Who Is New Lakers Owner Josh Kushner?
His older brother, Jared Kushner, is married to Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka.
Josh Kushner, the 41-year-old former Disney CEO, is set to become the new owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. The deal involves a valuation of $12.5 billion and requires final approval from the NBA's board of governors. Kushner's venture capital firm, Thrive Capital, is involved in the transaction. The Lakers' majority owner, Dodgers owner Mark Walter, is under federal investigation for fraud and is selling his majority stake in the team.
Kushner has a history of involvement in sports, previously owning a piece of the Memphis Grizzlies and being tied to a possible NBA expansion team in Las Vegas. He and NBA commissioner Bob Iger had previously discussed the idea of an NBA team in Las Vegas. Kushner's business interests span technology, with his venture capital firm investing in companies like OpenAI, Databricks, Stripe, and Ramp.
The Kushner family has deep ties to Donald Trump, with Jared married to Trump's daughter Ivanka and Charles, the team's previous owner, serving as the U.S. ambassador to France and Monaco. Despite these connections, Josh Kushner identifies as a Democrat. In 2016, he stated he was a lifelong Democrat who did not vote for Trump. His wife, supermodel Karlie Kloss, supported Hillary Clinton and attended the inauguration of the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.
Kushner's political contributions have largely been to the Democratic Party, including a $250,000 donation to the Growth Democrats in 2024.
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Also reported by 1 other outlet
- Who Is New Lakers Owner Josh Kushner? sports.yahoo.com
