The shocking sale of the Los Angeles Lakers drew headlines for its reported $12.5 billion valuation. But it’s also notable for another reason: Assuming the sale is approved by the NBA Board of Governors, Mark Walter’s tenure would rank among the shortest controlling ownership spans USA TODAY identified in the histories of current MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL franchises.
USA TODAY reviewed ownership histories across the four major U.S. leagues and found just four completed qualifying tenures shorter than Walter’s 289 days through Aug. 15. Historical ownership records — particularly from the early 20th century — can be incomplete or ambiguous, so the findings reflect the shortest qualifying tenures USA TODAY was able to identify and verify.
The shortest such spans USA TODAY uncovered were the back-to-back flips of the Cleveland Cavaliers in 1980.
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In February that year, Lou Mitchell bought 155,000 shares in the Cavs from Nick Mileti for an announced $1.4 million. After 31 days, Mitchell sold about 275,000 shares to Joe Zingale for an estimated $2.4 million after realizing the difficulty of running the Cavs and another business 125 miles away. Then, 22 days later in April, Ted Stepien bought those shares from Zingale for $2 million to become the franchise’s controlling owner with a 37% stake in the Cavs. Stepien remained owner until 1983.
Following that pair is John P. Harris, controlling owner of the Boston Doves — the franchise now known as the Atlanta Braves — for 35 days in late 1910.
The next shortest span was William D. Cox, who owned the Philadelphia Phillies for 253 days from March 15, 1943, to Nov. 23, 1943.
Cox bought the club from a cash-strapped Gerald Nugent. His tenure was quite raucous and ended when commissioner Kenesaw Mountain Landis banned him from baseball for betting on the Phillies.
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Walter’s current 289-day span comes next among the qualifying tenures USA TODAY identified. However, his sale is awaiting approval, which means his official ownership tenure could still extend.
Recent NBA ownership sales have varied widely in how long they took to receive league approval. Walter’s purchase of the Lakers last year, for instance, took 134 days between announcement of the sale and board approval.
However, the sale of the Dallas Mavericks in 2023 took just 28 days.
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All-time Los Angeles Lakers legends who shaped the game
Jerry West (#44) played 14 seasons from 1960-1974 with the Lakers and was a force who never left the NBA once he got there, according to USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt. The Hall of Famer, pictured here in action against the Cincinnati Royals, was remembered for his imprint as a shooting guard and builder of teams. His impact remains visible in today’s NBA and he went on to touch generations of teams and players, including LeBron James, who talked to West about winning and losing.
(Malcolm Emmons, IMAGN IMAGES)
1 / 8
All-time Los Angeles Lakers legends who shaped the game
Jerry West (#44) played 14 seasons from 1960-1974 with the Lakers and was a force who never left the NBA once he got there, according to USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt. The Hall of Famer, pictured here in action against the Cincinnati Royals, was remembered for his imprint as a shooting guard and builder of teams. His impact remains visible in today’s NBA and he went on to touch generations of teams and players, including LeBron James, who talked to West about winning and losing.
(Malcolm Emmons, IMAGN IMAGES)
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All-time Los Angeles Lakers legends who shaped the game
The Lakers often believed that Elgin Baylor (#22) remained under appreciated during his 14-year NBA career with the franchise in Minneapolis and Los Angeles. Baylor, pictured Feb. 17, 1970, in a game against the New York Knicks, is among six Lakers luminaries to have a statue outside of Staples Center, and is also among 10 Lakers players to have their jersey retired. Baylor entered the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame after winning an NBA championship (1972), posted an NBA Finals record 61 points in Game 5 of the 1961 NBA Finals against Boston, winning the league’s rookie of the year award (1959) and making 11 All-Star appearances.
(Manny Rubio, Imagn Images)
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All-time Los Angeles Lakers legends who shaped the game
Los Angeles Lakers center #13 Wilt Chamberlain scored 31,419 points, averaging 30.1 ppg, during 1,045 games over a 16-year Hall of Fame career. Chamberlain led the NBA in scoring seven straight years, averaged 50.4 points per game in 1962 and scored a record 100 points in a single game on March 2, 1962 against the New York Knicks in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The NBA didn’t televise the game and less than 5,000 people got to witness the iconic moment. HoopsHype ranked the top 80 players in NBA history and Chamberlain came in ranked No. 6 on the list, according to Sixers Wire.
