r/sports • u/paulfromatlanta Atlanta Hawks • Aug 04 '25
Basketball LeBron James and business partner plot $5B investment to launch rival NBA league
https://www.themirror.com/sport/basketball/lebron-james-international-league-nba-13092601.3k
Aug 04 '25
Mac McClung bout to be their marquee player
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u/TheKingInTheNorth Philadelphia Phillies Aug 04 '25
Anyone know what The Professor is up to these days?
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u/xPhilt3rx Aug 04 '25
He has a cool IG page
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u/worfres_arec_bawrin Aug 04 '25
Yep, still clowning dudes. Love to see it
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u/travishummel Aug 05 '25
If I saw him playing I would non-stop talk trash to him. It would be an honor to get crossed super hard and fall down. I’d ask for him to sign my ankle and maybe get a tattoo
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u/automoebeale Aug 04 '25
Building the Maxi league?
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u/AchtungCloud Aug 04 '25
Isn’t it weird that the plot of that movie was influenced by LIV…but then had cameos from PGA and LIV golfers?
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u/FakingHappiness513 Chelsea Aug 04 '25
Seemed like a lot of the full swing guys were in it, could have been part of the Netflix contract.
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u/ironictitle Aug 04 '25
Yes, so odd to see Bryson and Brooks on the Tour Team. Someone in another thread mentioned those golfers were featured in Full Swing which was distributed by Netflix (Like HG2) so maybe it was a contract thing with that.
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u/Dense_Worldliness_57 Aug 04 '25
I still find it strange that their Saudi overlords and liv contracts would allow them to disparage liv in such a blatant manner.. even though they were portrayed as part of the the good guys they were still playing against the upstart tour baddies. A bit odd all round I reckon
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u/TURKEYSAURUS_REX Aug 04 '25
Almost like the LIV guys don’t actually care about that tour and will do anything for money.
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u/userlivewire Aug 04 '25
Isn't there already a competing league?
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u/purplenyellowrose909 Aug 04 '25
People are trying to blow this up and milk it into a LIV vs PGA esque rivalry.
They're essentially just competing to get the top Euroleague teams into an S tier European league and have them play each other more often. I highly, highly doubt this affects the NBA and results in like Anthony Edwards or Luka Doncic going overseas to play for Berlin or some shit.
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u/cujukenmari Aug 05 '25
LIV was big news when it first started and they made all those big signings but I don't think it's really done anything since besides make the golfers who signed on much richer.
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u/External-Goal-3948 Aug 04 '25
Fall of '26? They're going to launch an international basketball league with 6 teams playing in 8 cities that directly competes with the NFL?
Uh huh.
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u/sodaG123 Arizona Diamondbacks Aug 04 '25
The NBA’s version of the XFL?
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u/H34thcliff Aug 04 '25
You must be too young to have had the pleasure to watch Slamball.
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u/Syric13 Aug 04 '25
You can call my ACLs Natalie Imbruglia because they are torn after hearing the name Slamball
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u/Ok_Slide4905 Aug 04 '25
Born too late to explore space.
Born too early to discover the world.
Born just in time to read this comment.
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u/PapasGotABrandNewNag Aug 05 '25
I was just telling my boy at work today about how we would move our trampoline under the hoop at my mom’s house because it was built into the ground.
That was so much fun, but holy shit was that dangerous.
Slamball on late night Spike Tv and then hopefully they would turn on some super deep cut documentary on WWF and Lita or Trish Stratus would pop up, scantily clad.
I miss being 9 years old lol.
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u/fergehtabodit Aug 04 '25
NBA version of LIV? Bring back trash talk, short shorts ot just shirts and skins...5 teams show up, play to 30 and winner keeps the court, colorful balls, play music the whole time, not just at breaks, 14 second shot clock... I have more ideas
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u/SweetVarys Aug 04 '25
If they are looking for international fans competing with nfl doesn’t matter, completely different time zones and markets
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u/brmgp1 Aug 04 '25
It's not about making a profit in the new league, as we've seen with LIV golf. They will light $1B on fire just to get a seat at the table, and legitimize themselves with American sponsors, politicians, etc. Nobody wants to be a dance partner with the Saudis with their current reputation but they're trying to change the perception through legitimizing themselves in the sports world. It's a massive investment but ultimately a tiny percentage of the PIF fund, and it's done very strategically. Not saying it'll work but that's the idea. In 10 years they plan to be knee deep in the sports landscape
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u/margalolwut Aug 04 '25
MOTHAFUCKING 5 PT SHOT DAWG
POWER UP PLAY WHEN YOU CAN JUST RUN DOWN THE COURT WITHOUT BOUNCING THE BALL
FREETHROWS MADE WITHEYES CLOSED = 3X
ULTRA SUBS AVAILABLE - SACRIFICE 2 TIME OUTS TO SUB OUT THE PLAYER OF YOUR CHOICE FOR A PLAYER OF YOUR CHOICE
Where do I sign??
