Basketball legend and Dallas Mavericks coach Jason Kidd has made investments in two soccer teams located in his hometown.
“In The Town when you talk about sports, we all had heroes. I’m excited to join the Roots and Soul family,” Kidd told Andscape. “I’ve been seeing videos of all the support they get. I’m just trying to help the family. I especially like that there are both male and female teams. Also, with the teams being in The Bay, I felt like it was a great fit.”
Over 4,500 investors participated in the round including Oakland natives and athletes such as former NFL player Marshawn Lynch and Baltimore Ravens quarterback Josh Johnson.
The investment round closed on Oct. 31, 2023, and over $2.6 million was raised.
Kidd’s choice to invest in a soccer team stems from his childhood passion for the sport, as it was the first he ever played. He is also driven by his goal to ensure equality for women athletes.
“Growing up in Oakland made me who I am today,” Kidd said in a statement shared on Instagram. “Participating in youth sports defined my journey and soccer was one of the first sports I played. We always had our athlete heroes from the Bay Area to look up to. Between my love for Oakland, the game of soccer, and my mission to create equality for female athletes in their respective sports, I knew I had to get involved with Oakland Roots and Soul so that all youth growing up in Oakland would always have a team in the city to support and aspire to.”
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Kidd has now joined another NBA legend in ownership of a soccer club. As AFROTECH just told you, Grant Hill joined his wife, Tamia, to become limited partners in the Orlando City Soccer Club and the National Women’s Soccer League’s Orlando Pride in Orlando, FL.
