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John Wall is now involved in basketball team ownership. Not in the NBA of course, but in Australia and New Zealand’s NBL.
According to Marc Stein of The New York Times, Wall will have a stake in the South East Melbourne Phoenix. The group is led by Romie Chaudhari, a Californian entrepreneur who is part of the DC United MLS soccer team’s ownership group.
The Wizards' John Wall is buying an ownership stake in the South East Melbourne Phoenix (@SEMelbPhoenix) in Australia's @NBL, @NYTSports has learned
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 23, 2020
Wall joins an ownership group headed by LA-based entrepreneur Romie Chaudhari and featuring several current and past NBA players
The influx of past and present NBA players investing in Australian basketball teams continues:
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) November 23, 2020
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
Wall isn’t the only player with D.C. ties in the group. Former Wizards forward Al Harrington is with the Phoenix too.
The Phoenix are an expansion NBL franchise that started play in 2019-20. In their first season, they went 9-19 and missed the playoffs.
There are other teams in the NBL that have ownership of recent NBA players. For example, former player Kevin Parter is one of the primary owners of the Brisbane Bullets since last year.
While I got over the Washington Bullets’ name change in the 1990s, it is interesting that Australia has a team with that name. Just putting it out there.