Advertisement - scroll for more content
Marc Stein: Australian tennis star Nick Kyrgios is in advanced talks to join the @SEMelbPhoenix as a co-owner in Australia's @NBL, sources tell me. Kyrgios would join a Romie Chaudhari-led ownership group that includes John Wall, Zach Randolph, Al Harrington, Josh Childress and Dante Exum.
Former NBA lottery pick Josh Childress always knew he had the potential to be more than just an athlete. Over the next 10 to 15 years, Childress hopes to build a sizable real estate and investment portfolio that eventually surpasses the tens of millions of dollars he earned playing in the NBA and in the EuroLeague. “That’s my goal,” Childress said. “I said that was a big part of my motivation in starting the company and really creating a business that I own and operate is (because) I want to make more off the court than I made on the court. … Not that it’s all about money, it’s about building but it’s always nice to have financial goals in what you’re doing and that is my goal.”
In addition to real estate development, he’s also a budding investor who co-owns a professional basketball team in Australia, the South East Melbourne Phoenix, in the same Australian National Basketball League that he played in toward the end of his career. “I played in Australia for three years so I know the landscape over there a bit,” Childress said. “When the opportunity presented itself, the entire ownership group is pretty much based here in LA, guys that I know. Some real estate guys, myself, Al Harrington, Zach Randolph, John Wall, some NBA connectivity, it was a great opportunity for us to take that next step.”
Josh Childress finds himself taking another unique path—running a real estate investment fast break. “I’ve always found value in trying to create my own lane,” he said. “I love the game, and it has provided a fantastic life for me and my family, but I always felt like there was more to my story than the game of basketball.”
Childress and his former Stanford teammate, Justin Davis, opted in 2018 to start their real estate fund, LandSpire Group, with the mission of revitalizing underserved communities of color. The Compton, Calif., native looks to expand his company’s portfolio of multimillion-dollar projects, ranging from apartments in Las Vegas to movie studios in Chicago, thanks to some added horsepower and the expansive network at private equity firm TPG.
Advertisement
With TPG as its anchor investor, Childress says LandSpire plans to launch a fund in the second half of this year with a target of raising $500 million. The CEO is taking the challenge of recreating himself in this next phase of life—leveraging his black-owned fund to impact the lives of minorities. Childress runs a for-profit company but says placing more capital in the hands of diverse allocators is at the forefront.
Several other current and former NBA players also have ownership stakes with NBL teams. The Houston Rockets’ John Wall and Dante Exum (a Melbourne native) and former NBA players Zach Randolph, Al Harrington and Josh Childress are owners of South East Melbourne. Miami Heat guard Victor Oladipo and former NBA players Shawn Marion and Matt Walsh are part of the New Zealand Breakers’ ownership group. “Being a part of an ownership group is something I wanted to do, for sure,” Middleton said. “As a player it could be tough. But I realize the responsibilities I had wasn’t going to really affect my basketball career right now. But it’s something I think a lot of players are starting to trend towards is finding ways to invest their money, finding things to do with their money that can grow, and it’s something I’m interested in.”
John Wall buys into Australian team
Marc Stein: The Wizards' John Wall is buying an ownership stake in the South East Melbourne Phoenix ( @SEMelbPhoenix ) in Australia's @NBL , @NYTSports has learned 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: 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
Advertisement
Dante Exum joined the Phoenix ownership group alongside ex-NBA stars Zach Randolph, Al Harrington, Josh Childress and American entrepreneur and majority-owner Romie Chaudhari prior to the team’s inaugural season last year. Growing up in Melbourne as a huge NBL fan and basketball lover, Exum is passionate about growing the game in his home country.
The Raiders, Wayne Newton and Josh Childress. Childress, the former Atlanta Hawks lottery pick, is reportedly developing an apartment complex in Las Vegas, according to CloseUp360. The complex is The Gramercy through his company Landspire Group. Childress’ goal is to “reinvigorate the local economy and bring their communities closer together,” the report read.
You actually left the NBA after your best two years, at least individually, with the Nets. Do you regret leaving the NBA at the peak of your career? Bostjan Nachbar: I get asked this question a lot. I cannot say that I regret it because it was a very interesting time. A lot of European players came back to Europe so it’s difficult to talk about regret because for me that was the best option at that moment. Sure, I wish I could have prolonged my career in the NBA but at the same time it’s not like I had equal choices that summer. Gordan Giricek returned home, Carlos Delfino went back to Europe, also Jorge Garbajosa and Josh Childress. A year later, Linas Kleiza went back… A lot of European teams were willing to offer solid contracts to Europeans or Americans who wanted to go. Unfortunately, the crisis of 2008 hit them a little bit after and that changed a lot of things in Europe. I wish I could have extended my career in the NBA, but it just wasn’t the case.
Randolph, who counts fellow former NBA players Josh Childress and Al Harrington, as well as Aussie Utah Jazz guard Dante Exum as partners in the ownership group, is excited to see the Phoenix develop in the burgeoning corridor of Melbourne’s southeast.
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement