James Harden Buys Minority Stake in MLS’ Dynamo, Says He Wants to Stay in Houston Forever

James Harden’s footwork has revolutionized the NBA, so it’s perhaps fitting he’s one of the league’s known soccer fans.

And the All-NBA guard is capitalizing on that interest, as Harden will acquire a reported five percent stake in the Houston Dynamo (MLS) and Houston Dash (NWSL), as well as BBVA Stadium. The news was first broken by Ian Thomas of Front Office Sports.

“I’m very excited about the opportunity to join the ownership group of the Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash and proud to be a part of a club with tremendous history and a great future,” Harden said in a team release. “Houston is my home now, and I saw this as a way to invest in my city and expand my business interests at the same time.

“Soccer in general, and especially MLS, have exploded in this country throughout my lifetime. I’ve been a fan of the game for several years, and I know that Houston has a massive soccer fanbase, so it was an easy decision for me when this opportunity arose.”

The current ownership group is headed by Gabriel Brener, who purchased the majority share in December 2015 via the Brener International Group, with Oscar De La Hoya among the notable investors. Brener is the only Mexican-born owner of a major league American professional sports team.

“We are thrilled to welcome James into our club,” Brener said. “He’s an icon in the Houston community, and not only is he a great basketball player, he has an extremely smart and savvy mind for business. James will bring a very unique perspective to our ownership group, and I’m looking forward to hearing his thoughts and opinions on the club going forward.”

Harden notably visited Premier League side Arsenal earlier in the week, and the Dynamo social team appears to have dropped a sly hint.

Source: NBA.com