Josh Kushner and Bob Iger are reportedly leading the unprecedented acquisition of the Los Angeles Lakers, uniting a prominent Silicon Valley investor with a key player in contemporary entertainment.
Investment magnate Josh Kushner and ex-Disney CEO Bob Iger have reached an agreement to buy the Lakers from Mark Walter for over $12 billion, as reported by various sources referenced by ESPN's Ramona Shelburne.
Should the NBA grant approval, this transaction would set a new benchmark for the highest price ever paid for a sports franchise. Additionally, it would signify the second occasion within a year that the Lakers have altered their controlling ownership, following Walter's acquisition of a majority stake from the Buss family in a deal that valued the franchise at around $10 billion.
Meet Josh Kushner: Founder of Thrive Capital
Kushner is an entrepreneur and venture capitalist based in New York, having established Thrive Capital in 2009. Instead of amassing his wealth through conventional sports ownership, Kushner gained recognition by investing in technology and high-growth enterprises.
Thrive's investment portfolio features some of the most prominent names in the tech sector, such as Instagram, Spotify, Stripe, and OpenAI. The firm has progressively ventured beyond traditional venture capital, expanding into the realms of sports and entertainment. Forbes estimates Kushner's net worth to be around $5 billions, primarily linked to his investment in Thrive.
{{/usCountry}}Thrive's investment portfolio features some of the most prominent names in the tech sector, such as Instagram, Spotify, Stripe, and OpenAI. The firm has progressively ventured beyond traditional venture capital, expanding into the realms of sports and entertainment. Forbes estimates Kushner's net worth to be around $5 billions, primarily linked to his investment in Thrive.
{{/usCountry}}The Lakers would not mark Kushner's initial foray into NBA ownership. He holds a minority stake in the Miami Heat, with the team confirming in 2025 that Kushner had acquired this interest. However, the specifics regarding the size and cost of that investment remain undisclosed.
Additionally, he has been advancing further into sports ownership. In April, Thrive Capital reached an agreement to obtain a minority, non-controlling stake in the San Francisco Giants through a new investment initiative known as Thrive Eternal. This strategy aims to facilitate long-term investments in sports franchises and other cultural entities. Consequently, the Lakers could represent Kushner's most significant sports investment to date.
Is Josh Kushner a Democrat?
Although Jared Kushner, the brother of Josh and husband of Ivanka Trump, served as a senior White House aide in his father-in-law's administration, both he and his wife Karlie Kloss have publicly expressed their disagreements with Trump's political views.
Reports indicate that neither Kloss nor Kushner cast their votes for Trump in the 2016 election. In August 2016, a spokesperson for Kushner informed Esquire that he had been a lifelong Democrat and would not support Trump in the forthcoming election; Kloss actively endorsed Hillary Clinton during the same election cycle.
In addition to their voting records, the couple has articulated their political perspectives in various interviews. In April 2017, Kushner remarked to Forbes that he was "surprised" by Trump's electoral success, as per People Magazine.
“It is no secret that liberal values have guided my life and that I have supported political leaders that share similar values,” he said. “But neither political party has a monopoly on the truth or on constructive ideas for our country. It’s important to be open-minded and learn from differing opinions.”