Jayson Tatum wants to invest in a potential WNBA team in St. Louis

The WNBA plans to add an expansion team to its current roster, and NBA champion Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics plans to grow to be an investor in bringing the team to his hometown of St. Louis.

According to , Tatum is connecting two billionaires who want to bring the league’s sixteenth team to Missouri City. The ownership group is headed by billionaires Richard Chaifetz and David Hoffman. Chaifetz’s previous investments include the Alpine F1 team, Major League Pickleball and the Drone Racing League. Hoffman is a developer and owner of the Florida Everblades, a minor league affiliate of the St. Louis Blues.

But despite interest in having a WNBA team in her city, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert says at the least 10 other teams will pose stiff competition.

“The good news is that we have a lot of demand from many cities,” Engelbert said before the WNBA Finals. “I might say about 10 or possibly even plus at this point because I believe the more people watch the WNBA and see what we’re developing here and see these players and the product on the court, the more persons are interested in having it in their cities “.

Tatum has informally agreed to invest in a potential WNBA team. He wants to present the group’s offer to other potential investors and the league itself behind the scenes.

The presentation shown to other potential investors outlines town’s basketball history, dating back to the times of the St. Louis Hawks, which won the NBA championship in 1958. The team can have a home at Chaifetz Arena, where the University of St. Louis is home. The 10,600-seat arena was named in honor of Chaifetz, who donated $12 million to his alma mater in 2007 just over 15 years ago in 2007.