Mitchell Kupchack, born in the 24th of May 1954, is an American athlete who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA), and is particularly associated with working for the NBA team the Los Angeles Lakers, both as a player and as part of the management team.
So how much is Kupchak’s net worth? As of early 2017, based on authoritative sources it is reported to be over $10 million, acquired from his years in basketball as a player and administrator.
Mitch Kupchak Net Worth $10 million
Born in Hicksville, New York State, Kupchak started playing basketball at an early age, attending and playing for his school team Brentwood High School. He continued his passion for sports when studying at the University of North Carolina, while also playing for the basketball team. While playing college basketball, he won the Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year during his last season. He was also included in the country’s Olympic Team in 1976, bagging the gold medal in Montreal.
Right after college, Kupchak entered the National Basketball Association, and wa drafted by the Washington Bullets in 1976. During his first year of playing, he was selected for the NBA All-Rookie Team. Despite only playing four seasons with the team, he helped the Washington Bullets win the 1978 NBA Championship. His early career in the NBA established him as a premier basketball player and also helped in his net worth.
After playing for the Washington Bullets, Kupchak transferred to Los Angeles Lakers where he signed a long term contract in 1981. He stayed with the team for 26 straight seasons as a player and manager. He encountered an injury, suffering knee ligament, cartilage, and bone damage requiring him to stay out of the game in 1982, but he was able to go back in 1983 and played with the team again.
Despite being out of the game for almost two years, in 1985 Kupchak helped the Los Angeles Lakers win the 1985 NBA Championship, but only a year later, he decided to throw-in the towel and retire. Although he only played for a short while in the NBA it still helped his career and raised his wealth tremendously.
After playing in the NBA, Kupchak decided to shift career and joined the management team of Los Angeles Lakers. While finishing his MBA at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, he also shadowed then General Manager Jerry West and learned the business.
Kupchak later became the Assistant General Manager of the Lakers under Jerry West as the General Manager. Finally in 2000, he became the General Manager of the team. His new career path also helped in his net worth.
Despite making questionable decisions, Kupchak was still able to help the Lakers win the 2009 and 2010 championships. After serving the team for over 26 years, he was fired in February 2017.
In terms of his personal life, Kupchak is married to Claire and together they had two children. Unfortunately, their daughter, Aline Claire passed away in 2015 after battling an illness. On the other hand, his son, Maxwell, is playing for the UC Santa Barbara basketball team.
