This is a big surprise in the world of sport and investment: Kevin Durant, NBA superstar and seasoned businessman, becomes minority shareholder of Paris Saint-Germain, in partnership with Qatar Sports Investments (QSI), the club's owner. This merger is part of an ambitious global development strategy, but also a trajectory in which padel could well end up coming into play.

Strategic involvement beyond the field

Durant, through his group Boardroom Sports Holdings, formalized this partnership with QSI after an initial indirect collaboration in 2024 via Arctos Partners. This time, it becomes direct shareholder of PSG, but this role goes far beyond the financial aspect.

Through Boardroom, its media dedicated to the convergence of sport, business and culture, it intends to participate in the creation of exclusive content, the development of derivative products, and the club's international expansion strategy, particularly in the United States. He will also support the PSG foundation on its social projects, and will be involved in thinking about the strategy multi-sport of the club.

Already active in racket sports

This partnership also fuels speculation around a future investment by Durant in the world of padelAnd for good reason: the American player This is not his first attempt at racket sports.. In 2023, he invested in the Major League PickleballEdit, an American professional pickleball league – a cousin of padel, very popular in the United States. He also owns the franchise DC Pickleball Team.

To date, Durant has yet to no official link with padel, but its proximity to PSG, and therefore to QSI – also owner of the circuit Premier Padel – offers interesting perspectives.

Tony Parker, an example in France

The parallel with Tony Parker is not lost on anyone. The former Spurs point guard, now a sports entrepreneur, has been heavily involved in the development of padel in France, notably by investing in the Toulouse stage of the World Padel Tour (Human Padel Open). While the two men's backgrounds are different, their profiles as sports investors and their openness to emerging disciplines highlight the same dynamic: Padel is increasingly attracting the biggest names in world sport.

A step towards padel?

The step towards padel seems logical, especially since QSI also owns Premier Padel, the international professional circuit supported by the FIP. However, Premier Padel clearly aims for expansion into the North American market, and Durant's profile – at the crossroads of sports, media and entertainment – ​​makes him a natural strategic ally.

Durant has never hidden his interest in hybrid projects combining entertainment, performance and innovation. And at a time when padel is seeking to strengthen its reputation in the North American market, a player of his caliber could become a decisive ambassador.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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