It did not take long for the Celtics to be topped as the most valuable North American pro sports franchise to be sold. Three months after a group led by William Chisholm agreed to buy the Celtics for $6.1 billion, the Buss family has agreed to sell its majority stake in the Lakers to minority owner Mark Walter for a record-breaking $10 billion according to [Shams Charania of ESPN](https://go.skimresources.com?id=126006X1587340&xs=1&xcust=brobb|&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.espn.com%2Fnba%2Fstory%2F_%2Fid%2F45539931%2Fbuss-family-agrees-sell-lakers-mark-walter-sources-say).
Walter is the chairman of TWG Global and already owns other Los Angeles sports franchises including the LA Dodgers and LA Sparks. He was a runner up in the bidding for the Clippers sale last decade and purchased a 27 percent stake in the Lakers in 2021. Water will now become majority owner of the franchise although Jeanie Buss will continue to serve as governor of the franchise even after the sale is completed, per Charania. The Buss Family owned roughly 66 percent of the Lakers before agreeing to the sale.
Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers for $67.5 million in 1978 and passed on the team to his children after his death.
The reported purchase price of $10 billion is the largest purchase sum ever for a pro team in the United States.
The Lakers become the fifth team set to be sold in the NBA during the past five years. The Timberwolves ($1.5 billion), Mavericks ($3.5 billion) and Suns ($4 billion) are among the rising price tags on NBA teams. The Celtics sale is expected to be finalized in the next month by the NBA Board of Governors. It’s unclear how soon the Lakers sale will become official, but it’s unlikely any other NBA team will match the Lakers price anytime soon.