"Lebron James and Kevin Durant have a bit more idea" - Nick Kyrgios counters Rennae Stubbs after criticism of tennis players' investment in pickleball

Nick Kyrgios has reacted to former tennis player Rennae Stubbs’ criticism of tennis players investing in the sport of pickleball.

Stubbs has been vocal about her distaste for pickleball, despite the fact that many players, including Serena Williams, Venus Williams, Andy Murray and John Isner - to name a few, have welcomed the new sport.

The former doubles World No. 1 recently asserted that she would not invest in a pickleball franchise and that she would never watch the sport on television. She also expressed her astonishment at tennis players choosing to invest in pickleball rather than tennis, which has helped them become wealthy, taking a dig at players like Kyrgios and Naomi Osaka who have made investments in the emerging sport.

“Just to let everyone know, I will NOT be investing in a Pickleball franchise & will never turn a tv on to watch Pickleball. I would rather watch pain dry. Why all these tennis players think Pickleball is worth investing in & not the game that made them all the $$$ is beyond me,” wrote Rennae Stubbs on Twitter.

Kyrgios countered Stubbs' opinion by citing the investment made in the sport by basketball giants LeBron James and Kevin Durant and argued that they have a better knowledge of what to invest in.

“lol I think LEBRON JAMES & KEVIN DURANT have a bit more of an idea f what to invest in,” Kyrgios replied.

Stubbs responded to Nick Kyrgios by citing Tom Brady and Naomi Osaka's unsuccessful investments in the FTX (a cryptocurrency exchange).

“Also let’s go ask Brady, Naomi etc about FTX. But ok!” Rennae Stubbs wrote.

Naomi Osaka and Tom Brady, among many others, were recently named in a class-action lawsuit following the collapse of the FTX cryptocurrency exchange, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

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Nick Kyrgios invests in new Major League Pickleball team

Nick Kyrgios pictured during the 2022 US Open

Nick Kyrgios has invested in pickleball by getting a stake in a team that competes in the Major League Pickleball (MLP) 2023, according to the latest reports.

Naomi Osaka and Kyrgios are said to have joined Patrick Mahomes in the new MLP team's ownership group. The team will be based in Miami and will make its league debut in the 2023 season.

According to Forbes, Osaka, Kyrgios, and Mahomes jointly own the Miami-based team alongside billionaires Soichiro Minami and Matthew Pritzker, as well as NBA agent Rich Paul. The duo's contribution, in particular, is unknown as is the team's price, although the league's expansion fee is estimated to be between $1 million and $3 million.

Other notable stars who have invested in the sport's major league MLP include Kim Clijsters, Tom Brady, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Drew Bees.