LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Lakers are being sold to businessmen Bob Iger and Josh Kushner for a record $12.5 billion, according to multiple reports today.
Iger is the former CEO of the Walt Disney Company, and Kushner is the younger brother of Jared Kushner, who is married to President Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka.
The current Lakers owner, Mark Walter, purchased a majority stake in the team from the family of the late Lakers owner Jerry Buss in 2025 for approximately $10 billion, a then-record sum for an NBA franchise.
Walter is under federal investigation for alleged tax fraud involving his insurance businesses.
The deal requires the approval of the NBA’s board of governors, which is scheduled to meet in New York next month.
“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. We have immense respect for the leadership and vision of Jerry and Jeanie Buss,” Kushner and Iger said in a statement Wednesday, according to ESPN. “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.”
Walter issued the following statement, according to ESPN:
“Owning the Los Angeles Lakers has been one of the great honors of my life — an extraordinary investment, but what I will carry with me is the community, the fans, and a city that treats this team as family. I am grateful to Jeanie Buss, the Buss family, the players, and the staff for welcoming me into this chapter. The Lakers belong to Los Angeles, and I have every confidence the best is still ahead.”
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