The Buss family sells the Los Angeles Lakers for $10 billion, the largest deal in sports history.

The NBA is experiencing one of the most significant moves in its history. The Buss family has reached an agreement to sell 66% of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter, CEO of the TWG Global holding company and owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, for a figure estimated at $10 billion (approximately €8.7 billion), according to a report Wednesday by ESPN NBA insider Shams Charania, who cited sources close to the transaction. At this time, neither the Californian franchise nor the corporation has confirmed the sale.

This figure surpasses the previous record set by the sale of the Boston Celtics for $6.1 billion, according to CBS Sports , making the Lakers deal the largest transaction in the history of global professional sports.

Jeanie Buss will oversee the transaction and continue serving in her current role as president to the NBA Board of Owners after the sale, thus maintaining continuity in the NBA's governing body, Charania stated last night. The transaction marks the end of an era that began in 1979, when Jerry Buss acquired the franchise from Jack Kent Cooke for $67.5 million, an amount that now seems trivial compared to the current valuation.

Jerry Buss's original purchase included not only the Lakers, but also the NHL's Los Angeles Kings and the historic Inglewood Forum—now the Kia Forum—the legendary arena where the franchise's legend was forged. Under his leadership, the Lakers transformed into much more than a basketball team, becoming the most media-driven franchise in the NBA and one of the most important sports brands in the world.

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Jerry Buss's arrival coincided with the draft selection of Magic Johnson, marking the beginning of a golden era. Buss inherited Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, who had been with the team since 1975, and later added James Worthy, Byron Scott, and Michael Cooper, building the legendary Showtime franchise that made the Lakers one of the most successful and recognizable teams in NBA history. Years later, they shaped another dynasty that saw legends like Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O'Neal, and Pau Gasol from Sant Boi de Llobregat wear the yellow jersey; the Shaq-Kobe duo winning three consecutive championships between 2000 and 2002, and Kobe-Gasol later adding two more titles in 2009 and 2010.

During the Buss family's 45-year presidency, the Lakers have won 11 NBA titles, most recently in 2020 led by LeBron James, and 17 overall. Following Jerry Buss's death in 2013, ownership passed to his children, with Jeanie serving as president ever since.

Mark Walter is no stranger to the Lakers. According to CBS Sports , he has been a minority shareholder in the team since 2021, when he also received a preemptive right to a majority stake. The consortium's sports portfolio includes stakes in the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks, the women's tennis Billie Jean Cup, the Cadillac Formula 1 team, and Chelsea FC in the Premier League.

During the Buss reign, the Lakers have won 11 NBA titles.

Walter's experience with the Dodgers—the current American baseball champions—is especially relevant. Since acquiring the team in 2012, he has demonstrated an aggressive spending philosophy, investing heavily in talent that has resulted in two World Series titles in 2020 and 2024. According to Fox News , this mentality contrasts with the more conservative policy the Lakers have followed in recent years, especially in signings and organizational structure.

The transaction has received support from long-time figures in the franchise. Lakers legend Magic Johnson expressed his support on social media: “I know my sister Jeanie would only have considered selling the Lakers organization to someone she knows and trusts to continue the Buss legacy started by her father, Dr. Buss. Now she can comfortably pass the baton to Mark Walter, with whom she has a true friendship and can trust,” Johnson wrote on his X account. The legendary point guard added that Jeanie “has witnessed him build a winning team with the Dodgers and knows that Mark will do the right thing for the team, the organization, and the Lakers fans.”

The ownership change comes at a crucial time for the Californian franchise, which recently signed Slovenian Luka Doncic from the Mavericks in one of the most significant trades in NBA history. A multi-million dollar contract renewal for the Slovenian and the eventual retirement of LeBron James, two of the league 's most important and high-profile figures, are on the horizon.