Leslie Alexander Biography

Leslie Lee Alexander (born 1943) is a former stock trader from New Jersey who owns the National Basketball Association (NBA) team Houston Rockets. He started trading options and bonds for a Wall Street firm before he broke off to form his own investment company, The Alexander Group, in 1980. He also owns a 20% stake in First Marblehead, a private student loan company.

Business career

Alexander graduated from New York University with a bachelor's degree in economics in 1965 and later earned his juris doctor from the Thomas Jefferson School of Law. From 1978 to 2009, Alexander was a member of the California State Bar.

Alexander bought the Rockets in July 1993. In his first season as owner, the Rockets won their first-ever NBA title. They repeated as champs in 1995. A new arena, the Toyota Center, was opened in 2003. He was named the best owner in the NBA by Forbes in 2008. He also owns a vineyard on Long Island and the related company Leslie Wine, launched in 2008. He also has a residence in Houston.

In 1998, Alexander attempted to purchase and relocate the National Hockey League's storied Edmonton Oilers franchise, but a grassroots bid by local businessmen successfully prevented the sale.

From 1997 until early 2007, Alexander was the owner of the WNBA's Houston Comets. The Comets won the league's first 4 WNBA championships from 1997 to 2000. He sold the team to Hilton Koch in January 2007. The Comets folded a year later.

In 2006 it was revealed that Alexander was amongst the 400 richest people in the USA, being valued at around $1.2 billion.

Personal life

Alexander is a vegetarian and an advocate of animal rights. He is a staunch supporter of the Democratic Party and has donated $15,000 in the past 20 years to Democratic candidates.

Alexander was raised Jewish, but now identifies as Agnostic.

He divorced his wife in 2003.