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Luka Doncic's first statement on Mark Walter's $12.5 billion Lakers sale to Josh Kushner, Bob Iger

· Jackson Stone · 2026-08-12T17:12:02+00:00 · nguồn gốc

On Wednesday, it was reported by ESPN NBA insider Ramona Shelburne that Mark Walter was selling the Los Angeles Lakers to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner for $12.5 billion. The shocking move nets Walter $2.5 billion more than he paid for the team a year ago, and marks the third ownership group for the iconic franchise in less than two years. Now, Lakers cornerstone Luka Doncic has taken to social media to release a statement on the sale. “Being a Laker means everything to me, and I’m excited to get back on the court and bring a championship to LA. I’ve gotten used to big changes over these last few years, but I know that no matter what, there is no limit to the potential of this iconic franchise. I look forward to meeting Josh and Bob so we can get to work building something special in LA together,” wrote Doncic on X, formerly Twitter. Doncic is now unquestionably the cornerstone of the Lakers after LeBron James' decision to depart the franchise for the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency this year, and the team has been busy putting new pieces around him this offseason. Iger and Kushner had previously been rumored to have interest in pursuing an NBA expansion team in Las Vegas, but they now find themselves as owners of the most powerful franchise in the NBA, paying a record-breaking price to purchase the Lakers. Los Angeles will find out its full schedule for the upcoming 2026-27 NBA season on Thursday.