The Los Angeles Lakers, arguably the NBA’s most popular team, has been sold for $12bn to Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner after just 14 months since it was last sold.
The Los Angeles Lakers is set to be sold for $12bn to former Disney CEO Bob Iger and Joshua Kushner.
According to unnamed sources cited by ESPN, the NBA team will be sold for a record-breaking figure only 14 months after it was last sold to Mike Walter and his investment firm TGW Global, who acquired the team from Jeanie Buss last year.
“As lifelong NBA fans, we are deeply honored for the opportunity to become stewards of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most iconic sports franchises in the world,” said Iger and Kushner in a statement.
“Our long-term commitment is to build on that foundation, compete at the highest level, and serve this extraordinary team, its fans, and the city of Los Angeles.”
It is unknown why Walter sold his majority ownership. His acquisition of the Lakers was approved by the NBA Board of Governors in October 2025 after announcing the deal in June 2025.
In Iger and Kushner’s statement, they highlighted they are grateful to “Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players, and the staff for welcoming me into this chapter”.
Iger is the former CEO of Disney after being succeeded by Josh D’Amaro this year. His net worth according to Forbes is worth up to $700m and has previous sports investment, acting as a controlling owner of the National Women’s Soccer League team, Angel City FC, alongside his wife Willow Bay.
Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. He leads Thrive Capital, which Iger is an investor in, which has minority ownership stakes in other NBA teams – Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies – as well as a majority share in the MLB’s San Francisco Giants.
Thrive Eternal, an investment arm of Thrive Capital, were one of the primary investors in Gianni Infantino’s FIFA Forward Enterprise before it was controversially scrapped.
Iger and Kushner’s consortium were linked with a bid connecting to the NBA’s proposed Las Vegas expansion team, which was reportedly demanding a fee of up to $10bn.
The Lakers are the second most-successful NBA team in history with 17 championships, home to the US’ second most valuable media market in Los Angeles, and have seen some of the all-time great players play for the franchise, which includes LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.
