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NBA star Kyrie Irving, the Dallas Mavericks' seven-time All-Star, shifted from basketball to billionaires during a Twitch stream last July and zeroed in on Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and farmland ownership. What followed quickly moved beyond a casual remark.

"I still think that it's weird that the Gates family, Bill Gates, owns a lot of the land in North Dakota," Irving said. "He owns the majority of the water in the United States. I think that's weird. Whatever. To each his own. This is for informational purposes only."

The clip circulated across X and TikTok, drawing attention far beyond the stream itself. Viewers split into two clear camps.

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Some treated the comment as a warning about concentrated wealth and control over resources tied to food production.

Others pushed back, arguing the claims did not match publicly available data. The divide reflected a familiar tension between skepticism of billionaire influence and the need for precise facts.

The scrutiny around Gates did not begin with Irving's comments. Reports dating back several years have tracked the growth of farmland holdings linked to entities such as Cascade Investment LLC and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation Trust. Those reports fueled ongoing discussion about why a tech billionaire would invest heavily in agriculture.

Gates has addressed those questions directly. "I own less than 1/4000 of the farmland in the US," he said in a 2023 Reddit AMA. "I have invested in these farms to make them more productive and create more jobs. There isn't some grand scheme involved—in fact, all these decisions are made by a professional investment team."

The most recent snapshot comes from the 2026 Land Report 100. Gates holds about 275,000 acres in total, including roughly 242,000 to 248,000 acres of farmland spread across 17 states. That makes him the largest private farmland owner in the U.S., but the scale matters.

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The country has nearly 900 million acres of farmland overall. Gates' share comes out to about 0.03%, or roughly 1 acre out of every 4000. Other landowners control far more total acreage.

The Emmerson family behind lumber company Sierra Pacific Industries holds more than 2.4 million acres. Stan Kroenke, the NFL Los Angeles Rams owner who also owns the NBA Denver Nuggets and NHL Colorado Avalanche, has surpassed 2.7 million acres, ranking first on the list. Gates ranks much lower, coming in at No. 44, when total land, not just farmland, is considered.

The farms themselves are not run directly by Gates. They are managed through professional firms such as Cottonwood Ag Management, which reportedly handle operations and productivity decisions.

The claim about water ownership carries even less support. No individual owns the majority of water in the U.S., and the system does not allow for that kind of control.

Water rights are tied to land and governed by state-specific frameworks. Western states often follow prior appropriation rules, while Eastern states use riparian systems. Both approaches operate under layers of local, state, and federal oversight.

Owning farmland can include access to irrigation rights or wells, but those rights are limited, regulated, and subject to change. They do not translate into national control. Analyses and fact-checks consistently show that no private individual, including Gates, holds anything close to a dominant share of U.S. water resources.

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Irving's comments landed in a space where public concern already exists. Questions about food supply, land use, and wealth concentration have grown alongside rising costs and ongoing climate pressures. His remarks tapped into that unease, even as the specifics drew scrutiny.

At the same time, Gates' position has remained consistent. His investments, according to his own statements, are handled by a professional team and focused on agricultural productivity, efficiency, and job creation. His broader work in global agriculture and food systems adds context, though it does not settle the debate for everyone.

The numbers offer a clear baseline. Gates owns a measurable but small fraction of U.S. farmland. Water in the U.S. remains governed by public systems that prevent any single entity from holding majority control.

The discussion itself is unlikely to fade. When high-profile figures raise questions about resources tied to everyday life, attention follows. What tends to matter most, as this moment showed, is how those questions line up with the data behind them.

While billionaires like Gates manage hundreds of thousands of acres, everyday investors are increasingly exploring platforms like Arrived, which allow people to invest in farmland or residential properties on a fraction-of-an-acre scale—making real estate ownership more accessible without needing a multi-million-dollar budget.

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Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That's why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, professional financial guidance, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn't tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.

Rad AI

Rad AI's award-winning artificial intelligence technology helps transform data chaos into actionable insights, enabling the creation of high-performing content with measurable ROI. Their Regulation A+ offering allows investors to participate at $0.85 per share with a minimum investment of $1,000, providing an opportunity to diversify portfolios into early-stage AI innovation. For investors seeking exposure to the rapidly growing AI and tech sector, Rad AI offers a chance to get in on the ground floor of a data-driven growth story.

Paladin

Paladin Power is addressing the growing demand for energy independence with a fire-safe energy storage system that doesn't rely on lithium-ion batteries. Instead, its ESS uses non-lithium, solid-state graphene battery technology designed for durability, safety, and long service life—positioning it as an alternative to fire-prone storage solutions that dominate today's market. Since launching in 2023, Paladin has generated $185 million in contracted revenue, achieved strong year-over-year growth, and secured a manufacturing agreement with NYSE-listed Jabil. With systems already deployed across residential and commercial properties and a $500B global electrification market opportunity ahead, Paladin offers investors exposure to decentralized energy infrastructure backed by real contracts, U.S.-based manufacturing, and scalable next-generation technology.

