Should Oracle CEO Larry Ellison purchase the Los Angeles Clippers, passion for the sport will not be a problem. Neither will money.
Ellison, together with Oprah and David Geffen, has been rumored to be interested in purchasing the franchise should owner Donald Sterling be forced to sell the team.
And while neither Oprah nor Geffen will be filing for bankruptcy anytime soon, Ellison is by far the richest of the trio. His fortune is reportedly upwards of $40 billion, and he is the fifth-wealthiest individual in the world.
According to a new Wall Street Journal story, Ellison has used some of that money to purchase yachts equipped with basketball courts where he can shoot around on the high seas. This, however, begs the question of what would happen should one of his basketballs roll off the boat and into the water.
Ah, if only all of us could have that problem.
Ellison, being the brilliant businessman that he is, has found a solution:
"The Oracle chief has had basketball courts on at least two of his yachts, said Tom Ehman, who handles America's Cup matters for Mr. Ellison. He said Mr. Ellison liked to relax by shooting hoops on these courts, and has had someone in a powerboat following the yacht to retrieve balls that go overboard."
You know you've made it when it's someone's job to follow your yacht and retrieve stray basketballs.
(We don't know if Ellison would have trouble hitting the broad side of a barn with his jumper, but this proves he can put the ball in the ocean.)
It should be mentioned that at least one of Ellison's basketball courts has a "practical" purpose. On the Rising Sun, his $200 million vessel, the court doubles as a helicopter pad. That yacht, the 10th largest in the world, also has a private cinema, a wine cellar and 82 rooms on five levels. So Ellison is getting good use out of the space.
A basketball nut, the 69-year-old tried to buy a franchise before. In 2010 Ellison lost out on his bid for the Golden State Warriors.
"Although I was the highest bidder, [former Warriors owner] Chris Cohan decided to sell to someone else," Ellison said at the time. "In my experience, this is a bit unusual."
Four years ago the Warriors sold for $450 million. This time, Ellison and his partners will most likely have to bid at least twice that amount.
