneakers or perks from the Bulls legend.

He also added that he gets a nice and warm welcome in Atlanta, where the management treats him like a “president.” What is your take on O’Neal’s suggestion for the team? Let us know in the comments section below.

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Written by:

Pritha Debroy

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Pritha is an NBA writer at EssentiallySports. After reporting on the luxurious lifestyle of celebrities for a year, she used that experience to cover the glamor side of the basketball world. She has expertly covered Larsa Pippen and Marcus Jordan's complicated love story and the lavish vacations of NBA superstars, among other off-court scoops.
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Edited by:

Pragya Vashisth