Jayson Tatum could help bring WNBA expansion to St. Louis

The WNBA is expanding more than ever right now. Next season the Golden State Valkyries will join then a season after that, franchises in Toronto and Portland are coming in as well.

But the WNBA is seeking to add a 16th franchise before the 2028 season as the league has been experiencing rapid growth after this past season. There have been new media deals, increased corporate investment, and higher attendance and TV viewership. While the cities that have been named are Miami, Nashville, Philadelphia, Cleveland, and more. A city that hasn't been spoken about much is St. Louis. But Boston Celtics star Jayson Tatum wants to make that happen.

Per a report from Sportico Tatum has "informally" agreed to support a billionaire-backed ownership bid to bring a WNBA team to Missouri. The group is co-led by Richard Chaifetz and David Hoffman, both who have been involved in owning professional sports teams in the past.

Jayson Tatum could bring the WNBA to his hometown

Tatum isn't the first male athlete to show interest in getting in on the fun in the WNBA. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes was also linked to an effort to get Kansas City an expansion team. Considering the popularity of the league in the past year, it's no surprise all these athletes want to join the W. However its interesting to bring a team to St. Louis.

St. Louis only has three major league teams in the NHL, MLB, and MLS. While they havent had an NBA franchise for 55 years since the St. Louis Hawks left in 1968, this could be a great opportunity for the city to get back into basketball. Tatum, who grew up in St. Louis, has the opportunity to bring a professional basketball team to the city. He's coming off his first NBA Title and threw out the first pitch at a Cardinals game this summer with the Larry O-Brien trophy, but he's looking to spread the love to his hometown even more.

"Tatum has informally agreed to invest in the team should it come to fruition and contribute behind the scenes to the group’s pitch, both to other potential big-name investors and the league itself, according to sources involved with the bid," Jacob Feldman stated for Sportico.

He just signed the largest deal in NBA history worth $315 million and has the money to get involved in a sports team ownership. As he is permitted by the most recent CBA to have up to a 4 percent stake in a WNBA franchise, it's possible to see him make that a reality. It's all about if the bids continue to come in.