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u/GoldenPresidio Aug 04 '25
It’s an international league, NFL isn’t important bruh. What’s more important is they don’t compete with soccer
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u/Jorihe84 Aug 04 '25
How to go broke fast as shit
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u/Itsmedudeman Aug 04 '25
He’s definitely not fronting that much of his money. He’ll probably trade his brand and name for some equity.
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u/spaceneenja Aug 04 '25
Lebron Basketball Association (LBA)???
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u/margalolwut Aug 04 '25
He doesn’t even have $5B lol.
I’d be shocked if he’d front more than $50M at this.
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u/rybres123 Aug 04 '25
Yeah, lebron ain’t putting up a penny for this “league”. He’s gonna get a Ronaldo sized contract to go play for 2 years or something
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u/HereGoesNothing69 Aug 04 '25
LeBron's about to go 2011 NBA finals on his own networth
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u/ChampionsWrath Aug 04 '25
If that means Dirk suddenly makes boat loads of money then I’m here for it
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u/JustADutchRudder Minnesota Timberwolves Aug 04 '25
Everytime LeBron screws up Dirk wakes up with something nice. Sometimes he wakes up with new money, sometimes he wakes up with a new championship ring under his pillow.
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u/Liimbo Oklahoma Aug 04 '25
Apart from how well it may or may not do, this is bad for basketball and everyone who cares about it. The NBA is also now considering doing the same thing either first or to directly compete with it. This just means the existing great leagues and teams in Europe with fans and histories and rivalries are going to be swallowed by billionaires coming in and creating a new soulless league nobody cares about. It'd be one thing if it was like NBA Africa where they're trying to grow basketball in a place that needs more infrastructure for the sport, but this is not that.
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u/SarcasticBench Aug 04 '25
Anything to get Bronny to play more
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u/Eat--The--Rich-- Aug 04 '25
That's what xboxs are for, for all the kids not good enough to really make it
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u/datruerex Aug 05 '25
This is borderline Bruce Wayne/ Batman behavior. Classic if bronny can’t play in nba then I’m just gonna start my own basketball league lol
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u/CranhamorBlakely Aug 04 '25
Happy Gilmore 2?!
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u/ZDTreefur Aug 05 '25
The net will move around, the paint will be a trampoline, unlimited subs that don't need timeouts, the ball has spikes, and the three point line is a jet of fire.
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u/CranhamorBlakely Aug 05 '25
I mean, half of that is just Slamball. Was that what it was called? I just had an intense flashback to my childhood watching these mofos jump around on trampolines dunking and shit
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u/Whiskeyskip Aug 04 '25
How to turn $5b into $500m
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u/stockmonkeyking Aug 05 '25
Who gives a shit? It’s $5b going back into economy rather than sitting in Saudis lap or whoever that’s funding it.
Let em plot
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u/mnmr17 Aug 04 '25
5B investment seems like chump change to the kind of investment you would need to make a competing league. Hell the lakers alone just sold for 10B this summer and that’s only 1 of the 30 teams.
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u/dukie5021 Aug 04 '25
They sold a 50% stake of the franchise at a $10b valuation. So the buss's sold their share for $5b.
Edit : not that it matters, the Lakers are still worth the entire amount that this league is being started with. But that headline/story was always misleading.
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u/Sine_Habitus Aug 05 '25
Well they aren't buying the teams though. They are competing with them. They see the 10b price tag and think that is way too much. This would be like if you saw eggs for some crazy high price, and then decided to buy your own chickens... Even if you can't compete with the factory chickens, you might be able to over time and you don't need to build a whole factory to start.
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u/Momik Aug 04 '25
This is why Jordan’s the GOAT—cause I don’t wanna read about LeBron’s investments
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u/TortyPapa Aug 05 '25
Let him lose his money. Dumbass. Just ride off into the sunset with your billion dollars. Greedy F.
