Leeds United takeover: NBA star confirms his role in 49ers Enterprises with 37-word message to fans

NBA player Larry Nance Jr says he is “thrilled and honoured” after confirming he is part of the ownership group who reached an agreement to takeover Leeds United on Friday night.

49ers Enterprises will buy out the 56 per cent of the club owned by Aser Ventures, with the American investors already owning 44 per cent of the Elland Road outfit.

A club statement added: “Both parties continue to work through the details, and further updates will be provided soon. All of our focus remains on a quick return to the Premier League.”

Following the news of the takeover, Nance Jr posted a photo on Twitter of himself in a Leeds shirt donning his surname on the back, captioned: “ALL LEEDS AREN’T WE.”

He added: “Thrilled and honored [sic] to be part of the ownership group that has taken over @LUFC. This club and it’s supporters deserve the world and we’ll do everything we can to give them just that. Marching on together!”

Nance Jr, who plays for the New Orleans Pelicans and counts the Los Angeles Lakers and Cleveland Cavaliers among his previous employers, is a Chelsea fan by his own admission but has taken the opportunity to invest in English football with the Whites.

He made his NBA debut in 2015 with the Lakers and was born in Cleveland, Ohio in 1993. He was the 27th pick in the first round of the 2015 NBA draft.

Earlier this week he made a donation of £2,500 to the fundraising page of the Gary Speed Walk, organised by fanzine and podcast The Square Ball in aid of Andy’s Man Club.

More than 100 Leeds supporters are walking from Everton’s ground Goodison Park to Elland Road, all in the name of Leeds hero Speed, who tragically died in 2011.

The charity walk ends on Saturday and is being held for the second consecutive year to raise funds for Andy’s Man Club, a men’s mental health charity that holds group meetings at hundreds of sites up and down the country.

Nance has also appeared to confirm another NBA player is involved in the investment group. Indiana Pacers star T.J. McConnell is reportedly among the minority investors, with Nance re-tweeting an article from NBA reporter Marc Stein reporting on McConnell’s involvment.

McConnell is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and joined NBA side Philadelphia 76ers in 2015 before moving to Indiana in 2019.