NBA great Jason Kidd joins ownership group of Premier League soccer club Everton

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NBA great Jason Kidd has entered the soccer world by joining the ownership group of English Premier League club Everton.

The Hall of Fame point guard and current Dallas Mavericks coach said he was “honored” to join Roundhouse Capital Holdings, which is part of the Friedkin Group that took control of Everton last year. The group also owns Italian team Roma.

In a statement released Thursday by Everton, executive chairman Marc Watts said Kidd’s “knowledge and winning mentality will be an incredible resource” for a nine-time English champion which is without a major trophy since 1995 and has been battling relegation in recent years.

Kidd “is a respected leader and household name for many sports fans,” Watts said, “and will bring a deeper understanding of high performance as we collectively strive to build a brighter future for this storied club.”

Kidd won an NBA title as a player with the Mavericks in 2011 and was a two-time Olympic gold-medal winner with the U.S. national team, in 2000 and 2008. He took the Mavs to the NBA Finals as coach last year and has had previous spells in charge of the Brooklyn Nets and Milwaukee Bucks.

Everton recently secured its status in the Premier League for another year and is moving to a new state-of-the-art stadium at Bramley-Moore Dock for the start of next season.

“I’m honored to be joining Everton’s ownership at such an important moment,” Kidd said in Everton’s statement. “With a new stadium on the horizon and a bright future ahead, it’s a great moment to come on board.”

Everton has been an ever-present in England’s top soccer league since 1954.

The 52-year-old Kidd becomes the latest high-profile figure from American sports to get involved in English soccer.

In 2023, NFL great Tom Brady became a minority owner of Birmingham and chairman of its advisory board.

Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James bought a small stake in Liverpool in 2011 and PGA Tour golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas are investors in 49ers Enterprises, which owns Leeds.

On Wednesday, Everton announced that Christopher Sarofim, chairman of global investment firm Fayez Sarofim & Co, had joined the ownership group in a move that “will further strengthen the club’s financial base.”

Everton said Sarofim will be a board observer at the club.

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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer