Over the years, many NBA stars have proven how capable they are to deal with the business side of things. Many superstars from the NBA have successfully branched out to different avenues in life after retiring from their athletic careers. Legends like Shaquille O’Neal, Magic Johnson and LeBron James have readily proven that it’s possible to successfully manage multi-million dollar empires outside the basketball court, and it looks like one modern-day NBA superstar is taking notes. The Milwaukee Bucks superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo has done something similar recently as he sent NBA fans into a frenzy after the news of his surprising move spread through the Internet.
The Bucks superstar reportedly has bought a stake in an MLS team, along with his brothers Thanasis, Alexis and Kostas Antetokounmpo. This news took the NBA world by surprise as they poured in with their reactions.
Fans react to Giannis Antetokounmpo buying a stake in MLS team Nashville FC
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According to Nashville FC’s official Twitter handle, the MLS side has a bunch of new owners to welcome. The Antetokounmpo siblings have bought in a stake in the team, as the new set of owners include Giannis, Alex Emaka, Thanasis, and Kostas Antetokounmpo. The two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo’s latest venture comes as a surprise and makes sense in the long run. According to reports, the team is valued at $525 Million as of 2022.
The 28-year-old and his brothers are from Greece, a country where soccer is very popular. Understandably, they could see the rise in popularity of soccer among the American people, particularly after the USWNT’s dominance in the World Cups.
Additionally, the United States, Mexico and Canada are going to jointly host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. So according to projections, the popularity is going to be significantly higher by the time the country hosts the next World Cup. It is a huge business opportunity and fans acknowledged the clever move made by the Greek Freak and the Antetokounmpo family. In fact, they swarmed in on Twitter to congratulate them.
Here are some of the reactions
This solidifies Giannis’ legacy as the greatest PF of all-time
— Jalen Merricks (@jalenmerricks) March 2, 2023
https://twitter.com/noahmaddox23/status/1631293944653914112?s=20
Love to see it. https://t.co/yRQem3Rx0B
— Tyler Thompson (@MrsTylerKSR) March 2, 2023
I said Greece would be the next hotbed of talent for #MLS, but I didn't expect it in ownership! Great news. https://t.co/zjj8BzaPdr
— Glass House Soccer (@glasshousesoccr) March 2, 2023
Giannis adding soccer to his portfolio https://t.co/WjkznwCEEE
— Dario Melendez (@Dario_Melendez) March 2, 2023
Welp, I guess I have no choice but to love Giannis even more. https://t.co/0BuX5TnxSA
— Thomas Northcutt (@RealTCutt) March 2, 2023
However, the Greek Freak isn’t the first person to think this through. Many superstars in the NBA, unlike others, are aware of Soccer’s impact throughout the world. Naturally, they decided to cash in before many could understand the opportunity.
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NBA superstars who own stakes in soccer teams around the world
LeBron James has part ownership in Fenway Sports Group which owns Liverpool FC. The 38-year-old was ahead of his peers by over a decade as he completed the deal back in 2011.
Watch This Story: Luka Doncic Giannis Antetokounmpo and 4 other NBA stars have combined to make NBA history, here?s how
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Other names that come to mind are Kevin Durant and Magic Johnson. In 2020, KD bought a 5% ownership in the Philadelphia Unions to become a minority owner. The Lakers legend Magic Johnson has a stake in LAFC and is very popular among the team’s fans. These are some smart choices by the superstars of the league who can maybe foresee a soccer revolution in the country.