CNN
—
Yes, you have read the title well.
NBA superstar LeBron James is once again expanding his sports portfolio, this time into America’s new favorite pastime.
James is part of a consortium buying an expansion franchise in Major League Pickleball (MLP) as the competition grows from 12 to 16 teams.
The consortium is made up of fellow NBA players Draymond Green and Kevin Love, as well as James’ lifelong friend and business partner Maverick Carter, among others.
MLP founder Steve Kuhn called the investment of the three basketball stars – who have nine NBA championships between them – a “watershed moment for pickleball”.
“Pickleball is the fastest growing sport in the country, creating communities in cities and towns around the world,” Kuhn said. “This investment and the platform this group provides will go a long way in helping us achieve our goal of reaching 40 million pickleball players by 2030.”
Along with this new ownership group, MLP hopes to announce more investments to a roster that already includes Super Bowl champion Drew Brees, Milwaukee Bucks co-owner Marc Lasry and former world No. 4 tennis player James Blake.
Dubbed America’s unofficial pandemic pastime, more than a million Americans have picked up a paddle in the past two years.
But what is the sport that has swept the country?
The fundamental objective of pickleball, like other racquet sports, is to hit the ball over the net and prevent an opponent from returning it.
It can be played singles or doubles, indoors or outdoors on a 20ft by 44ft court – about the size of a badminton court – and lasts until one side reaches 11 points, with a two-point cushion.
Pickleball began life inauspiciously in 1965 when future US Congressman Joel Pritchard and his friend Bill Bell attempted to entertain their bored children during the holidays.
Staying at a property in Bainbridge Island, Washington, with an asphalt badminton court, they gathered the available equipment – a wiffle ball, ping pong paddles and a badminton net which they then lowered to 36 inches, closer to the height of a tennis net, once they saw that the ball bounced well on the asphalt.
As the holidays progressed, they began creating rules for the game, with the help of fellow friend Barney McCallum.
The ping pong paddles were deemed too small and replaced with larger plywood paddles they fashioned themselves and a non-volley zone seven feet from the net on either side was created to deter breakage .
The non-volleyball area, or “kitchen,” is what gives pickleball much of its distinctive character.
It minimizes running, allowing older players to be just as competitive as younger, fitter players and lessens the role of power so kids can play alongside adults.
Pickleball’s popularity has skyrocketed in North America, in part due to the Covid-19 pandemic, as it provides a safe and socially distant form of exercise.
He originally found a strong following among retirement communities where he was valued for his outgoing appearance, moderate exercise, and simply being fun.
Between 2018 and 2021, however, USA Pickleball membership nearly doubled, and the organization estimates that 4.8 million Americans now play the sport.
Much of this expansion has been concentrated outside of the traditional pickleball demographic – the fastest rate of increase has been among players under 24 from 2020 to 2021, due to the height of the lockdown when portable pickleball nets temporarily sold out as people set up the small pitches in driveways and gardens.
