Mercurial Nets owner and Russian oligarch Mikhail Prohorov made a rare media appearance at Brooklyn’s 116-85 smackdown of an injury-riddled Thunder team last night. He was in fine form, and spoke about his former coach, Jason Kidd, leaving for Milwaukee after a failed coup d’état of GM Billy King, his single lifestyle, and the ho-hum $144 million he lost on the team last year.
First, Prokhorov shot down rumors he was looking to sell the team:
“My position is that I will not give up control of the team, but you know I’m quite happy when somebody is sending me a nice offer without taking my controlling interest,” Prokhorov said. “I think for the time being nothing is imminent, but still I think it’s not bad just to listen.”
Perhaps the quote of the night came when a reporter asked about the departed Kidd:
Mikhail Prokhorov on Jason Kidd: "There is an old English proverb. Don't let the door hit you where the good lord split you."
— devin kharpertian (@uuords) November 4, 2014
Hearing him say it like a Bond villain is even better.
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Just a reminder — before the next Prokhorov-ism — he leads a pretty active lifestyle as we saw from this 60 minutes interview a couple years back:
Also, another piece of evidence he should be cast in the next Bond film:
Prokhorov on Jason Kidd: "We shouldn't get mad, we should get even."
— Anthony Puccio (@APOOCH) November 4, 2014
Prokhorov, a notorious bachelor (would you get married if you were worth over $13 billion?), promised he’d get married if the Nets didn’t win a title by the end of his third year in charge, which is this season. But after another famous bachelor, George Clooney, got married this summer, he begged off the promise.
Prokhorov on having to get married if Nets don't win title this year: "We have lost George Clooney … I think that's enough for this year."
— Tim Bontemps (@TimBontemps) November 4, 2014
Also, he’s fabulously wealthy enough to disclaim a $144 million loss last season as “not a big deal…”
Mikhail Prokhorov's thoughts on the reported $144 million the Nets lost last season: "It's no big deal."
— Darnell Mayberry (@DarnellMayberry) November 4, 2014
With new NBPA head, Michele Roberts, also at Barclays last night, that quote just gave her some important ammo for the next CBA negotiations.
https://twitter.com/afigman/status/529414510306951169
Here’s Prokhorov, Kidd and Billy King in happier times:
Mikhail is still one of our favorite owners, so hopefully we see more of him this season — if only so we get a brief glimpse at his swinging, bachelor billionaire lifestyle.
What do you think?
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