News of the sale of the Los Angeles Lakers to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner came as a massive surprise to the basketball world. Mark Walter had only assumed control of the Lakers less than a year ago and there was a ton of optimism about what he would do with the franchise after all of his success as owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Of course, Lakers legend and Dodgers minority owner Magic Johnson fully backed Walter’s purchase of the team and now he is doing the same with the franchise’s new owners. Johnson took to social media to praise Iger and Kushner, believing they will bring championships back to L.A. and congratulating them on the purchase:
Laker fans, you couldn’t have two better owners. I’ve known Bob personally for over 40 years – he has always loved the Lakers and basketball and he will bring championships back to LA.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) August 12, 2026
I want to congratulate my good friend Bob Iger and Josh Kushner on their purchase of the Los Angeles Lakers!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) August 12, 2026
Johnson is probably the most successful athlete-turned-businessman in the history of sports, so it is no surprise that he has close connections with the new Lakers owners. His endorsement carries a lot of weight as he is Lakers royalty and wants this franchise to experience success at the highest levels.
Iger is most notable for his time as CEO of The Walt Disney Company where he oversaw an amazing amount of growth, purchasing the likes of Marvel and Pixar, and also pushing into the launch of streaming service Disney+. Kushner is the founder of venture capital firm Thrive Capital as well as the co-founder of health insurance startup Oscar Health. He also was previously a minority owner of the Miami Heat and Memphis Grizzlies.
What their plans are in getting the Lakers back into the elite of the NBA and winning championships is obviously unknown at the time, but Johnson believes in the duo’s ability to make it happen so time will tell whether that comes to fruition.
Luka Doncic comments on sale of Lakers to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner
Superstar Luka Doncic will somehow be experiencing his third ownership group since being acquired by the Lakers less than two years ago. Doncic took to social media following news of the sale, saying that he looks forward to getting to know and working with Iger and Kushner.
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