A group headed by the U.S. President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Josh Kushner and former CEO of Walt Disney Co. Bob Iger will purchase the Los Angeles Lakers for an estimated $12.5 billion.
The acquisition will make the LA Lakers the most expensive team in the sport’s history, surpassing the previous $10 billion record.
Josh Kushner is the brother of Jared Kushner; Jared Kushner is married to Ivanka Trump, the daughter of U.S. President Donald Trump and was a senior advisor to President Trump before leaving that position.
At age 41, Kusher founded New York City-based investment firm Thrive Capital. He and Iger were looking at acquiring a new National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise in Las Vegas. However, they opted to acquire the Los Angeles Lakers instead.
This transaction comes approximately nine months after billionaire Mark Walter acquired control of the Los Angeles Lakers from the Buss Family for an estimated $10 billion. The Buss Family has owned the Lakers since 1979.
In addition to increasing the Los Angeles Lakers value by $2.5 billion in under a year, the acquisition sets a new benchmark for the highest sale price for a North America based professional sports team.
As one of the most successful franchises in NBA history, with 17 league titles won, the Lakers have boasted many high-profile players throughout their history. These include such legendary stars as Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
In July of this year LeBron James moved from the Lakers to join the Philadelphia 76ers. The Lakers currently feature Slovenian superstar Luka Doncic.
Kusher and Iger stated they are “honored beyond words” to be the new owners of the Los Angeles Lakers and wish to continue building upon the legacy of the franchise.
2026-08-12 23:13:00
