Alex Rodriguez appreciates a business-minded athlete.
The Yankees nice — who made the leap from MLB celebrity to CEO of A-Rod Corp., and now co-owner of the NBA’s Timberwolves and the WNBA’s Lynx — heaped reward on Lynx veteran Napheesa Collier for constructing a enterprise empire whereas within the prime of her profession.
“Napheesa is an incredible example and role model for other athletes, both men and women, that you can take something in sports and not take your eye off the ball, but yet build something really equally as special on the business side,” Rodgriguez instructed The Put up whereas talking on behalf of his partnership with Lysol. “So, hats off to her.”
Collier, a five-time WNBA All-Star and 2024 Euroleague Champion, and the Liberty’s Breanna Stewart based Unequalled, which is a 3v3 skilled ladies’s basketball league that performs in Miami through the WNBA offseason — providing the best common salaries in ladies’s sports activities historical past, fairness within the league, top-tier facilities, housing and childcare.
Collier, who’s averaging 23.5 factors and seven.7 assists, is within the dialog for MVP after being a runner-up final season to Aces star A’ja Wilson, who gained her third profession MVP award.
The NBA Board of Governors unanimously permitted the sale of the controlling curiosity within the Timberwolves and Lynx to Rodriguez and Marc Lore final month following 4 years as restricted companions.
The 2009 World Collection champion stated he’s utilizing data handed all the way down to him by former Yankees proprietor, George Steinbrenner, who died in 2010.
“I gotta tell you, I played for almost 25 years in the major leagues and to be able to take some of my practices that I’ve learned from the life of George Steinbrenner, who was a great boss and an incredible role model,” Rodriguez stated. “He anticipated solely the very best, so I used to be capable of study from the very best within the enterprise, that was nice.
“Over the last four years [as a limited partner], I’ve done an incredible amount of listening and learning and studying … and we have so many incredible governors in our game. We have an amazing commissioner Adam Silver, who said, ‘I want you to do a lot of listening, not a lot of talking and just be a student and learn from some of the great partners.’”
The Timberwolves’ season resulted in a Recreation 5 loss to the Thunder within the Western Convention finals — the second straight yr Minnesota fell one spherical wanting its first journey to the NBA Finals.
With the second half of the WNBA season underway, the league-leading Lynx (22-5) are poised for a second consecutive journey to the Finals after falling to the Liberty final season.
“I’m really proud,” stated Rodriguez, a 14-time MLB All-Star. “The final two years for the Timberwolves, we’ve been within the last 4 of 30 groups. And the Lynx, final yr have been the ultimate two, got here all the way down to the wire, we misplaced to the Liberty.
“And this year, we were off to a hot start with the Lynx. It’s an exciting time. Folks in Minnesota have been very supportive and it’s an incredible sports town.”
Rodriguez was additionally complimentary of Nets house owners Clara and Joe Tsai, who purchased the Liberty from James Dolan for a reported $10 to $14 million in 2019.
The Liberty’s valuation is on monitor to extend to $450 million after the set up of the workforce’s new $80 million observe facility in Greenpoint.
“She’s a powerhouse,” Rodriguez stated of Clara. “I really have a lot of respect and admiration for Clara Tsai and Joe, of course.”
The Lynx face the Liberty (17-8) in Minnesota on Wednesday.
Rodriguez understands that he can influence the area people, together with youth sports activities.
The daddy of two just lately celebrated his fiftieth birthday throughout a European trip together with his two daughters, Natasha, 20, and Ella, 17, and his girlfriend, health entrepreneur Jaclyn Cordeiro.
The CEO of A-Rod Corp — an funding agency that backs corporations throughout actual property, sports activities and leisure — went public with their relationship in December 2022.
Rodriguez, who has labored as an MLB analyst for Fox Sports activities since 2017, signed a multi-year contract with the community in 2023.
