Rich and Famous Lifestyles of American Athletes

StarMap has always been interested in exploring how the rich and famous choose to design their lifestyles and there is no stars that do it bigger, badder and flashier than the stars that make a living from competition.

Athletes LOVE fine luxury, eye catching architecture and modern technology. Some call it a fine taste, but we like to think there’s a level of testosterone involved in many of these decisions. Who knows.. For those folks who make a living from their hard physical work and innate talent,  maybe real estate is the obvious choice when it comes to growth oriented investments.

Like Rich Dad Poor Dad states, purchase appreciating assets. That’s right, you’re not the only one that has read it!

Athletes tend to be creative.. Have you seen Michael Jordans gates? The #23 is integrated into his gates.. That’s quite the creativity. We often wonder if the future residents will choose to keep the gates in tact, it’s quite the story.. wouldn’t you say?

Basketball superstar Michael Jordan recently increased his ownership stake in the Charlotte Hornets from 80 percent to 89.5 percent, boosting his net worth from $750 million to a cool $1 billion, according to Forbes.

Jordan became a part owner of the Charlotte Hornets back in 2006, when he bought out owner Bob Johnson for a minority stake worth $175 million. He became the team’s second-largest shareholder behind majority owner Robert L. Johnson. In 2010, Jordan gained majority ownership of the team. Today, the Hornets are worth between $600 million and $625 million, a figure that factors into Forbes’s calculations of Jordan’s net worth.

As one of the most marketed sports figures in history, Jordan has been a major spokesman for such brands as Nike, Coca-Cola, Chevrolet, Gatorade, McDonald’s, Ball Park Franks, Rayovac, Wheaties, Hanes, and MCI. Jordan also has a number of high-earning business ventures, including his one line of shoes, Air Jordan, and has also made several cameo appearances in films. Jordan is the first NBA player to reach billionaire status.

Magic Johnson is a retired NBA player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers.

Johnson has owned the house since 1989 when he bought it while it was being constructed. He listed it at roughly $6 million in 1992 when he and his wife Cookie had a child. However, when his family grew to include three children, he expanded the Mediterranean style home from 12,000 to 14,000 square feet, increasing the number of bedrooms from four plus staff quarters to a total of nine.

The home has a gym, media room, game room, tennis court and pool. It is in the gated community of Beverly Park.

Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname “The Real Deal”.

Fresh on the heels of winning his second NBA title, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant and his bride Vanessa were in escrow to buy a home near LA for $13.5 million.

The Hot Property section of the Los Angeles Times newspaper reported that the Bryant home in a gated, Orange County community (just south of Los Angeles) is one of the highest amounts ever paid in that upscale area.

Rumors first spread in mid August that Meryl had sold the 3,500 square foot home, and speculation about who the buyer might be continued until reports surfaced identifying the baseball star Alex Rodriguez. Meryl’s original asking price was $7 million, but as a Yankees fan she was willing to negotiate, and Alex walked away with a new pad for $4.8 million.

The home received a major remodel from famed architectural designer Xorin Balbes just before Meryl Streep bought it. Currently the sleek, two-story home features marble floors, an open walnut staircase, and a customizable security system controlled by smart-phone.

Alex Rodriguez has been headlining real estate news for some time. He recently sold his Miami Beach condo for $2.575 million after listing it for $3.2 million in December. He also used to rent a posh Central Park West apartment in New York City for $30,000 a month, but owners allegedly prevented him from moving back in, citing negative press the baseball star has been receiving as of late.

Carmelo Anthony is a professional basketball player who plays for the New York Knicks in the NBA. Anthony owns this dream home in Littleton, CO. The home sits on over 4 acres of land and has private stables, park and a small lake.

You may know the notorious ginger as a professional snowboarder, skateboarder and X-Games favorite. The sought after, handsome 27 year old Shaun White is also a major bachelor known for dating famous beauties like supermodel Bar Refaeli and actress Lindsay Lohan.

This beachfront property has 4 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms and has been reportedly sold to White for $8.9 million dollars and he purchased it from friend and television producer, Mike Fleiss, who is responsible for giving us shows like The Bachelor and The Bachelorette series.  

The open plan beauty was a private listing so there was very little information from the Multiple Lisiting Service on this property, however, the information released on the home is that it is over 2600 square feet and was built in 1950 and there are two separate structures on the property: a one bedroom and one bathroom guest house and an office that can be used for a multitude of purposes.  There will definitely be partying and good times!  Shaun White will be neighbors with the likes of celebs like Owen Wilson and Barbra Streisand.  

Shaquille O’Neal owns this sprawling house in the suburbs of Windermere, Florida. The home was featured on MTV Cribs and boasts 11 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms, with a total of 64,000 square feet featuring a cigar room and indoor basketball court.

It’s located right next to the canal leading to Lake Tibet.

In spite of his rocky career in the NFL, Tebow is still living large. He purchased the impressive 6,525-square-foot residence from Dr. David J. Bailey, a physician. The home boasts 5 bedrooms and 4.5 baths, and it certainly isn’t short on amenities. The exterior boasts stately porches, while the interior houses several fireplaces and hardwood floors.

The spacious dining room boasts beautiful wooden paneling and gleaming hardwood floors, while the kitchen is modern, sleek, and spacious. The living room isn’t too shabby either, offering ample space for Tebow to break down college football game film in preparation for his new role as a college football analyst on ESPN’s SEC network.

Home highlights include a game room complete with a pool table and a spacious brick floor sunroom (the perfect place to unwind after breaking down all that footage). The beautiful brick patio comes complete with a sleek built-in stove, the ideal spot to fire up some burgers on NFL Sundays. Of course, the sundeck provides stunning views of the 31,790-square-foot piece of property.

Derek Jeter is a Major League Baseball shortstop who has played his entire career for the New York Yankees. He has served as the Yankees’ team captain since 2003.

Jeter’s presence in the Yankees’ lineup, highlighted by his hitting prowess, played an instrumental role in the team’s late 1990s dynasty. He is considered to be one of the best players of his generation. He is the all-time Yankees hit leader, passing Hall of Fame member Lou Gehrig in 2009. The professional baseball player lives here part-time.