Joe Lacob Net Worth

What Is Joe Lacob's net worth?

Joe Lacob is an American businessman who has a net worth of $2 billion. After earning a fortune as a venture capitalist, Joe Lacob is best known for being one of the owners of the Golden State Warriors. Lacob, along with a group of investors, notably Peter Guber, purchased the Warriors in 2010 for $450 million. Just a few months prior to the purchase, the Warriors drafted an unremarkable college player named Stephen Curry. Today, the Warriors are worth at least $10 billion.

Before his entry into NBA ownership, Lacob built a highly successful career in venture capital and the life sciences sector. He earned degrees from UC Irvine, UCLA, and Stanford Graduate School of Business, then began working in healthcare and biotechnology with companies such as Cetus Corporation and FHP International. His early work focused on medical devices, diagnostics, and managed care systems, industries that required deep regulatory and scientific fluency.

In 1987, Lacob joined Kleiner Perkins, one of Silicon Valley's most prestigious venture-capital firms, where he became a partner and spent more than two decades investing in early-stage companies. He led or co-led major investments in Align Technology (the maker of Invisalign), NuVasive, and several other significant medical and biotech ventures that went public or were acquired. His portfolio also extended into consumer products, sports-adjacent technologies, and internet startups, earning him a reputation for tackling complex, technically demanding fields.

Early Life & Education

Early Life and Education

Joseph Steven Lacob was born on January 10, 1956, in New Bedford, Massachusetts. His family later moved to Anaheim, California, where he grew up following the Los Angeles Lakers and the Los Angeles Angels. Those early years in Southern California sparked a lifelong interest in sports, competition, and team-building, long before he ever imagined owning a major franchise.

Lacob earned his undergraduate degree from the University of California, Irvine, then completed a master's in public health at UCLA. He later attended the Stanford Graduate School of Business, where he earned his MBA and began forming the connections that would define his career in Silicon Valley. Stanford's proximity to emerging tech companies provided early exposure to venture-backed innovation and sharpened the analytical foundation that would guide his investment strategy for decades.

Business Ventures

Before becoming a prominent figure in professional sports ownership, Lacob built a long and successful career in venture capital and healthcare-related businesses. He began his professional life working at Cetus Corporation, one of the pioneering biotechnology firms, and later joined managed care company FHP International. He also spent time at consulting firm Booz Allen & Hamilton, where he developed further expertise in organizational structure, risk assessment, and industry analysis.

In 1987 Lacob joined Kleiner Perkins, one of the most influential venture-capital firms in Silicon Valley. He became a partner and spent more than twenty years investing in early-stage companies across medical devices, diagnostics, and biotechnology, as well as consumer products and technology startups. His portfolio included major successes such as Align Technology, the maker of Invisalign, and NuVasive, a surgical technology firm that became a leader in minimally invasive spine procedures. He served on numerous boards and became known for backing complex, science-heavy ventures that many traditional tech investors avoided.

Lacob's early sports-business involvement included a major investment in the American Basketball Association, a short-lived professional women's league, and later a minority ownership stake in the Boston Celtics beginning in 2006. These roles provided hands-on experience in sports operations and laid the groundwork for his eventual franchise ownership.

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Golden State Warriors Purchase

Lacob and a group of investors purchased the Golden State Warriors in 2010 for $450 million. Before completing the acquisition, he was required to sell his interest in the Celtics. Before purchasing the Warriors, Joe had been a season ticket holder for ten years. In the months prior to his purchase, the team drafted a little-regarded player out of Davidson University named Stephen Curry. Within a few years, Curry had grown into one of the league's biggest stars. As of this writing, Stephen has led the Warriors to four NBA championships.

By 2017, the Warriors were worth $2.6 billion. By 2019, they were worth $3.5 billion. As of this writing, the Warriors are worth an estimated $10 billion.

(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Beyoncé Controversy

On June 5, 2019, Joe's wife, Nicole Curren, received a modicum of notoriety while sitting next to Beyoncé at Game 3 of the NBA Finals. At one point, Nicole was seen leaning over Beyoncé to talk to Jay-Z. Beyoncé's face appeared very annoyed by the gesture, and Nicole became one of the most trending items on Twitter the next day.

Joe Lacob Real Estate

In September 2019, Joe bought a beach house in Malibu for $29 million. His primary residence is a 14,000-square-foot mansion in Atherton, California, that he acquired in 2007 for $19.8 million. His Atherton house is directly across the street from Google founder Sergey Brin's $180 million ranch compound and down the street from WhatsApp founder Jan Koum's $100 million compound. Coincidentally, Joe and Jan bought Malibu homes at nearly the exact same time, though Jan's home was significantly more expensive, at $125 million. In August 2024, Joe listed his Malibu estate for $44 million.

Personal Life

Joe Lacob was previously married to Laurie, with whom he has four children: two sons and two daughters. He later married Nicole Curran, who is actively involved in philanthropy, education initiatives, and youth sports programs. Lacob has long been known for balancing his demanding investment and sports responsibilities with a strong commitment to family and community engagement.

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