Kawhi Leonard’s undisclosed investment in Rhode Island FC has triggered a call for transparency from Governor Dan McKee, who says the state was “sucked into an NBA problem.”

Recent reports revealed Leonard and several associates, including his uncle Dennis Robertson and former agent Mitch Frankel, quietly bought into Rhode Island Football Club. The investment, kept secret until recently, raised concerns about missing disclosure in public documents.

On Friday, Gov. McKee said Rhode Island had been pulled into a national controversy, saying, “I’m not comfortable with the fact that somehow there’s a cloud over our state, with national reporting that somehow we’ve done something that’s not correct.”

He demanded that Rhode Island FC disclose its list of owners. “I think Brett Johnson and the team should, at this point, disclose everything that they have,” McKee told WPRO radio.

But Johnson stood firm on keeping the ownership group’s identities private. “Rhode Island FC respects the privacy and confidentiality of its investors and does not publicly disclose individual holdings unless investors choose to do so themselves,” he said. “This is consistent with common practice among privately held sports organizations and private investment.”

Kawhi Leonard’s secret investment in Rhode Island FC

Investigations revealed Leonard’s group invested as owner Brett Johnson sought private funding for the club’s $130 million stadium. McKee admitted he learned about Leonard’s involvement only after the investigation, and that state officials approved public financing without knowing Leonard was part of the ownership group.

The ownership group withheld investor identities from bond paperwork and public documents. “We don’t know all the small investors that are involved in the process,” McKee said. “We deal with the principals, and we make sure we do due diligence on them.”

McKee added that nothing suggests Leonard has ever visited the stadium tied to his investment. Still, he believes Rhode Island should embrace the NBA star’s connection.

“It would be great to have him. Bring him to the state, give us a little bit more good positive energy relative to what we’re doing there in the city of Pawtucket.”

Leonard’s representatives have not responded to requests for comment. The investment adds another chapter to Leonard’s controversies, from the Clippers move in 2019 to scrutiny last season.