Could Nick Kyrgios own an NBL team? Tennis star and basketball fanatic is in ‘advanced talks’ to take over South East Melbourne Phoenix ‘alongside NBA stars John Wall, Zach Randolph and Dante Exum’
- Nick Kyrgios is reportedly in advanced talks to own a basketball team in Australia
- Kyrgios, 27, is an avid basketball fan and has professed his love for Boston Celtics
- According to reports, he is involved in a consortium looking to buy an NBL team
- John Wall, Zach Randolph and Al Harrington are also reportedly interested
Nick Kyrgios is reportedly in ‘advanced talks’ to become a co-owner of a basketball team alongside a host of high-profile current and former NBA stars.
According to basketball insider Marc Stein, Kyrgios is in negotiations to takeover NBL outfit South East Melbourne Phoenix and is part of a consortium featuring LA Clippers star John Wall.
Stein tweeted on Wednesday: ‘Kyrgios would join a Romie Chaudhari-led ownership group that includes John Wall, Zach Randolph, Al Harrington, Josh Childress and Dante Exum.’
Nick Kyrgios is reportedly in ‘advanced talks’ to become co-owner of a basketball team
The tennis star is an avid follower of the Boston Celtics and regularly plays basketball
Kyrgios, a self-confessed basketball fanatic, is an avid follower of NBA side Boston Celtics and regularly attends Sydney Kings games.
Last year, he starred in the Kings’ celebrity game, where he made headlines for blocking the shot of New South Wales premier Dom Perrottet. NBL great Steve Carfino labelled Kyrgios a ‘jerk’ after the match.
Earlier this year, Kyrgios admitted that he has ‘thrown’ tennis matches if he took to the court shortly after the Celtics had lost a match, such was his bad mood after the result.
‘I’ve literally thrown tennis matches if they’ve lost in like, double overtime,’ he said at Wimbledon.
Kyrgios is part of a consortium including John Wall (above) and several former NBA stars
South East Melbourne Phoenix was created in 2018 and could be subject to a takeover
‘If someone plays me and they know the Celtics have lost, that’s your chance. That is for sure your chance, to play me on that day.
‘Unlucky for Stef [Kyrgios’ next opponent Stefanos Tsitsipas], the [NBA] season is over.
‘I literally watch like live streams, everything. I barely miss a game and if they lose I am in a pretty bad mood.’
He has also described playing basketball as his ‘meditation’ and regularly plays on the courts in Sydney.
‘Basketball is my meditation but at the same time, it’s good fitness as well. People don’t realise that defensive slides and defensive movements of basketball are almost identical to the way people move on a tennis court,’ he said.
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