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LA Lakers superstar forward LeBron James has long made it known that he would like to become an NBA team owner once he retires. In particular, James reportedly has an interest in owning a potential Las Vegas expansion team. Following LA’s 129-126 preseason win over Brooklyn in Las Vegas on Monday, James was asked why he’s so interested in owning a team in the city. James first spoke about how it makes sense due to Las Vegas’ thriving sports economy.
The Lakers star then went on to give some examples of successful Las Vegas sports teams. He also touched on the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, which is set to take place in November:
“It just makes sense,” James said.
“Obviously, you have the Raiders here, you have the Knights here, you have the Aces here, you got F1 coming very soon. You know, All-Star Weekend has been there a few times. We have NBA Summer League, that's very popular. Sports is, it’s here.”
F1 racing is a massive industry with Liberty Media Corporation, the owner of the Formula One Group, having a whopping $27.19 billion market cap as of 2023. So, it’s clear that James has been doing his homework regarding his potential future investment.
LeBron James says NBA adding to Las Vegas' growing sports scene is just a matter of time
After LeBron James pointed out the growing number of thriving Las Vegas sports teams, including the Raiders, Knights, and Aces, he then touched on the city’s momentum. James said that given the popularity of Las Vegas sports, it wouldn’t be hard for an NBA expansion team to amass a fanbase in the city:
“You know, I think adding an NBA franchise here would just add to the momentum that’s going on in this town,” James said.
“It’s an attraction. You don’t have to worry about getting fan support or nothing like that.”
James then concluded by saying that he believes an expansion team coming to Las Vegas is inevitable at this point:
“I think it’s only right. I think it’s only a matter of time,” James said.
