The Los Angeles Lakers’ controlling stake has been sold for a reported $12.5bn (£9.3bn) to an investor group led by Josh Kushner and former Disney chief executive Bob Iger, in a deal agreed over a single weekend. Subject to NBA approval, it would be the most expensive reported sale of a sports team, highlighting the exceptional value placed on major US franchises and surprising figures across basketball.

Kushner approached Mark Walter only last Friday, despite Walter not actively seeking a sale after buying his majority stake in 2025; Walter could make a $2.5bn (£1.9bn) profit. The price exceeds the $10bn Lakers valuation recorded in June 2025, the Boston Celtics’ $6.1bn valuation in last year’s sale, and the Seattle Seahawks’ $9.6bn sale last month. The ownership change comes as the Lakers enter a transition, with LeBron James leaving and Luka Doncic becoming the central player.