Future NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Durant, who starred at the University of Texas for a year before starting his brilliant NBA career, wants to bring a WNBA franchise to Austin.
According to KVUE, the city of Austin has submitted a bid to bring a professional women’s team to town. Durant, currently with the Phoenix Suns, has joined with former WNBA champion and fellow Texas Longhorn Fran Harris, former Milwaukee Bucks owner Marc Lasry, and investor Jenny Just.
The group’s offer was submitted at the end of January. The team would be the WNBA’s 16th franchise.
Harris, an entrepreneur who once presented on Shark Tank, attended the University of Texas at Austin from 1982 to 1986, when the team finished 34-0 record and took home the NCAA Women’s Championship. They were the first women’s team not to lose a game in a season. She later played overseas.
She has been on board with trying to bring a franchise to the city for two years. But Harris says 10 cities are vying for that lone franchise spot.
Now, it’s a waiting game.
“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.”There’s a lot to do. The city has to start preparing to attract 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.