Immersed

Immersed is a private, pre-IPO technology company operating at the intersection of AI, spatial computing, and remote work. Best known for building the most widely used productivity app on the Meta Quest platform, Immersed enables professionals and teams to work full-time in shared virtual environments across macOS, Windows, and Linux. The company is expanding beyond software with its own productivity-focused XR headset and AI tools, supported by partnerships with major technology firms including Meta, Samsung, and Qualcomm. Immersed is currently allowing retail investors to participate in its pre-IPO round, subject to eligibility and offering terms.

Arrived

Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.

Masterworks

Masterworks enables investors to diversify into blue-chip art, an alternative asset class with historically low correlation to stocks and bonds. Through fractional ownership of museum-quality works by artists like Banksy, Basquiat, and Picasso, investors gain access without the high costs or complexities of owning art outright. With hundreds of offerings and strong historical exits on select works, Masterworks adds a scarce, globally traded asset to portfolios seeking long-term diversification.

Finance Advisors

Finance Advisors helps Americans approach retirement with greater clarity by connecting them to vetted, fiduciary financial advisors who specialize in tax-aware retirement planning. Rather than focusing on products or investment performance alone, the platform emphasizes strategies that account for after-tax income, withdrawal sequencing, and long-term tax efficiency—factors that can materially impact retirement outcomes. Free to use, Finance Advisors gives individuals with meaningful savings access to a level of planning sophistication historically reserved for high-net-worth households, helping reduce hidden tax risk and improve long-term financial confidence.

Public

Public is a multi-asset investing platform built for long-term investors who want more control, transparency, and innovation in how they grow wealth. Founded in 2019 as the first broker-dealer to offer commission-free, real-time fractional investing, Public now lets users invest in stocks, bonds, options, crypto, and more—all in one place. Its latest feature, Generated Assets, uses AI to turn a single idea into a fully customized, investable index that can be explained and backtested before committing capital. Combined with AI-powered research tools, clear explanations of market moves, and an uncapped 1% match for transferring an existing portfolio, Public positions itself as a modern platform designed to help serious investors make more informed decisions with context.

Money Pickle

Money Pickle helps people connect with vetted fiduciary financial advisors—professionals who are legally obligated to act in their clients' best interests. Through a quick online quiz, users are matched with a fiduciary for a complimentary, no-obligation one-on-one strategy session tailored to goals like retirement planning, investing, tax strategy, or getting financially organized. With no upfront costs and no sales pressure, Money Pickle removes the friction and uncertainty from finding trustworthy advice, making personalized financial guidance accessible whether you're building wealth, preserving it, or planning for the future.

Atari

Atari is bringing its iconic legacy into the physical world with the launch of the first-ever Atari Hotel, a construction-ready gaming and entertainment destination in downtown Phoenix. The Atari Hotel Phoenix blends immersive gaming, live events, dining, and technology-driven experiences into a next-generation hospitality concept, backed by secured land, licensing, and development partners. Through a Regulation A+ offering, investors can own a direct stake in the land, building, and branded hotel starting at $500, with targeted returns including a 15% preferred return and a projected 5.8x multiple. As gaming and experiential travel continue to converge, this opportunity allows everyday investors to participate alongside developers in transforming a legendary brand into a real-world destination.

AdviserMatch

AdviserMatch is a free online tool that helps individuals connect with financial advisors based on their goals, financial situation, and investment needs. Instead of spending hours researching advisors on your own, the platform asks a few quick questions and matches you with professionals who can assist with areas like retirement planning, investment strategy, and overall financial guidance. Consultations are no-obligation, and services vary by advisor, giving investors a chance to explore whether professional advice could help improve their long-term financial plan.

EnergyX

EnergyX is a lithium extraction company focused on making production faster and more efficient with its LiTAS® technology, which can recover over 90% of lithium in just days instead of months. Backed by General Motors and a $5 million U.S. Department of Energy grant, the company controls extensive lithium acreage in Chile and the U.S. and is working to scale one of the largest lithium production facilities. Its goal is to help meet the rapidly growing global demand for lithium, a key resource for electric vehicles, consumer electronics, and large-scale energy storage.

Global Air Cylinder Wheels

GACW is an engineering startup developing the Air Suspension Wheel (ASW)—an airless mechanical wheel with built-in suspension designed to replace traditional rubber tires in heavy-duty applications. Initially targeting the $5 billion global mining tire market, the company says its technology can eliminate blowouts, reduce maintenance, and lower lifetime operating costs while also addressing environmental concerns tied to tire waste and microplastics. The patent-protected system is fully recyclable and designed to last the lifetime of the vehicle, with potential applications beyond mining. GACW plans to commercialize the technology in 2026 using a "Wheels as a Service" model that lets operators adopt the system without large upfront costs.

Bam Capital

BAM Capital offers accredited investors a way to diversify beyond public markets through institutional-grade multifamily real estate. With over $1.85 billion in completed transactions and guidance from Senior Economic Advisor Tony Landa, the firm targets income and long-term growth as supply tightens and renter demand remains strong—especially in Midwest markets. Its income-focused and growth-oriented funds provide exposure to real assets designed to be less tied to stock market volatility.

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This article NBA Star Kyrie Irving Says 'That's Weird' Bill Gates Owns 'Majority of Water in United States' and So Much Farmland —'Whatever. To Each His Own' originally appeared on Benzinga.com

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