KRASNOYARSK, April 21. /TASS, Andrei Kartashov/. Russian tycoon Mikhail Prokhorov told TASS on Friday that he would remain the majority owner of the US-based National Basketball Association (NBA) club Brooklyn Nets.

"My goal in seeking a local minority partner is to further strengthen the team’s New York presence in order to expand upon our business and community relationships," Prokhorov said in an interview with TASS.

"I’m committed to the Nets and will remain the majority owner of the team," Prokhorov added.

Russian billionaire and former presidential candidate Prokhorov, 51, bought the then New Jersey Nets in 2010 and 45% of shares in Barclays Center for $223 million and later relocated the club to Brooklyn, which has a large Russian population.

He owned 80% of the Brooklyn Nets and 45% of Barclays Center until December 2015, when he gained full control of the club and the sports arena. According to Bloomberg, the Russian tycoon paid in December of 2015 the additional sum of $875 million for the club and $825 million for Barclays Center.