“Definition of chess not checkers”: Michael Jordan’s $16,000,000 ex-teammate salutes LeBron James and Nikola Jokic’s massive $5 billion F1-style plan

Michael Jordan’s former teammate, Etan Thomas, was in awe of LeBron James’ and Nikola Jokic’s latest business endeavor. According to multiple reports, James met with his longtime business partner, Maverick Carter, and Nikola Jokic’s agent, Misko Raznatovic, in July to discuss plans for a new international league.

The league will reportedly feature six men’s and women’s teams that will travel around the globe in a tour-like format, and Carter is reportedly seeking to raise $5 billion for it. The inspiration behind the idea comes from Formula One.

Etan Thomas congratulated LeBron James on the venture and called his vision elite in a post shared to Instagram on Friday.

"LeBron and Maverick Carter are working on a global basketball league that could rival the NBA and WNBA, with men's and women's teams traveling city-to-city like Formula 1. The vision? Elite hoops, rotating world stages, and player equity. This is the definition of chess not checkers," Thomas wrote.

Trending

The new league projects to bring plenty of revolution, including allowing its players to acquire equity, which the NBA prohibits active players from doing. James’ competitive rival, Steph Curry, recently spoke on the subject, saying that it makes him feel underpaid.

Etan Thomas was in the NBA for nine seasons, playing two of those with Michael Jordan on the Washington Wizards. He is worth $16 million, as per Celebrity Net Worth.

While revolutionary, could LeBron James and Nikola Jokic's new league sideline the WNBA?

After decades of surviving through support from the NBA, the Women’s National Basketball Association is finally beginning to bear fruit, with its viewership reaching new heights. The league's sudden rise started after the emergence of Angel Reese and Caitlin Clark.

The WNBA has had to fight tooth and nail to distinguish itself from the NBA and is finally beginning to see real growth in its fan base. But the arrival of a new basketball league will lead to increased competition and could make things difficult for the WNBA.

However, it is worth noting that LeBron James’ new league also features six Women’s teams, and could lead to more lucrative opportunities for WNBA players. Between James' new league, the arrival of Unrivaled last season, and the option to play overseas, the WNBA might suffer, but women's basketball should continue to reach newer audiences.

×

Was this article helpful?

Thank You for feedback

About the author

Sameer Khan

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

Know More