Nets Owner Mikhail Prokhorov Wants to Become Russia’s President


Clearly, owning the New Jersey/Brooklyn Nets isn’t fulfilling enough an occupation for Mikhail Prokhorov, who intends to run for the highest office in his homeland of Russia. From the AP: “Mikhail Prokhorov, one of Russia’s richest tycoons and the owner of the New Jersey Nets basketball team, said Monday he will run against Prime Minister Vladimir Putin in the March presidential election. Prokhorov has been cautious not to cross Putin’s path in the past, but the billionaire may pose a serious challenge to Putin, whose authority has been dented by alleged widespread fraud during Russia’s Dec. 4 parliamentary election. Putin’s party only won about 50 percent of that vote, compared to 64 percent four years ago, and the fraud allegations have allowed opposition parties to successfully mount massive anti-Putin protests in Russia … ‘The society is waking up,’ Prokhorov said at his news conference in Moscow. He will have a good chance of appealing to Russia’s growing opposition, which includes prosperous middle-class residents, many of whom are angered by Putin’s bid to reclaim the presidency.”