LeBron James, Draymond Green, and Kevin Love are set to join Major League Pickleball (MLP), aiming to expand the league from 12 to 16 teams. MLP founder Steve Kuhn highlighted pickleball’s rapid growth and community-building impact, emphasizing the group’s investment as instrumental in reaching 40 million players by 2030. The NBA stars’ team names and locations remain undisclosed.

Pickleball, a hybrid of tennis, ping pong, and badminton, originated in 1965. Played with large paddles and a durable wiffleball on a smaller court, the sport has gained popularity. LeBron’s business partner, Maverick Carter, emphasized the fun and competitiveness of pickleball, expressing excitement about building a championship team.

This investment mirrors pickleball’s increasing popularity, with prominent figures like Drew Brees and Gary Vaynerchuk also investing in MLP. Notably, a rival organization, the Professional Pickleball Association (PPA), emerged outside of MLP, prohibiting its players from engaging with MLP, sparking a competitive dynamic in the pickleball world.