National Basketball Association side Milwaukee Bucks megastar Giannis Antetomumpo has acquired a stake in Major League Soccer side Nashville SC.
Nashville Soccer Club is going into its fourth MLS season and their owner John Ingram revealed on Thursday that the two-time NBA MVP and NBA Champion with Milwaukee Bucks has acquired a stake in the franchise.
He is also joined by NHL Nashville Predators all-time top scorer Filip Forsberg who would also be part of Nashville’s ownership group.
Giannis Antetomumpo is joined in the ownership group alongside his brothers Thanasis, Kostas and Alex who are also professional basketballers.
Thanasis and Giannis won the NBA crown with Milwaukee Bucks in 2022 and Kostas won one with LeBron James inspired Los Angeles Lakers in 2020.
LeBron James who Kostas won the NBA alongside also has a minority stake at English Premier League side, Liverpool FC.
The NHL Nashville Predators leading scorer and Giannis Antetokounmpo joined a wide and diverse ownership group whose recent inclusions include actress Reese Witherspoon and her husband Jim Toth.
Together with Tennessee Titans All-Pro running back Derrick Henry, they contribute as a whole to one of the largest celebrity ownership groups in the MLS.
Giannis Antetokounmpo also explained how he fell in love with football:
The Bucks superstar stated that football is the first sport he loved as a kid in his home country Greece and that he has a lovely affection for the sport because his father also played football.
Giannis Antetokounmpo said: “My dad was a professional football player, and it was the first sport I fell in love with in Greece.
“I always had a dream of having a football team. When my brothers and I scouted Nashville SC, we knew it was a team and a city we wanted to be involved in.
“I couldn’t be more excited to join the Boys in Gold, and I can’t wait to come to a game at GEODIS Park soon!”
Being more accustomed with the city of Nashville, Forsberg was quick to compliment the fans when explaining his joy at being part of this project.
Forsberg said: “Nashville is the best sports city in the country, and I feel very fortunate to now be involved with two of our professional teams.
“Our city is a great family and a great fan base, and we support each other on and off the field.
“Nashville SC has been a great addition to our sports culture, and joining the ownership group was an opportunity I wasn’t going to pass up. I grew up as a Liverpool fan in Sweden, and after today I’m happy to add a second set of colors to cheer for”
The club have gotten to the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs every year since getting the opportunity to be part of the MLS in 2020.
They also have in their side the present MLS, Most Valuable Player, Hany Mukhtar. The other notable star in the team is United States Of America national team center back Walker Zimmerman who has been named MLS defender of the year twice previously.
Last weekend, Nashville started their 2023 campaign by recording a 2-0 victory over New York City FC in the opening game of the season.
