10 Things You Didnt Know About the Golden State Warriors Owner Joe Lacob

For sports fans, Joe Lacob is best known for being the owner of the Golden State Warriors NBA team. Those who know him realize that this is just one of many successful ventures he’s made in his life. He’s a unique individual who doesn’t broadcast everything that happens in his life, but somehow, news of his good deeds and accomplishments in life have tended to leak out. We were surprised at the things we learned about him while researching his history and career. These are things that we think are worthy of sharing, so here are 10 things that you probably didn’t know about Joe Lacob.

1. Joe Lacob was not raised with privilege

Joe shared that he was raised in a Jewish family who didn’t have a lot of money. When he was a child, the family didn’t have much money. None of them had graduated from college and they couldn’t afford to send Joe to college either. He’s very forthright about where he came from and how things were when he was growing up. He had to earn the money himself to pay for his college education.

2. He has an impressive education

The lack of money to fund his education didn’t hold Joe Lacob back. He earned the money to send himself through school and he attended some of the best institutions of higher education in the nation. He earned his bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of California Irvine. After completing his four year degree, he went on to enroll in the University of California Los Angeles where he earned his master’s in public health. After this he was accepted into the Stanford Graduate School of Business where he earned his master’s in business administration.

3. Joe Lacob is a generous philanthropist

Joe knows what it is to grow up without a dime to your name. He’s earned his fortune and nothing was given to him but he has a heart for kids and for those who cannot help themselves. He established the Warriors Community Foundation which is a nonprofit that supports organizations in the Bay Area with funds to support local youth development projects. The foundation donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to make a real difference in the lives of youth.

4. He’s Divorced

Joe Lacob was married to Laurie Kraus, the woman that he had two daughters and two sons with. Their marriage didn’t work out so the couple divorced. His current marital status is divorced and he has not since remarried.

5. He helped to fund dozens of new startup companies

In 1987, Joe became a partner of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, a Menlo Park venture capital firm. While in this role he was instrumental in assisting more than 50 companies throughout the medical technology and life sciences niches to get the funding that they needed for startup in addition to some focusing on energy and the internet.

6. He isn’t single

Even though Joe is not married, he is currently in a relationship. He is dating Nicole Curran who is a member of the Warriors Community Foundation board of directors. The couple began their relationship after Joe and his ex-wife were divorced and they have been together for several years now.

7. Joe Lacob is a pro at Blackjack

Joe Lacob has consistently been known to be a risk taker and in the business arena, it’s generally paid off quite well for him. He also shared that he’s one of the world’s top blackjack players. He shared this very personal fact about himself and disclosed that on nine different occasions, he’s won the pot of more than a million dollars at the blackjack tables.

8. Joe is also a golfer

Here is another little known fact about Joe Lacob. We all know that he’s a big fan of basketball, but he’s also passionate about the sport of golfing. He doesn’t just sit on the sidelines and watch though, he actively participates in the sport and he’s played on the Pebble Beach in the National Pro-Am games for several years. He’s passionate about sports and he’s even been known to play basketball as he’s been picking up a ball for more than 30 years and playing twice a week.

9. He’s a self made millionaire

There is nothing even remotely lazy about Joe Lacob. He worked his way through school earning a bachelor’s degree, then two master’s on top of that, but after completing his education it was down to business. He started working for the Booz, Allen and Hamilton management consulting firm after completing his education. Next he worked for the FHP International health maintenance company, followed by the Cetus Corporation. He went on to work for the venture capital firm Kleiner, Perkins, Caufield and Byers in the Silicon Valley. He worked his way up to partner in the company and helped to found several well known companies and he has gained a personal net worth of an estimated $400 million.

10. Joe Lacob is an inspiration for entrepreneurs

If you’re an entrepreneur or would like to be it’s a good idea to consider where Joe Lacob came from and how he’s built an amazing life for himself. If it were about the money, he’d be successful, and he is in fact that, coming from being penniless to a multi-millionaire, but life is more than that. He shows the world what hard work, passion and tenacity can do when you love life and you want to make a difference. His life is amazing, but he also takes the time out of his busy schedule of family, work and play to help others through the foundation that he’s established to fund the organizations that help local youth. He’s a shining example for others who would like to make something good in their lives.

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