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Nets' Billionaire Owner Has His Eyes On The Kremlin
By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 11, 2011
Modified Aug 11, 2011
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By
Ben Yakas
Published Aug 11, 2011
Modified Aug 11, 2011
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We thought that Russian billionaire and Nets owner Mikhail Prokhorov had enough on his plate trying to turn the Nets into a decent basketball organization in anticipation of their big move to Brooklyn in 2013 (fingers crossed). But with a lockout threatening the entire 2011/2012 NBA season, it seems that Prokhorov has much bigger ambitions to occupy his time: "I think I am capable of doing the tasks of the prime minister," Prokhorov said at a news conference in Moscow, according to RIA Novosti. Wasn't Deron Williams enough?
Prokhorov, Russia's third richest man with a fortune estimated at $22.7 billion, has made no secret of his political ambitions—he recently agreed to head the newly formed Pravoye Delo party, or the Right Cause. The Post explains that many believe the new party was designed by the Kremlin to lure opposition-minded, pro-business voters to their side ahead of December’s parliamentary elections. Prokhorov has said that he and the party strongly support President Dmitry Medvedev's modernization agenda; in particular, they wants Russia to join the euro zone and form a “greater Europe."
Current Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, who is second in command of the country but is said to have twice as much power as Medvedev, has criticized Prokhorov’s proposals as being far too “liberal,” arguing that Russia would be giving up their "economic sovereignty" in becoming further integrated with Europe. But the real question is: what does Nets celebri-fan, bride-to-be, and American treasure Kim Kardashian think about Russia's attempts to modernize? Like, you know, like, oh my god, right?
Tagged
ambitions
basketball
billionaire
Mikhail Prokhorov
nba
nets
prime minister
russia
Ben Yakas
Ben Yakas is a former Gothamist reporter.
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Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
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