Josh Harris calls the Lakers’ $12.5 billion valuation justified
Josh Harris, co-owner of the Washington Commanders and Philadelphia 76ers, believes that the Los Angeles Lakers basketball club’s $12.5 billion valuation is justified. Earlier in August, Mark Walter sold his controlling stake in the team to Joshua Kushner and Bob Iger in a deal that valued the club at $12.5 billion and became the most expensive acquisition of a sports team in the United States, CNBC Top News reports.
Record club valuation
In June 2025, Guggenheim Partners CEO Mark Walter agreed to acquire a controlling stake in the Lakers from the Buss family. At the time, the deal valued the team at $10 billion, which was a record valuation for a sports franchise.
Thus, in approximately one year, the Lakers’ valuation increased by about 25%. According to CNBC’s deals database, $12.5 billion amounts to roughly 20 times the club’s annual revenue for the 2025–2026 season. This is the highest multiple for a deal involving the acquisition of a controlling stake in a National Basketball Association club.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Josh Harris’ assessment
Harris recalled that a consortium led by him acquired the National Football League’s Washington Commanders for $6 billion in May 2023. At the time, it was a record amount for a sports team transaction.
In an interview with CNBC, he said that the Commanders acquisition now looks like an attractive deal and that, in his opinion, the Lakers are worth every one of the $12 billion he cited. Harris also said that he does not consider current sports club valuations to be a sign of a bubble, despite the rapid increase in value-to-revenue ratios.
According to him, team prices are supported by demand for live sports broadcasts, a large global audience, and the media value of sports. He also pointed to growing private equity investment, which helps finance deals and increases the liquidity of assets that have historically been difficult to sell.
