Justin Timberlake has lived a charmed life, and I say that in spite of him having been in a boy band. I say that by looking at the list of women he has dated (Jessica Biel, Scarlett Johansson, Cameron Diaz, Alyssa Milano, all the way back to Britney Spears. And that’s the partial list.)
Timberlake is also a basketball fan — he says a basketball junkie — who is a regular at Lakers games.
Now, how about some Grizzlies games?
Timberlake, a Memphis native, may be part of the new Grizzlies ownership group of Silicon Valley Robert Pera, reports Marc Stein at ESPN.
Sources told ESPN.com that Timberlake and Pera have quickly struck up a friendship, with one source adding that the singer/actor is making “a meaningful investment into the team” and “plans to be active” with the Grizzlies. The league office, sources said, has been made aware of Timberlake’s proposed involvement and is already well acquainted with him after inviting the self-proclaimed basketball junkie to participate in various celebrity games at All-Star Weekend.
Pera is bringing in a few other partners, including a local Memphis group that will own up to a third of the team. That is smart and helps squelch the “he just wants to move the team” talk. Well, that and the rock-solid lease the team has.
The league is still going through the due process on the $350 million sale of the Grizzlies from Michael Heisley to Pera. While reports have circulated that struggles of Pera’s company Ubiquiti Networks have threatened the sale, everyone close to the talks says that is not the case. You can bet the league is considering that, but so far the sale is on track. Bringing in other investors can help with that money issue, too.
Plus, a little star power never hurts.
