Absolute Baller

Cover Aaron Ware$20M Rising Alejandro Rioja▲Rising Alejandro Rioja▲

Vol. 8 · SUNDAY, AUGUST 2, 2026 Contribute

Cover Story · Business

The dropout who built a $20-million year.

He left high school with nothing. The full play-by-play — every bet, every miss, and the run that changed the score.

By Absolute Baller JUL 18, 2020 5 min read

$20MAnnual Revenue

0Diplomas

Self-MadeThe Whole Way

Also In This Issue

04 Features

A Michael Jordan signed Wilson basketball in a display case with a $1,799 price tag

Michael Jordan Net Worth 2026: How the $90M Career Salary Became a $4.3 Billion Fortune

Absolute Baller · 8 min

Close-up of LeBron James in a Los Angeles Lakers jersey

LeBron James Net Worth 2026: Inside the $1.4 Billion Business Empire He Built While Still Playing

Absolute Baller · 7 min

Illustration: a wireframe globe beside a rising standings bar chart

Richest Athletes in the World by Net Worth: 2026 Rankings

Absolute Baller · 7 min

Illustration: three rising stacks of coins under an upward earnings arrow

The World's 10 Highest-Paid Athletes in 2026: Forbes Rankings Revealed

Absolute Baller · 7 min

The Baller Index

How the world's top athletes actually built — and kept — their fortunes.

See the Full Index

Stephen Curry looks upward mid-game in a white Golden State Warriors jersey

Stephen Curry Net Worth 2026: Inside the $240 Million Fortune Behind His Record $60 Million NBA Season

Absolute Baller·7 min

Serena Williams follows through on a forehand in a Nike kit during a match at the 2013 US Open

Serena Williams Net Worth 2026: How She Became the Richest Female Athlete of All Time

Absolute Baller·7 min

Canelo Álvarez in a suit and open-collar shirt, photographed in Mexico City in 2013

Canelo Álvarez Net Worth 2026: How Boxing's Highest Earner Built a $300M Fortune on His Own Terms

Absolute Baller·8 min

Lionel Messi Net Worth 2026: Inside the $1.1 Billion Empire He Built Alongside Football

Absolute Baller·8 min

Cristiano Ronaldo holding the Ballon d’Or trophy in a Real Madrid kit

Cristiano Ronaldo Net Worth 2026: How Football's First Billionaire Built a $1.4 Billion Empire

Absolute Baller·7 min

Tiger Woods walking a green with an iron in hand at the 2009 Earl D. Woods Memorial Pro-Am

Tiger Woods Net Worth 2026: Inside the $1.5 Billion Fortune He Built After Nike

Absolute Baller·7 min

The Baller List

The people we can’t stop watching this issue.

// Standings

Rk

Name

Sector

Mv

Alejandro Rioja

Founder

Alejandro Rioja

Founder

Sarah Kugelman

Founder & CEO

Darren Darnborough

Actor · Co-Founder

Kerrie Campbell

Founder & Coach

The Newsletter

One story a week — the boldest moves, the lessons worth stealing. Free.

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Precious Williams Went From -$400 and Homelessness to Training Teams at Google

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David Nelson, founder of FoundersForge

David Nelson Is Building Appalachia's Startup Ecosystem From Scratch

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Scott Keever, founder of Reputation Pros

Scott Keever Turns Search Results Into a Reputation Strategy

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