Bronny James (9), derecha, de los Lakers de Los Ángeles, entra a la cancha con su padre LeBron James (23), durante la primera mitad de un partido de pretemporada de baloncesto de la NBA el domingo 6 de octubre de 2024, en Palm Desert, California (Foto AP/William Liang)

The Los Angeles Lakers are to be sold for a reported record-breaking $12.5bn, external (£9.3bn) – less than a year after Mark Walter took a majority stake in the NBA franchise.

Josh Kushner, the brother of US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared, and former Disney chief executive Bob Iger are buying the controlling interest in one of the world’s most iconic sports teams. Walter bought his share, reportedly worth an estimated $10bn (£7.45bn) – a previous record – from the Buss family in a deal that was unanimously approved by the NBA Board of Governors in October 2025.

Kushner and Iger said in a statement: “As lifelong NBA fans, we are deeply honoured for the opportunity to become stewards of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most iconic sports franchises in the world.”

Jerry Buss bought the Lakers in a $67.5m deal (£50m) in 1979 that included the Los Angeles Kings hockey team and a Los Angeles arena, known as the Kia Forum. After he died in 2013, ownership was passed to his six children in a Trust before a deal was completed with Walter, who also owns a stake in the LA Dodgers with Todd Boehly. The LA Lakers have 17 NBA titles – one less than the record of 18 held by the Boston Celtics.

The deal involving Kushner comes after he was part of the recent controversy surrounding Fifa president Gianni Infantino and an aborted plan to sell off stakes in the governing body’s competitions to private investors.