LeBron James to enter pickleball business; looking to own a Major League Pickleball side

Legendary American basketball player, LeBron James is immensely successful in the sport. He plays in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for Los Angeles Lakers, having won the championship once with the side. He has four NBA Championships, winning twice with Miami Heat and once with Cleveland Cavaliers. Also, he has four NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) titles to his name, besides four season MVP titles. He is a legend in the sport and has hardly anything left to be achieved, winning a couple of Olympic golds for his nation. Meanwhile, it is reported that he is looking to enter a different sport, namely pickleball.

According to Reuters, James’s business firm, LRMR Ventures, is contemplating owning a side in the United States of America’s (USA’s) Major League Pickleball (MLP). He would also be joined by other basketball greats, like Draymond Green and Kevin Love, including SC Holdings investment firm and others for the ownership of the side.

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MLP founder Steve Kuhn asserted that this investment would allow the tournament to have 40 million pickleball players by 2030. “It’s a watershed moment for pickleball in general. Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the country,” he said in a statement. The sport is fast-tracked, similar to tennis, played on a smaller court using a perforated plastic ball.

While the MLP 2022 will be concluding in Columbus, Ohio, next month, the competition will expand from 12 to 16 teams. Maverick Carter (James’ business partner) was optimistic about the sport being competitive and fun. He told CNBC, “We’re looking forward to bringing our expertise together to try and build a championship team.”