The Los Angeles Lakers $12.5 billion sale will bring Josh Kushner and Bob Iger together as the franchise’s new controlling owners. The agreement represents the richest transaction involving a professional sports franchise, surpassing Mark Walter’s previous $10 billion Lakers purchase.
Walter acquired controlling interest from the Buss family only about fourteen months ago, making the latest ownership change especially surprising. Kushner, founder of Thrive Capital, joins former Disney chief executive Bob Iger in taking control of basketball’s iconic franchise.
Both businessmen have described themselves as lifelong NBA fans and expressed strong commitment to preserving the Lakers’ historic legacy. Their partnership follows earlier efforts to pursue an NBA expansion franchise in Las Vegas before they shifted attention toward Los Angeles.
The proposed takeover still requires approval from the NBA Board of Governors before the transaction can officially close. For Lakers supporters, the ownership transition arrives during another significant period of change surrounding the franchise and its basketball future.
The Lakers remain one of basketball’s most successful organizations, with seventeen NBA championships and an enormous worldwide fanbase. Meanwhile, Walter’s brief tenure ends after his group purchased the controlling stake from the Buss family for approximately $10 billion.
That earlier purchase already established a record valuation, but Kushner and Iger have now pushed franchise prices considerably higher. The Los Angeles Lakers $12.5 billion sale therefore signals the extraordinary financial growth surrounding premier American sports franchises today.
Kushner brings extensive investment experience through Thrive Capital, while Iger adds decades of entertainment and media leadership experience. Together, they now face expectations to protect the Lakers’ tradition while maintaining competitiveness and serving fans across Los Angeles.
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