Lakers Just Dropped $12 Billion and Reset the Sports Universe
Another day, another record-shattering sports sale. This time, it's the Los Angeles Lakers making history — again.
Josh Kushner and Bob Iger have agreed to buy majority ownership of the Lakers from Mark Walter for a mind-bending $12 billion, sources told ESPN's Ramona Shelburne. That's the largest sale of a professional sports franchise anywhere on the planet. And get this — it's the second time the Lakers have broken the record in recent memory. Walter himself bought the team from the Buss family in June 2025 for $10 billion.
This deal is the latest in a wild surge of franchise prices that keeps climbing to absurd new heights. Here's a breakdown of the most expensive franchise sales in U.S. sports history.
Los Angeles Lakers — $12 billion
Just over a year after the last sale, the Lakers are changing hands again. This time, Kushner and Iger swooped in, pivoting away from talk of an NBA team in Las Vegas and instead dropping $2 billion more than Walter paid in 2025.
Los Angeles Lakers — $10 billion
Mark Walter — who had a minority stake in the Lakers and also has his fingerprints on the Dodgers, the Sparks, the Cadillac F1 team and more — officially bought the team for $10 billion in October 2025. The Buss family, owners for 46 years, stayed in as minority partners.
Boston Celtics — $6.1 billion
Bill Chisholm, a managing partner at Symphony Technology Group, agreed to buy the Celtics from the Grousbeck family in March 2025. At the time, it was the largest American sports team sale ever, surpassing the Commanders' $6.05 billion mark. Not bad for a team that had just hoisted the 2024 championship trophy.
Washington Commanders — $6.05 billion
The Commanders' sale came after years of chaos and investigations into former owner Dan Snyder, who was fined $60 million. Josh Harris led the new ownership group, which also controls the 76ers and Devils. Since then, Washington drafted Jayden Daniels and flipped from 4-13 to 12-5.
Denver Broncos — $4.65 billion
The Walton-Penner group set the NFL record with this 2022 purchase, obliterating the previous mark by more than $2 billion. Rob Walton, worth nearly $58 billion per Forbes, is part of the Walmart dynasty. His cousin Ann is married to Rams owner Stan Kroenke, who also owns the Nuggets, Avalanche and Rapids.
Phoenix Suns and Mercury — $4 billion
Matt Ishbia, a former Michigan State walk-on who won a national title in 2000, made this combined purchase the high-water mark for NBA franchises at the time, blowing past what the Nets sold for in 2019.
Dallas Mavericks — $3.5 billion
Mark Cuban, one of the most recognizable owners in sports, sold the Mavs to the Adelson and Dumont families of Las Vegas Sands casino fame in 2023.
Charlotte Hornets — $3 billion
Michael Jordan stepped away as majority owner in 2023 after 13 years. The buyers: Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, with Plotkin already a minority owner of the Hornets before the deal.
New York Mets — $2.4 billion
Steve Cohen bought the Mets in 2020, making it the priciest MLB sale ever at the time. Cohen's hedge fund money made it happen, and the Mets have been spending like it ever since.
Brooklyn Nets — $2.35 billion
Joe Tsai, Alibaba co-founder, bought the Nets outright in 2019 from Mikhail Prokhorov, then also scooped up Barclays Center for about $1 billion. He already owned a 49% stake and accelerated to full control. He also owns the WNBA's Liberty.
Carolina Panthers — $2.275 billion
The Panthers went on the market after Jerry Richardson faced sexual harassment and workplace misconduct accusations. David Tepper, worth $16.7 billion, bought the team in 2018 and later spent $325 million to bring Charlotte FC into MLS.
Houston Rockets — $2.2 billion
Tilman Fertitta, a Texas native and owner of Landry's and Golden Nugget, bought the Rockets from Leslie Alexander in 2019. He grew up going to Houston games — now he owns the whole show.
The price tags keep climbing. The Lakers just reset the ceiling, and you better believe someone's already wondering what comes next.