Mikhail Prokhorov purchased a significant ownership stake in the New Jersey Nets this week and he has the money and wherewithal to turn the franchise's prospects around.

Some believe he might become a bigger recruiting tool for LeBron James to come to the Nets than Jay-Z.

“He has the personality, the charisma and the wherewithal to reach any of the league’s young stars on a level that I don’t think other owners can,” David Vanterpool said by phone Wednesday. “He likes to go out. He likes to fly to Europe and go to the most exclusive resorts. He’s going to connect with these guys.

“I would think right now that a lot of people in the NBA would be scared to death of this guy, if for nothing else the unknown of what he might do here.”

One NBA executive with strong Eastern European ties says to expect Russian and Lithuanian basketball legends Sarunas Marciulionis and Arvydas Sabonis to be included in a dramatically changed Nets organization. With CSKA, Prokhorov tried to hire Toronto Raptors assistant GM Maurizio Gherardini but was spurned. He could revisit the Italian executive for the Nets’ top job.

Via Yahoo!

New Jersey Nets

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