Self-made billionaire. Start-up investor with an immigrant background. Vocal. Relatively young for their stature. When you see these words used as clues to describe an NBA owner your first guess would probably be Mark Cuban, right? Since the Dallas Mavericks owner is the most visible of his group, he is probably the only owner most casual fans know of. Bust those can apply to Elon Musk. Musk was one of the founders of PayPal and is the CEO of SpaceX and Tesla. He is a man of many interests, but what if one day he decides to have his own NBA team? What type of owner would he be? 

On a side note, while the Houston Rockets have a relatively new owner in Tilman Fertitta, how perfect would it be if Musk who has a company that sends rockets to outer space, also owned the Rockets?

Below are some reasons why Musk would be a great NBA owner.

1. Hands-on approach

Elon Musk is a hands-on businessman and it shows in his management style. If he were to have his own NBA team, his involvement would likely go beyond the hiring of a president of basketball operations or head coach. Day-to-day operations would be out of the question with his schedule, but he would have a say which players are drafted, traded for, and signed in free agency.

Since this would be a new venture for him, he'd have to listen to his trusted consultants. If he surrounds himself with the right minds and their inputs are valued, then the franchise would be headed to relevance sooner rather than later. 

It is important to note that a franchise's win-loss record does not correspond to its valuation. The New York Knicks have not been a serious contender for quite some time, but they are valued at $5.42 billion. 

Hypothetical situation. Musk's team is doing well ahead of schedule and is in much need of a rim-protecting center in the draft. What if there's an electrifying scorer who plays zero defense who's also available? Musk's pretty active on social media. What if he sees that the scorer is a much more popular option, who can fill up more seats? Although Musk is used to being heavily involved his businesses, he also knows how to balance this out. He would take a step back and trust his people to make the right decision, even if it's an unpopular one. 

2. Elon Musk's drive to achieve goals is unquestioned

Setting big goals and sticking to deadlines are central to Elon Musk. If he were an owner, he would set some financial milestones and probably aim to win a championship. With the NBA in the player empowerment era, it has become more unpredictable than ever before. An elite group of players can change the landscape of the league overnight if they decide to suit up for another team. This means that at least on the court the richest person in the world will set targets that are mostly out of his control. 

There are many things to consider when building a franchise, such as the culture the team is going for, player valuations, strategy, play style, and many more. Just because a team is willing to pay for the luxury task does not mean that they will enjoy sustained success. A single injury can derail the whole team's season.

The Big 3 Boston Celtics with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett won it all in their first year together. However, the Big 3 Miami Heat had to wait for one more year before their championship. These are the unpredictable things that Elon Musk should be prepared for.  

Musk's ambitious goals and targets can help drive the organization to success. He will understand the surprises and setbacks that come along the way. He would trust the process, but also be aware of when to blow it all up and try again. 

3. Intelligence

When you're good enough to get into Stanford's Ph.D. Physics program, you definitely possess quite a brain. Musk is one of the most brilliant minds in the board room. It would not be a surprise if his team subscribe fully to analytics as the Rockets did. With that approach and solid roster construction, they had a real shot of winning it all in the 2017-18 season, but guard Chris Paul went down with an injury in the Western Conference Finals. It didn't help that Houston had a ridiculous dry spell from three. 

As useful a tool as analytics is, it does have its limitations. Musk should realize that sometimes even smart moves in the NBA don't pan out. Trading an oft-injured veteran loved by the locker room for a younger and more productive prospect seems smart, but it might ruin team chemistry and start piling up the losses. 

Musk is known mostly for his knowledge in the sciences, but he also has an interest in philosophy. The leader always sets the tone for the organization. Musk's team will make sound, data-driven decisions, but they won't be pigeon-holed in that mindset. They'll be able to see beyond what the numbers are saying.

One thing is for sure. If Elon Musk did own an NBA team, he'd be the most interesting owner in the league.