Kevin Durant is looking to secure a WNBA team in the city where he played before being drafted into the NBA. The basketball star played at the University of Texas at Austin in 2006 for one year. ESPN reports that during his short time there, he became the Big 12 Player of the Year and earned a Naismith Trophy, the first time in history that a freshman won the award. His talents led him to the NBA in 2007. He was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics — which no longer exist — in the first round as the second overall pick and secured a four-year rookie contract valued at $19.5 million, per Spotrac. Durant has gone on to become one of the league’s best players and secured two championship rings with the Golden State Warriors after a decade in the league. Now, Durant could be returning to his roots through team ownership. According to USA Today, sources involved in the process named him in a group looking to bid for a WNBA team in Austin, TX. The group also includes former Milwaukee Bucks...

Kevin Durant is making sure he ends the year off strong signing yet another lucrative deal, this time with Coinbase Global Inc. Bloomberg reports, the Brooklyn Nets basketball star, Thirty Five Ventures — co-founded by himself and Rich Kleiman — and media network Boardroom have signed a multi-year deal to promote the cryptocurrency platform throughout his various businesses. The deal marks a reunion for Durant and Coinbase CEO Brian Armstrong who previously crossed paths in 2016. While playing with the Golden State Warriors, Durant developed a greater interest in Silicon Valley following his desire to grow an investment portfolio in 2016. One year later, Durant participated in Coinbase’s Series D funding round which totaled $100 million at a $1.6 billion valuation, solidifying his relationship with the platform. “Being an early investor in a company you’re excited about is always an amazing feeling,” Durant said, according to Boardroom. “Being able to come back a few years later and...

Kevin Durant’s investing power has reached a whole new level as his latest investment is setting him up for more success. According to a report from Sportico, Durant’s investment vehicle, Thirty Five Ventures, participated in a $200 million Series F funding round for health tracking firm WHOOP, which has brought the company’s valuation to $3.6 billion. The new appraisal reportedly will result in a nearly 2,800% return for Durant and his investment firm, topping off yet another successful backing. Sportico also reports that Durant first invested in the health tracking company back in 2017, and just a year later the firm was pegged at a valuation of $125 million. So to see that number now skyrocket to the billion-dollar club means an incredible payoff for the two-time NBA champ’s investment arm. Since early last year, Durant has been busy capitalizing on his success off the court through the development of Thirty Five Ventures — which has made 39 investments to date, according to...

Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman are tapping back into their Thirty Five Ventures-backed platform Boardroom to launch a new stream of content. According to Variety, in addition to relaunching the platform’s website, the duo is also announcing a slate of new programming with an upcoming video series titled “More Explanation Needed,” hosted by Pierce Simpson. The new show will offer Simpson’s perspective on all things sports, music, and culture, while featuring a lineup of celebrity guests and business leaders for short interviews. Additionally, “Risk-Reward” — a sports, business, and finance interview series hosted by sports reporter Ros Gold-Onwude — will also be premiering on Boardroom’s platform later this month. Boardroom — which brings the best of the sports business directly to fans — is a media network that showcases how athletes, tech moguls, and sports executives are moving the sports world, and culture itself, forward. The network was launched by Durant and Kleiman’s Thirty...