It has not been the easiest 2022-23 season for OG Anunoby and the Toronto Raptors. The Raptors dealt with a slew of problems on the court as they scuffled to a 41-win season. But that has not precluded Anunoby from making massive money moves off the court as he aids in the growth of basketball in a city that’s understandably more enamored of another sport.
According to Front Office Sports, the Raptors’ 3 and D forward has purchased a minority stake in the London Lions, a fledging team in the British Basketball League (BBL). The Lions are slowly cementing themselves as the best team in the United Kingdom, as they became the first British side to qualify for the EuroCup playoffs.
“I just want to do my part as a role model to all the young hoopers in London and across the entire U.K.,” Anunoby said.
777 Partners, the private-equity firm that owns the majority stake in the Lions, partnered with Raptors forward OG Anunoby to help fill a glaring investment void from the U.K. government that has prevented the rapid growth of basketball in the British isles.
But they also managed to kill two birds with one stone. Not only has partnering with Anunoby helped the team financially, it should also empower a lot of British hoopers. According to a study three years ago, almost half of British basketball players are non-white (47 percent).
The Raptors forward himself is a minority basketball player whose hometown is London, England, so it will also be a big deal for Anunoby to help out local basketball players in his hometown.
While football (soccer) remains the biggest sport in the UK due to its embedded historic roots, basketball is growing at a rapid pace in those countries as well, particularly in England. When the Lions faced the Leicester Riders in the BBL Finals, 15,000 fans came to watch what ended up being a Lions championship.
The women’s team is even more successful than the men’s, as they previously won 52 consecutive games in the WBBL, and they also went undefeated domestically for over 650 days. The future truly is bright for the Lions, especially with the Raptors forward along for the ride.
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