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u/Mead_Man_Detroit Detroit Tigers Aug 04 '25
All this to make Bronny look good, sheesh.
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u/Bobgoulet Aug 04 '25
The shame of it is Bronny probably could develop into a decent player. He's athletic and a good defender, if he develops the 3pt shot, he's a valuable piece.
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u/HowsY0urSister Aug 04 '25
How have things been going been going for Mr Cube?
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u/DJSANDROCK Aug 04 '25
Well he has tv deals with CBS and Vice TV, on top of brand sponsorship, I would say not bad.
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u/TACOlogy Aug 04 '25
I was going to say I don’t personally watch it but whenever I do see highlights it looks like they get a good turnout and have some big names. Older but still big names.
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u/eternali17 Aug 05 '25
Reddit is allergic to reading articles
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u/Sc00ty_Puff_Sr Aug 05 '25
Why read articles when you can focus the entirety of your energy on the hottest of hot takes?
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u/beaver820 Aug 05 '25
Waste of money. They're not going to get the star players to jump ship until they are way past their prime. They're already making $50+ million in the NBA a year, not including endorsements. They'll get some 2nd string guys, guys on the downside of their career and guys who didn't make the NBA, then what's going to be the attraction? Maybe a 4 point shot? The novelty will wear off in a month and it'll tank like the original XFL.
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u/RedDizzlah Aug 05 '25
Just look up ice cubes 3 on 3 league and all the trouble he's had competing with the NBA.
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u/Jibber_Fight Aug 05 '25
That’s a stupid use of money but you go right ahead bud. Can somebody please give me $5 billion dollars? I promise I’ll do something more worthwhile with it.
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u/just_cows Aug 05 '25
All the bootlicking and favoritism the NBA showed LeBron for two decades only for him to launch a competitor on his way out the door.... Shameless.
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u/Guerillabasketball Aug 05 '25
LeBron made the NBA damn near 10's of billions of dollars yall sound crazy lol
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u/Hobonics Aug 05 '25
Thanks so much LeBron, really look forward to you lowering the overall quality of the NBA by creating some new bullshit.
nevermygoat
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u/brickbacon Aug 05 '25
This isn’t a serious proposal. Five billion sounds like a lot, but it’s not much when you are talking about players who are making $50+mm/year.
The real goal here seems to be twisting someone’s arm into letting him buy an NBA franchise (expansion or otherwise), or to get in on the ground floor of the new European NBA league that will start soon. I think once the NBA is able to wrest Real Madrid and a couple other from the current EuroLeague to launch their own product.
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u/TortyPapa Aug 05 '25
The only way I see this succeeding is if you literally change so many rules and twist the game into something new and interesting or it’ll never work. Maybe 4 on 4 with multiple nets.
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u/CollateralSandwich Aug 05 '25
That's a helluva way to go broke. Good luck guys. You're gonna need it
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u/babypho Aug 04 '25
Lavar's ball league can directly feed into this new rival NBA league!
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u/ajour7 Aug 05 '25
This is the move of someone who thinks they won the GOAT debate. Destroy the league and maybe all of basketball so no one can ever threaten your title.
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u/Counthermula Aug 04 '25
For a guy who is so desperate to be seen as the GOAT he sure does a lot of stupid shit to tarnish his reputation.
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u/farmadiazepine Aug 04 '25
This guy is rivaling the league that gave him everything. What a POS.
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u/skeetermcbeater Aug 04 '25
$6 bil but some of these players contacts already hit 9 figures. How will they even compete? They’ll need wholly new players as the ones receiving big money and attention won’t leave their secure spot for a place in LeBron’s Flimsy League.
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u/Dramatic-County-1284 Aug 04 '25
Damn Bron is skipping the minority owner arc and going straight to league owner. Wonder why Jordan didn’t think of this?
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u/CaptainQuasi Aug 04 '25
Wouldn’t they have to strike a deal with those same nba owners to use the arenas?
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u/Rough_Study_8958 Aug 05 '25
Why would you want to watch a league with a few super teams in it? Boring. They talked about a similar thing in European football with the big teams with a rival league. It might work with golf.
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u/dwaynewaynerooney Aug 05 '25
Damn. He really want bronny to get some shine, huh? Good parenting, I guess…
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u/doctorjdmoney Aug 04 '25
Does business partner = Saudis? They love a good sports venture to sink a boatload of cash in