HE'S the banking and real estate magnate, committed philanthropist and managing partner of the National Basketball Association's Phoenix Suns who still uses a flip phone.

Before his foray into controlling Rangers, Robert Sarver's only connection to football was when he was referred to as a "soccer dad" on the Suns' website.

But the 53-year-old was said to be an unknown in the American sports scene when be became the majority owner of the Suns in 2014.

Now a member of the NBA's board of governors, he has owned his majority Suns stake longer than half of the NBA's other proprietors and in ten years under his leadership the team enjoyed incredible success on the court, with the fourth-best record in the NBA since the start of the 2004-05 season.

He has a lifelong passion for basketball. As an eight-year-old he attended his first Phoenix Suns basketball game after receiving tickets as a birthday gift from Donald Diamond, one of the franchise's original owners.

The father of three is chairman and chief executive of the Western Alliance Bancorporation, the largest financial institution headquartered in Arizona, which has over $10 billion in assets. In 2013, he had a remuneration package for the year worth £2.3 million.

He is said to have gone through five general managers and five head coaches as well as numerous other executives.

Sam Garvin, the Suns vice chairman, said Mr Sarver's biggest adjustment was going from a large bank corporation to a more personal business with employees, partners and fans.

The would-be Rangers owner is also co-founder of Southwest Value Partners, a 25-year-old real estate investment fund and has served as a director of SkyWest Airlines since 2000 and Phoenix-based Meritage Corporation since 1996.

According to the NBA, Mr Sarver's philanthropic efforts focus not simply on worthy causes but also giving back to Arizona and its local communities" both through Phoenix Suns Charities and his and his wife Penny's own personal contributions.

Under his leadership, The Suns and Phoenix Suns Charities have given almost $15 million in donations to local non-profit enterprises.

He spearheaded SunsCentral, the team's 'adoption' of an inner-city high school in an effort to dramatically affect the graduation rate of the neighbourhood school.

Among his proudest accomplishments, was helping helped to build the Sarver Heart Center at the University of Arizona in memory of his late father, who was among the first to undergo heart bypass surgery.