Kevin Durant Joins Bid To Bring WNBA Franchise To Austin
Future NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Durant, who played his collegiate career at the University of Texas at Austin, is throwing his hat into the ring to help bring a WNBA franchise to that Texas town.
According to KVUE, with other WNBA looking to add a team to the women’s basketball league, the city of Austin has submitted a bid to bring a professional women’s team to town. The Phoenix Suns basketball player has joined with former WNBA champion and Texas Longhorn Fran Harris, former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry, and investor Jenny Just in the group’s bid to bring a WNBA franchise to Austin. The offer was submitted at the end of January.
The team would be the 16th franchise for the WNBA. Harris attended The University of Texas at Austin from 1982 to 1986 when the team finished the season with a perfect 34-0 record taking home the NCAA Women’s Championship. They were the first women’s team to not lose a game in a season. She has been on board with trying to bring a franchise to the city after having discussions with WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert for the past two years.
Harris has stated that with the bidding process complete and 10 cities vying for that franchise spot, it’s all a waiting game at this point.
“Could be anywhere from April to the end of May … the latest we would hear back is in the fall,” Harris said. “Our goal is to play in 2027. We want to tip off in the summer of 2027, which means that we’ll need an answer from the WNBA in the next month or so.”
She is looking to get a response sooner rather than later so the city can start preparing to bring in the necessary money, corporate sponsors and facilities to accommodate a WNBA team.
“I believe Austin is at the top of that list. We are a city that’s always embraced and celebrated women’s sports, women’s basketball. We are a great sports town,” Harris said.
Kevin Durant Joins Bid To Bring WNBA Franchise To Austin
