NBA legend Lebron James invests in sports technology company StatusPRO
Alongside music artist Drake and professional tennis player Naomi Osaka, Los Angeles Lakers superstar Lebron James invests in StatusPRO, a sports technology firm created by two former football players, Andrew Hawkins and Troy Jones. The company describes itself as a sports tech and gaming startup that develops a variety of training and fan engagement solutions using player data and both augmented and virtual reality.
The three superstars have invested in a sports technology firm that operates in a market that is expected to be worth $57 billion by 2027. The Baltimore Ravens, the NFL Players Association, and NCAA collegiate teams have partnered with StatusPRO. Verizon, KB Partners, Greycroft, and Leeds United are among the company’s other investors.
Founder and former NFL player Andrew Hawkins stated, “It’s incredibly humbling that pioneers of their level believe in us as founders and in our vision for this industry. We always say StatusPRO is only as strong as our team, and our team just got a whole lot stronger.” Hawkins previously worked at SpringHill Entertainment, a video-production company created by Lebron James and Maverick Carter.
James reportedly became the first active NBA player to earn at least $1 billion in his career and appears to be on track to increase his riches with this recent investment. Just recently in March this year, the news broke that Lebron James invests in Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the parent company of the MLB’s Boston Red Sox and the Premier League’s Liverpool F.C., and now he sees another fantastic potential in StatusPro.
Hawkins and Jones are among the one-percent of Black business owners that receive funding from venture capitalist firms. As Lebron James invests in StatusPro along with Drake and Osaka, the sports technology firm intends to expand its products beyond football and into other areas of the industry. Osaka accredits, “I look for investment opportunities that can have a lasting impact on culture and society – and StatusPRO is poised to do that. It’s not only going to influence gaming and entertainment (two things I am passionate about), but also the way athletes can train and analyze their performance.”