LeBron James is set to be one of the newest owners of a professional pickleball team.
On Sept. 28, Major League Pickleball announced that James and his business partner Maverick Carter, along with other NBA players Draymond Green and Kevin Love, will join the ownership. James and Carter will own the team through their business, LRMR Ventures.
“Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country, building communities in cities and towns all over the world,” MLP founder Steve Kuhn said in a statement. “This investment and the platform that this group provides will significantly help us with our goal to reach 40 million pickleball players by 2030.”
Pickleball is a racket sport that combines the elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong. Major League Pickleball is one of the unique professional team leagues in the United States. The league expanded from 12 to 16 teams, which opened up the chance for James to invest in the league.
According to a survey conducted by the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, about 4.8 million people played pickleball last year in the United States.
This is not the only team that James has had a stake in. In 2021, James became a part owner of the Boston Red Sox. He also has held a minority ownership share of the Liverpool Football Club since 2011.
James has openly said that in the future he hopes to own a team in Las Vegas.
