Victor Hargrove – Atlanta Hawks

Victor Hargrove isn’t your typical owner. A former data scientist at MIT who turned his fascination with predictive modeling into Playmaker AI, he’s one of the few governors who can watch a game and see the probabilities unfolding in real time. His company built the analytics backbone now licensed by half the professional sports leagues in the world — but Victor always kept one eye on the court.

Raised in Atlanta by a single mother who taught high school math, Hargrove’s obsession with numbers was matched only by his drive to give back to his city. Buying the Hawks wasn’t just a business move — it was a statement: Atlanta deserved to be more than a playoff stepping stone.

Known as a hands-on visionary, Hargrove is in the locker room questioning coaches about shot selection, and in the boardroom pushing for AI-driven scouting pipelines. That involvement inspires loyalty from some but burns out others, as his two-star patience rating often shows when trades don’t materialize quickly enough.

Biggest rivals? Whoever doubts analytics can win championships. As Victor puts it: “This is a long game, and I’m playing it to win.”