Brooklyn Nets forward Kevin Durant has decided to join a long list of known personalities that are investing in Major League Soccer ownership, whereas it was reported last week in Sports Business Daily that the NBA star is looking to by between 1% and 5% stake in the MLS Eastern Conference team Philadelphia Union.
Durant has been eyeing the MLS for some time now, and has previously showed interest in buying a piece of Major League Soccer, trying in the past twice to purchase a minority share in another MLS team, D.C. United.
Durant has set with business partner Rich Kleiman Thirty5 Ventures which serves as an umbrella for all of their holdings and interests across sports, tech, culture and more. The news comes six months after the Philadelphia Union team execs confirmed a meeting with Durant and the Thirty5 Ventures Company, but it is still unclear whether this will be a personal investment of Durant or it will go through the holdings company.
Durant, was born in Washington D.C. and thus the suggested interest in MLS’s D.C. United initially. The 31 year-old power forward was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics in the 2007 NBA Draft as the 2nd pick overall on the 1st round. He moved to the Golden State Warriors in 2016 where he won with them two NBA Championships (in 2017 and 2018) before moving in 2019 to the Brooklyn Nets where he still plays today.
Kevin Durant isn’t the only basketball star that takes active interest in the MLS. Last July, Huston Rockets’ James Harden reportedly invested $15 million in a 3.5% stake in the group that owns Major League Soccer’s Huston Dynamo, NWSL Huston Dash and BBVA Stadium. Also, Los Angeles Lakers icon Magic Johnson is one of the founders and co-owners on the city’s second MLS team, LAFC. Whilst another LA Lakers legend, LeBron James owns since 2011 a 2% stake in English Premier Club Liverpool FC.
More known figures that have ownership in Major League Soccer teams include of course David Beckham in Inter Miami CF, NFL’s Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russel Wilson who invested in the Seattle Sounders, actor Matthew McConaughey with a stake in Austin FC, LAFC’s Will Ferrell and others.