Russell Westbrook Joins A-List Investors in England’s Leeds United
Russell Westbrook is the latest high-profile limited partner in English soccer club Leeds United FC.
The Los Angeles Clippers guard and former NBA MVP announced his investment in Leeds, which is owned by the San Francisco 49ers, during a panel Thursday at the Variety and Sportico Sports & Entertainment Summit in West Hollywood, Calif.
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“I was lucky enough to have conversations with some of the partners that already have ownership in the 49ers,” Westbrook said during the Thursday session. “I also called a couple friends, like Thomas Tull, who is a good friend of mine, and my business partner as well. We wanted to figure out if this was the right deal and how we can make it different than other ones.”
Westbrook is among the latest NBA players to invest in English soccer, joining Los Angeles Lakers star and former teammate LeBron James, who has a stake in Liverpool FC through his investment in Fenway Sports Group.
Leeds was relegated from the English Premier League in May but has drawn investment from other NBA standouts, including New Orleans Pelicans forward Larry Nance Jr. and Indiana Pacers guard TJ McConnell. Leeds, which was valued at $380 million earlier this year, has attracted more than just NBA players. Golf standouts Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth recently became stakeholders in the West Yorkshire club.
49ers Enterprises, the venture capital arm of the NFL franchise, last month took over full control of the club after being minority owners since 2018. The company increased its position from 15% to 44% in 2021 before completing the acquisition earlier this year.
Westbrook, who just signed a two-year $7.8 million contract with the Clippers, has joined the craze of other star athletes and entertainers investing in English soccer. Former NFL players Malcolm Jenkins and JJ Watt are limited partners in Burnley FC., while actor Michael B. Jordan earlier this year bought a stake in AFC Bournemouth.
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