Los Angeles Lakers Forward LeBron James. Photo: Icon Sportswire / PHOTOSPORT
The Buss family is entering an agreement to sell a majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers, ESPN reported on Wednesday, marking the end of an era for one of the NBA's most influential families.
Mark Walter, the chief executive and chairman of holding company TWG Global, is set to take the majority ownership under the agreement which values the Lakers at US$10 billion (NZ$16.5b), ESPN reported, making it the largest-ever sale of a professional sports team.
US President Donald Trump with Los Angeles Dodgers owner and chairperson Mark Walter, right, in the East Room of the White House on April 07, 2025 in Washington, DC. Photo: AFP / Alex Wong
Walter, already an established figure in Los Angeles sports, has existing shares in MLB team Los Angeles Dodgers and WNBA franchise Los Angeles Sparks.
The Lakers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The late Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers in 1979 and turned it into one of the most popular franchises in all of professional sports, winning five championships during their now-iconic "Showtime" era in the 1980s.
His daughter, Jeanie Buss, took over as principal owner after Jerry died in 2013, making her one of the most powerful women in sports.
Jeanie Buss will stay on as governor after the sale, according to the ESPN report.
-Reuters
