Last week Indiana Pacers All-Star Victor Oladipo made noise when he announced he had purchased an ownership stake into the New Zealand Breakers and it seems NBA stars just can’t get enough of the excitement surrounding the growth of the NBL.
Washington Wizards guard John Wall became the latest NBA star to become a part-owner of the South East Melbourne Phoenix.
The Wizards’ John Wall is buying an ownership stake in the South East Melbourne Phoenix (@SEMelbPhoenix) in Australia’s @NBL, @NYTSports has learned
Wall joins an ownership group headed by LA-based entrepreneur Romie Chaudhari and featuring several current and past NBA players
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 23, 2020
Wall joins an ownership group who would make a very handy NBL team themselves with former NBA players Dante Exum, Zach Randolph, Al Harrington, and Josh Childress all existing members of the Phoenix ownership group.
The influx of past and present NBA players investing in Australian basketball teams continues:
Wall joins Melbourne’s own Dante Exum of the Cleveland @cavs and the retired trio of Zach Randolph, Al Harrington and Josh Childress as stakeholders in Chaudhari’s @SEMelbPhoenix group
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 23, 2020
Currently, ten former NBA players have part ownership in NBL teams.
- Brisbane Bullets: Kevin Martin
- SEM Phoenix: John Wall, Danté Exum, Zach Randolph, Josh Childress, Al Harrington
- Sydney Kings: Andrew Bogut
- NZ Breakers: Shawn Marion, Matt Walsh, Victor Oladipo
Wall, 30, is preparing for his ninth NBA season after missing the entirety of the 2019-20 campaign due to rehab from a torn Achilles tendon.
A five-time NBA All-Star, Wall has posted career averages of 19.0 points and 9.2 assists over 573 career games, all with the Wizards.
It was rumoured Wall had recently asked to be traded from the Wizards but these rumours were shot down this week by Washington Wizards general manager Tommy Sheppard.
“No, he didn’t request [a trade],” Sheppard said when asked about a report that Wall had done so. “… John and I talk pretty much once every other day. And [I’ve] been to many of his workouts throughout the summer, we have always been on the same page, same wavelength. Same with Bradley [Beal].” said Sheppard.
Wall may have only played in only 73 games over since 2017 but is set to make $84.7 million over the next two seasons and has a $46.9 million player option for 2022-23.
Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.