(Malcolm Emmons, IMAGN IMAGES)
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All-time Los Angeles Lakers legends who shaped the game
Los Angeles Lakers center #33 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, pictured in action during the 1981-82 season in Indianapolis, is one of the greatest basketball players in history – from his days as a prep star in New York City at Power Memorial Academy to his three NCAA championships and 88-2 record at UCLA and his six NBA championships and six MVPs with the Milwaukee Bucks and Los Angeles Lakers. He averaged at least 21 points in his first 17 seasons, averaged at least 12 rebounds in his first 10 seasons and shot at least 50% from the field.
(Malcolm Emmons, IMAGN IMAGES)
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All-time Los Angeles Lakers legends who shaped the game
Los Angeles Lakers guard Magic Johnson (32) in action against the Detroit Pistons during the 1988 NBA Finals at the Silverdome. Magic was the face of the Lakers and the NBA during much of the 1980s when he won five NBA titles and led the “Showtime” teams in legendary showdowns with Larry Bird and the Celtics. The Hall of Famer was a three-time NBA MVP and is regarded as one of the best point guards ever to play the game.
(IMAGN IMAGES)
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All-time Los Angeles Lakers legends who shaped the game
Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant soars to the basket against Sacramento Kings’s Mike Bibby during Game 4 of the NBA Western Conference finals in Los Angeles, May 26, 2002. Kobe spent all 20 years of his legendary career with the Lakers, won five championships, and is the fourth-leading scorer in NBA history. One of the fiercest competitors to play the game, Kobe could do it all. His legend in Lakers Nation will live on forever.
(Adrees Latif, REUTERS)
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All-time Los Angeles Lakers legends who shaped the game
Los Angeles Lakers forward James Worthy celebrates his team’s series-clinching victory over the Portland Trail Blazers in Game 6 of the NBA Western Conference Finals at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, Calif. on May 30, 1991. James Worthy was a cornerstone of the Los Angeles Lakers’ “Showtime” era, helping the franchise win three NBA championships in the 1980s. Known for his clutch performances and smooth all-around game, the Hall of Famer remains one of the most celebrated players in Lakers history.
(Sam Mircovich, REUTERS)
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All-time Los Angeles Lakers legends who shaped the game
Los Angeles Lakers forward LeBron James (23) shoots the ball against Houston Rockets forward Jabari Smith Jr. (10) and guard Amen Thompson (1) in the second half during game one of the first round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Crypto.com Arena. LeBron James cemented his legacy in Los Angeles, leading the Lakers to the 2020 NBA championship and continuing to be one of the league’s most influential stars. Even in the later stages of his career, James remains a central figure for the franchise, adding to a résumé that already ranks among the greatest, if not the greatest in basketball history.
(Kirby Lee, IMAGN IMAGES)
Such a range means that Walter’s final tenure length could end up anywhere from roughly 315 days to 420.
Should the sale not finalize until after Oct. 4, Walter will drop below William Hepburn Russell, who bought the Boston National League franchise from Harris and owned the club for 339 days until his death in November 1911.
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If the transaction does not close until after Oct. 14, Walter would further drop below Art Williams, who owned the Tampa Bay Lightning for 349 days from July 1998 to June 1999.
There are also a few ownership swaps that resulted in short tenures with a specific team.
For instance, Robert Irsay briefly held the Los Angeles Rams before swapping franchises with Carroll Rosenbloom and taking control of the Baltimore Colts in 1972. USA TODAY excluded franchise swaps because they did not represent a standalone acquisition and subsequent transfer of controlling ownership.
Methodology: USA TODAY reviewed controlling ownership tenures of current MLB, NBA, NFL and NHL franchises. Tenures were measured from the effective acquisition date of controlling ownership to the effective transfer or end of control. Franchise swaps, inherited or interim ownership, group ownership changes in which control remained with an existing owner, and ownership periods outside of the four major leagues were excluded.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The Lakers’ record sale has another twist: Mark Walter’s brief tenure
