Kevin Durant Purchases Major League Pickleball Franchise

NBA superstar Brooklyn Nets player, Kevin Durant is teaming up with Los Angeles Lakers player, LeBron James, and Golden State Warriors player, Draymond Green!

No, not as teammates.

Durant is the latest professional basketball player to invest in Major League Pickleball.

Along with his Thirty Five Ventures (35V) partner, Rich Kleiman, Durant, according to Major League Pickleball invested in the league by purchasing a Major League Pickleball (MLP) expansion team. The team will be participating in the upcoming 2023 season.

“35V is committed to investing in the future of sports and emerging opportunities and Major League Pickleball is a league we are incredibly excited about,” said Kleiman in a written statement. “We can’t wait to build this team from the ground up as well as work to elevate the sport and the league to unprecedented heights. As an avid pickleball player and fan, the interest in the sport was a natural fit.”

Pickleball combines various elements of tennis, badminton, and ping-pong that is played indoors or outdoors on a badminton-sized court with a slightly modified tennis net.

“Kevin Durant, Rich Kleiman, and 35V are going to be game-changing partners for Major League Pickleball,” said MLP Founder and CEO Steve Kuhn. “They not only bring passion for the game, but also unrivaled expertise to help us to continue to grow. We’re especially excited about their plans to bring pickleball to underserved communities – something they have done with basketball for years.”

Last month, future Hall of Famer James connected with two other NBA champions, Green and Cleveland Cavaliers forward Kevin Love in a new ownership group when they joined Major League Pickleball.

Major League Pickleball has 16 teams in the United States. In 2023, there will be six tournaments across six cities for more than $2 million in prizes.

Durant and Kleinman have invested in several sports properties this year.

Thirty Five Ventures made an investment in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) which was reported earlier this year. Back in May, N.J./N.Y. Gotham FC of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) announced Durant’s company became a minority investor in the team.