Indiana Pacers center Tony Bradley recently joined the Palm Beach Royals’ ownership group, becoming the latest notable addition ahead of the team’s inaugural MLP season in 2026.

Other prominent athlete investors include former UNC basketball players Tyler Hansbrough, Marvin Williams, and Deon Thompson, Florida Panthers captain Aleksander Barkov, Indianapolis Colts cornerback Kenny Moore II, and US Open champion Bianca Andreescu.

In a conversation with The Indianapolis Star on Tuesday, Bradley revealed that he reached out to Hansbrough to inquire about investing in the franchise after learning that quite a few fellow Tar Heels were already involved.

Bradley played one season at UNC before declaring for the 2017 NBA Draft, so he was interested in adding more Carolina blue and white to the group.

"Secretly, I’m into pickleball. In the offseason, I play a lot for extra activity if I’m not playing basketball, so me and my fiancée play a lot. I love pickleball. I follow MLP and all that stuff," said Bradley. "I heard about the expansion of the team, and I was like, 'It’s only right, I have to do this,' and it’s in Florida, too, and I’m like, 'It’s only right, I have to try to get involved.'"

Like many others around the globe, the Bartow, FL native was first introduced to America's fastest-growing sport during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He was initially skeptical of the game, but he grew to appreciate it.

"We couldn’t really get out, so me and my fiancée were playing tennis at the time. I didn't know much about pickleball. I thought it was lame at first. The name sounds lame. Pickleball, bro? Come on," joked Bradley. "But, I got into it. I’m like, 'Oh, this is actually fun.' I kept going and kept going, and that’s when I really started liking it. You think 50-year-olds, 60-year-olds, you’re going to face them and you’re just going to kill them, but they’re really skilled. It’s a game everybody can play. I love it. Long story short, I love pickleball."

The Royals’ $16 million valuation established a new standard for an MLP expansion franchise, and Bradley was happy to invest, believing in the meteoric rise in popularity of the team-based league.

MLP also saw significant growth across all areas of its business this past year, signaling strong momentum moving forward.

"It’s a good amount [that I invested], but I think the future of the league is going to take off. It’s only getting started and it’s competitive, and I just like the way it is," praised Bradley. "I watch Pickleballtv a lot in my spare time, not more than NBA, but just to keep up with players and stuff like that. It’s underrated for sure, and it should be an Olympic sport."

Pickleball clearly has another strong ambassador in Bradley.

It will be exciting to see him involved at MLP events moving forward.

"That’s what makes the game so fun. You get to connect with people," insisted Bradley. "I like going to spots and playing against older people that are cookin' — straight up! And then you get pissed about it. I just like the competitive side of it, too."

The Royals are owned by Hyperspace Ventures, a group led by former UNC tennis players Zach Hunter, Taylor Meyer, and Alex Rafiee, alongside fellow alumnus Peter Fox.