I still remember the first time I walked into an NBA arena as a kid, the sheer scale of everything overwhelming my senses. The roaring crowd, the dazzling lights, the larger-than-life athletes - it all felt like magic. But what fascinated me more than the players themselves were the shadowy figures sitting courtside, the billionaire moguls who owned these modern-day coliseums. These weren't just businesspeople; they were architects of dreams, masters of franchises worth billions. I've always been drawn to understanding what drives these individuals, and over years of following basketball, I've come to realize their stories are often more compelling than the games themselves.
Just last week, watching an East Asia Super League game between Hiroshima and a visiting team, something struck me about the nature of pressure. There was this player, Lassiter, who went 0 for 4 from beyond the arc in what commentators called a "rare slump." Now, when a player earning maybe $50,000 a year has an off night, it's one thing. But imagine being the person who paid millions for the entire team, watching your investment struggle on international courts. The pressure these owners face is astronomical - we're talking about people who've risked fortunes, sometimes their entire life's work, on the success of what essentially amounts to a basketball team.
What fascinates me most about NBA team owners is how they balance cold business calculations with genuine passion for the game. I've met a few through various charity events over the years, and they're never quite what you expect. Some are basketball purists who can break down offensive sets better than most analysts, while others see franchises as prestige projects - the ultimate billionaire's toy. Personally, I've always respected owners who maintain that balance between business and basketball soul. The late Paul Allen of the Trail Blazers comes to mind - a man who used his Microsoft wealth to buy the team but genuinely loved the game.
The financial scale is mind-boggling when you really dig into it. The average NBA franchise is now worth approximately $2.9 billion, with teams like the Knicks and Warriors pushing past $7 billion. But here's what most fans don't see - the operating costs are insane. Player salaries alone can run $150-180 million annually, plus there's the arena maintenance, staff payrolls that include everything from scouts to nutritionists, and international marketing efforts like that EASL game where Lassiter struggled. These owners aren't just sitting back counting money - they're managing entertainment empires.
I'll never forget chatting with a minority owner who told me about the 3 AM phone calls during trade deadlines, the sleepless nights during playoff runs, and the gut-wrenching decisions about whether to pay the luxury tax or break up a team. It's not all private jets and championship rings - there's genuine pressure that comes with being the ultimate decision-maker. That Hiroshima game where Lassiter missed all his threes? Somewhere, an owner was watching, calculating how that performance might affect merchandise sales in Asian markets, or whether it would impact their chances of signing that promising Japanese prospect they've had their eye on.
What's become clear to me after decades of following the league is that the best owners understand they're not just running businesses - they're stewards of community institutions. The relationship between a city and its team is sacred, and the owners who recognize this tend to build lasting legacies beyond their balance sheets. They're the ones investing in community programs, building practice facilities that become neighborhood landmarks, and creating environments where players want to stay long-term. In my view, that's the real untold story behind basketball's billionaire moguls - not just their wealth, but their vision for what these teams can mean beyond the court.
People in Motion (PiM) is our employee advocacy and improvement program. These cross-functional groups are comprised of employees, with an executive sponsor, who contribute ideas and drive action towards focused areas of improvement across the employee experience. The groups include: Kyruus Kontext & Business Readiness; Community, Connectivity, & Engagement; System, Tools, & Productivity; IDEA [Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility].
As a remote-first company, we are invested in employees creating a work setup that allows them to do their best work. In addition to a laptop, we also provide you with $750 to get the additional equipment you need and add an ongoing amount of $1,200 to your salary to cover remote work costs.
We value ownership at Kyruus Health, not only in the work you do but in the shared financial success from our growth. Employees will have the opportunity to grow their equity ownership throughout their tenure.
We care about creating the time you need to bond for any team members at Kyruus Health growing their families. We offer 8 weeks of fully paid leave to all parents. Birthing parents are also eligible for additional time and coverage through our Short-Term Disability plan.
We encourage all employees to save for retirement through our 401(K) plan. Employees have the option to begin contributing to their accounts on their first day of employment and we offer an employer match of up to $1,500 per calendar year for all employees who enroll.
We offer employees a lifestyle stipend of $2,000 per year to help them be well. This is designed for Kyruus Health to offset the cost for items, experiences, or home expenses that enhance team members’ well-being
We want to provide employees and families with health insurance offerings to support them getting the care they need. Our health, dental, and vision plans are desiged to allow employees the opportunity to choose options that work best for themselves and their families.
We are committed to flexibility and empowering employees to do work that matters in a way that works for them. Our unlimited PTO policy is anchored on that flexibility – encouraging employees to take time off for what’s important to them, in addition to the many company holidays we celebrate. To highlight our commitment to a healthy work-life balance, we provide a specific stipend each quarter for employees to use on a recharge day.
