I Los Angeles Lakers change ownership and set a new record absolute in sport. The historic NBA franchise from Los Angeles switch to one cordata driven by Joshua Kushner, founder and CEO of Thrive Capital, and Bob Iger, the longtime former CEO of Disney, for $12,5 billion. This is the highest amount ever paid for a sports team and surpasses the previous record set by the Lakers themselves, when Mark Walter acquired the company for $10 billion in 2025 from the Buss family, who had owned the team for over 45 years.
The sale concerns the majority of the franchise and must be submitted to theapproval by the NBA Board of Governors, in addition to being completed after the necessary financial checks. The league's approval is still considered a largely formal step. Walter, who purchased the Lakers just 14 months ago, thus reaps a $2,5 billion increase in value in just over a year. Walter's group continues to control other important sports assets, including the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Los Angeles Sparks, which are not included in the sale.
Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger: Who are the new owners of the Lakers?
Leading the new ownership group are two people with very different backgrounds but already connected by the world of investments. Joshua kushner, 41 years old, is the founder of Thrive Capital, a company that manages assets worth over $60 billion and has built a strong presence in the technology sector. According to estimates by Forbes, his personal wealth is around $5,2 billion. He is also the Jared Kushner's younger brother, Donald Trump's son-in-lawJoshua already owns a minority stake in the Miami Heat and had previously been mentioned by FIFA President Gianni Infantino as a possible partner for a project, later shelved, that would have opened up some of the commercial activities related to FIFA and the World Cup to private investors.
Bob Iger, 75 years old, brings to the project the experience gained at the top of DisneyDuring his long management he led some of the group's major acquisitions, from Pixar a Marvel, from Lucasfilm to 21st Century Fox, helping transform Disney into one of the world's largest entertainment giants. Iger is also an advisor to Thrive Capital and invested in Kushner's company in 2022. After permanently leaving Disney at the end of 2025, he resumed working with Kushner. The two had already expressed interest in a possible new NBA franchise in Las Vegas, which was reportedly valued between $7 billion and $10 billion, before focusing on the Lakers opportunity.
Mark Walter Sells After 14 Months, Jeanie Buss Stays Until 2030
The sale comes after a particularly short period for the ownership of Mark Walter, that in October 2025 had concluded with the Buss family the purchase of the Lakers for 10 billion of dollars, then surpassing the Boston Celtics' record. His financial empire also came under scrutiny due to a federal investigation into his financial dealings, a factor that persisted in the final months of his tenure, although it was not officially identified as the cause of the sale.
The Buss family, however, does not completely disappear from the scene. jeanie buss, who had maintained a central role in the management of the franchise, will remain Governor of the Lakers until 2030, According to the agreements related to the previous sale, Kushner and Iger emphasized their desire to respect the Buss family's history and build on the work done over the past decades, with the goal of keeping the Lakers at the top of the NBA.
The franchise record value isn’t surprising considering the clout the Lakers have built on and off the court. With 17 NBA titles, one of the most recognized fan bases in the world and a unique connection to Hollywood and the Los Angeles entertainment industry, the team represents much more than a sports company. It is one of the most recognizable brands in global sports, and it is precisely this combination of basketball, entertainment, media, and business that underpins the $12,5 billion investment made by the new owners.
