October 12 \u2013 National Basketball Association (NBA) superstarShai Gilgeous-Alexander has bought a stake in Atl\u00e9tico Madrid.<\/p>\n
Atl\u00e9tico did not disclose the size of the stake, the amount invested or whether the shares are new or existing.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m excited to officially join Atl\u00e9tico de Madrid\u2019s shareholder group,\u201d said the Oklahoma City Thunder guard. \u201cThis is a club with a long history at the highest level of European football, and I\u2019m grateful for the opportunity to be part of its future.\u201d<\/p>\n
Born in Toronto and raised in Hamilton, Ontario, Gilgeous-Alexander played college basketball at Kentucky before becoming the Thunder\u2019s central figure. He won the NBA title and Finals MVP in 2025 alongside back-to-back regular-season MVP awards. Last season he averaged 31.1 points per game on 55.3% shooting, according to Atl\u00e9tico.<\/p>\n
He\u2019s not the first in the NBA to cast his eyes to football. LeBron James became a minority owner of Liverpool through Fenway Sports Group in 2011, later becoming a partner in FSG itself. Kevin Durant took a stake in PSG last year.<\/p>\n
Gilgeous-Alexander brings Atl\u00e9tico a name recognised across North America, where the club\u2019s profile is lower than that of Real Madrid or Barcelona.\u00a0<\/p>\n
For the players, investment in European sport is diversification. Careers in the NBA are short, and the earnings at the top are now large enough for stars to build investment portfolios across sport rather than simply endorsements.<\/p>\n
Atl\u00e9tico said the deal was a sign of the player\u2019s belief in the club\u2019s long-term strategy and international growth.<\/p>\n