American investment coming to Gloucester.

Gloucester City Kings are delighted to announce the Rise Above Sports Group will be joining the ownership structure as they look to take steps towards the professional ranks in the UK.

Lakeem Duncan a sports entrepreneur and former professional player from Washington DC, USA will be the face of a group of investors looking to build a structure around the Gloucester City Kings to enable them to climb the ranks of British basketball.  Duncan will take on the role of CEO, looking to bring his expertise and knowledge to the club.

Lakeem Duncan had this to say:

“We were impressed with current founder, Jay Marriott’s vision for the Kings.  We have been eager to place ourself in the UK sports market and take a long term approach to building a professional brand.  Our plans is to take this year to really review, analyse and invest in structure throughout the club, whilst also supporting Jay in building a competitive roster for the 2025/26 season.”

Founder, Jay Marriott will continue in his roles as GM and Head Coach, providing insight from a performance point of view, what are the key areas in the immediate future investment wise and playing a key role in the long term strategy.

Jay Marriott had this to say:

“I was brought to Gloucester with this very vision that didn’t quite go the way anyone wanted or expected, but I felt the potential and the soul of the project was there to grow.  In recent years I’ve seen more American investment come into the UK, more at the top end of the game so thought why not look for someone more suited to a long term project.  Lakeem is a former professional player, so I felt we were on the same page when it came to the ambitions of the club, and in talking to other investors felt there was a real appetite to do this together.  Our first thoughts go towards being ready for the new season which is fast approaching and then throughout the season reviewing what our next moves will be to bring professional basketball to Gloucestershire.”

Stay connected with all things Kings via their social media platforms as the club look to make some more exciting announcements.