LeBron James buys himself a piece of Major League Pickleball!
Akron, Ohio - Four-time NBA champion LeBron James and Maverick Carter's LRMR Ventures are headlining a new ownership group in Major League Pickleball (MLP).
On Wednesday, the MLP announced that the king of the basketball court will now be the king of his own pickleball franchise.
The ownership group also includes investments from NBA champions Draymond Green and Kevin Love, SpringHill Company's Paul Rivera, and Relevent Sports Group co-owner and CEO, Daniel Sillman.
"Having SC Holdings, LRMR Ventures, and their incredible group as owners and investors in Major League Pickleball is not just great for MLP, it’s a watershed moment for pickleball in general," MLP founder Steve Kuhn said in a statement.
The MLP is the first professional league of its kind in the US and recently expanded from 12 to 16 teams. This expansion opened the opportunity for James' group to invest in a new team and showcase elite professional talent in the fast-growing sport, which is a combination of tennis, ping-pong, and racquetball.
"Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country, building communities in cities and towns all over the world. This investment and the platform that this group provides will significantly help us with our goal to reach 40 million pickleball players by 2030," Kuhn said.
The MLP plans to announce further growth to its already stacked roster of high-profiled owners set to include NFL Super Bowl Champion Drew Brees.
Cover photo: RONALD MARTINEZ / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP / Michael Tran / AFP