NBA Stars, Including LeBron, Purchase Major League Pickleball Team

The pickleball invasion of planet Earth is showing no signs of stopping, and now some NBA stars are buying into the sport.

Major League Pickleball announced that ownership group LRMR ventures — helmed by LeBron James and his business partner Maverick Carter — had forked over some money for the new pickleball team.

Joining them in their latest endeavor are fellow NBA Stars Kevin Love of the Cleveland Cavaliers and Draymond Green of the Golden State Warriors.

They're not the only high-profile sports figures who have succumbed to the siren son of the fast-growing sport. Drew Brees is part owner of a Major League Pickleball team — Mad Drops Pickleball Club — along with Lakers part-owner Jim Buss.

Entrepreneur Gary Vaynerchuk also owns a team known as The 5s.

Who knows? There could be more NBA-Major League Pickleball crossover in the future. Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant was recently spotted playing some pickleball.

The sport has been on a rocket ship as of late. It's mainstream now, having broken free of its former confines: old folks' homes, high school gym classes, and pickleball hipster Bill Gates' house.

According to the New York Times, the sport exploded in popularity between 2019 and 2021. In just two years, there was a 40% jump in the number of pickleball players.

Major League Pickleball currently has 12 teams and plays a handful of events across the country. The schedule features stops in Newport Beach, Austin, and Columbus.

What does a Major League Pickleball event look like?

Glad you asked:

Move over lacrosse, pickleball looks to be the sport of the future.

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