Vinnie Johnson played for the Detroit Pistons in the NBA, so it’s probably not surprising to hear that he’s a millionaire. After all, lots of professional sports players earn millions of dollars during their careers. However, Johnson is unique in that he’s earned hundreds of millions of dollars since leaving the NBA.
NBA Career
Vinnia Johnson joined the NBA in 1979 and played for the Seattle SuperSonics for two seasons. After that, he played for the Pistons and proved himself to be capable of “getting hot” right off the bench, slamming points as soon as he hit the court. This earned him the nickname “the Microwave,” as he could heat up seemingly at the push of a button.
Retiring from Basketball
After 13 seasons in the NBA, Johnson bowed out having earned a cool $5 million. While that’s nothing to sneeze at, it’s not much when you compare it to the kind of paychecks some NBA stars take home these days. Still, that didn’t get the Microwave down, and he found ways to invest that money and make it grow.
Staying Hungry
For many people, the idea of making $5 million in 13 years is genuinely mind-boggling. Even a million dollars is fantasy money to the vast majority of people in the world, so having five times that at your disposal for playing basketball for a little over a decade is a dream come true. Yet, still, Vinnie Johnson wasn’t content—he saw an opportunity to make much more than that.
Piston Automotive
In 1996, only four years after stepping away from the NBA, Johnson launched Piston Automotive. The company has grown to be one of the biggest automotive parts suppliers in the US, which is only fitting for Johnson’s long time spent in Detroit. That story sells itself! A longtime Pistons player opening a car parts company in Detroit dovetails so perfectly with customer expectations that it’s a wonder it didn’t happen until 1996.
Piston’s Success
Johnson wasn’t content with just retiring with a few million dollars. Piston Automotive has become a major supplier for Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. They also provide parts for many Detroit-based manufacturers. The company has also angled to stay relevant as the industry switches to EVs, providing batteries and new HVAC components to keep up with changing demand.
Big Money
These days, Piston Automotive makes around $3 billion in revenue each year. Notably, the company is owned by the umbrella Piston Group, which also owns Detroit Thermal Systems and Irvin Products, themselves successful companies in their own right. This makes Piston one of the biggest minority-owned businesses in the world, period.
New Factory
Piston Automotive isn’t slowing down, either, instead choosing to fire on all cylinders as it opens a new factory in Wentzville, MO. This new factory will provide General Motors with new products, and will help the company create modules for “interiors, exteriors, chassis, electrification, and powertrain,” Piston states.
Never Satisfied
What lesson can someone take from Vinnie Johnson’s story? Well, it’s not like everyone can just jump into playing professional basketball and then turn around and become a successful industrialist. However, there are some key takeaways from his work ethic and passion that can help anyone.
Read More: How to Turn Your Passion Into a Career
Never Done
After a big win, you might feel the temptation to sit down and take it easy for a while. But the world’s foremost winners don’t take days off. They keep at it, grinding until they’ve made something bigger than themselves. Vinnie Johnson wasn’t content with $5 million: he wanted $400 million, and he found a way to make that a reality.
Read More: 10 Money Habits That Millionaires Stick To
Find Your Passion
The best advice you can take from Johnson’s story is that you should channel your passions into your successes. Find something that you’re the best at, make it your brand, and never stop working at it until it becomes something you can be proud of. The most successful people in the world are those who never knew when to give up.
Read More: The Winning Playbook: 10 Sports Stars Who Excelled in Business Ventures
