During his recent appearance on the Sedano & Kap morning show on ESPN LA, Brian Windhorst highlighted a key component of the sale of a majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers to businessman Mark Walter last June.
According to Windhorst, while Walter is associated with the sale of the Lakers, it is worth noting that his holding company, TWG Global, received a $10 billion investment from Mubadala Capital in April 2025 as part of its $15 billion equity raise. Windy says that essentially tells us where the money came from to finance the acquisition of the Lakers.
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“The Lakers were bought with Middle Eastern money,” Windhorst said. “Mark Walter’s group took $10 billion from Abu Dhabi shortly before… And then three months later, he bought the Lakers for $10 billion.”
Mubadala is state owned
Mubadala Capital is the asset management subsidiary of Mubadala Investment Company. The latter is one of the three sovereign funds of Abu Dhabi, along with ADIA and ABQ. These three exist to turn the emirate’s oil money into portfolios that diversify the state’s revenue streams and optimize returns on investments.
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By investing in TWG Capital, Mubadala gained ownership of the LA Sparks, Chelsea FC, the Cadillac Formula One team, the Professional Women’s Hockey League, and the Los Angeles Dodgers. Meanwhile, TWG – or should we say Walter – has gained the financial muscle to make more investments.
“The partnership with Mubadala Capital allows us to access excellent investment opportunities that require both visionary insight and substantial resources. This collaboration brings together the right expertise and capital to invest in ideas with the potential to shape the future,”remarked Walter’s partner.
Related: “I don’t think my dad would be happy” – Jeanie Buss’ sister says Dr. Jerry Buss wouldn’t let her kick all her brothers from the Lakers
Walter was the first minority owner
Before acquiring majority ownership of the Lakers’ Buss family trust, Walter was already part of the Lakers’ ownership group when he and Todd Boehly bought 27 percent of the franchise from billionaire Phil Anschutz in 2021, becoming its largest minority owner.
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By increasing the shares of the Buss family, Walter is estimated to own 78-80 percent of the team currently and has the right to buy the remaining shares of the Buss first if they choose to in the future.
“The Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most successful and admired franchises in sports history,” Walter said in a news release last June. “I have watched the organization grow under Jeanie’s leadership and could not be more excited to join her and the entire management team. I am committed to supporting the franchise’s iconic status by continuing to bring culture, community and entertainment to Lakers fans.”
Curiously, the Lakers are the favorite team of Mubadala managing director and chief executive officer Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak. And so if Walter told him that he was planning to buy the Lake Show with their capital raising, it might have been easier for Mubadala to invest $10 billion in TWG.
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Related: Jerry Buss designed a trust that secured his family’s generational wealth without selling the Lakers
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on January 23, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add the Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.