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Lakers for Sale: Pricetag = $10B

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LOS ANGELES – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – For the first time since 1979, the Los Angeles Lakers will not have the Buss family as a majority owner. According to ESPN, the Buss family has entered into an agreement to sell majority ownership of the franchise to Mark Walter, CEO of diversified holding company TWG Global. The Lakers’ sale will be for a reported $10 billion.

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While Walter, who has been a stakeholder in the Lakers in 2021, will own the majority stake, Jeanie Buss will reportedly continue to serve in her role as the team’s governor.

One of the franchise’s all-time greats, Magic Johnson, said the team’s fans should be thrilled by the sale.

“Laker fans should be estatic. A few things I can tell you about Mark — he is driven by winning, excellence, and doing everything the right way. AND he will put in the resources needed to win! I can understand why Jeanie sold the team to Mark Walter because they are just alike – they are competitive people, have big hearts, love to give back, and both prefer to be behind the scenes. This makes all the sense in the world. I am so so SO happy and excited for @Lakers fans all over the world!”

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Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers from Jack Kent Cooke in 1979, a deal that also included the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings and the Los Angeles Forum. At the time, the Lakers were valued at $67.5 million. The Lakers won 11 of their 17 NBA championships under Buss family ownership.

The team’s ownership was passed on to Buss’ children when he died in 2013, with Jeanie taking over the responsibilities as team governor.

Walter will now step in as majority owner, although exact details of the agreement were not yet reported. That said, ESPN and The Athletic reported that the valuation of the deal is in the neighborhood of $10 billion — which would be the largest sale of a professional sports franchise in the world.

The Boston Celtics were sold for $6.1 billion earlier this year, the previous high for an NBA franchise.

Walter has investments in several other professional sports organizations, including the Los Angeles Dodgers of MLB, the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks and professional soccer.

–Field Level Media

Jalen Rose Wins Impact Award

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SPRINGFIELD – The Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame and popular rap star, film producer and actor, entrepreneur, and co-founder of the BIG3 basketball league, Ice Cube, have announced that former player, TV analyst, and philanthropist Jalen Rose will be honored with the 2025 Ice Cube Impact Award.

“It’s truly an honor to be recognized by the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame with the Ice Cube Impact Award,” said Jalen Rose. “Cube is family, and we share an unwavering dedication to giving back to the communities that raised us. Basketball created opportunities for us in different ways and has allowed both of us to make a lasting impact beyond the court. I’m grateful for this recognition and proud to be celebrated in the Hall’s museum.”

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Rose’s impact extends well beyond the basketball court through his unwavering commitment to education and community development in his hometown of Detroit. In 2011, he founded the Jalen Rose Leadership Academy (JRLA), an open-enrollment, tuition-free public charter high school focused on academic excellence and family. JRLA prides itself on being a 9-16 model, to and through college, and offers AP courses, college tours, summer programs, and dual enrollment opportunities. Rose remains hands-on as the president of the Board of Directors and is actively fundraising to bridge the funding gap, raise dollars for college scholarships, and support a $20 million capital campaign to expand the school. Jalen also has a scholarship endowment at the University of Michigan.

Beyond education, Jalen serves as a volunteer Board Member for the National Basketball Players Association Foundation and partners with New Era Detroit, a community organization that focuses on community engagement, resource distribution, and safety initiatives. His dedication to Detroit and beyond is reflected in the time, resources, and leadership he continues to invest in the city where he was raised.

“Throughout his entire career, Jalen has consistently been a force for good,” said Ice Cube, who was recognized last year with the inaugural award. “Not only does he give back to his communities through fundraising, education, and, most importantly, through basketball, but he leads by example, championing the exact values this award was created to celebrate. His impact can be felt deeply in Detroit, and his commitment to building up the next generation is inspiring. I could not be more honored that we have named Jalen Rose this year’s Ice Cube Impact Award recipient and thank him for his tireless dedication to lifting up communities through the beautiful game of basketball.”

The Ice Cube Impact Award was created in 2024 to recognize individuals making substantial contributions to their communities through basketball. As the eponymous recipient, Ice Cube was honored with the inaugural award for his creation of the BIG3 basketball league alongside Jeff Kwatinetz in 2017. The league plays the premier global version of professionalized 3-on-3 basketball and is committed to increasing the opportunity, entertainment, diversity, and growth of the 3-on-3 game. The Ice Cube Impact Award is permanently housed in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame’s museum and recognizes honorees through a dedicated exhibit and in-depth storytelling.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see Ice Cube and the Hall of Fame come together for something this impactful,” said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. “Ice Cube’s influence goes way beyond entertainment—he’s a cultural icon who’s using his platform to uplift communities through education and philanthropy. This partnership represents a modern, meaningful opportunity for the Hall to celebrate not just basketball excellence, but the power of the game to drive real change. Jalen Rose is a remarkable selection for the Ice Cube Impact Award, embodying the values this honor was created to recognize.”

The Ice Cube Impact Award will be presented to Jalen Rose at the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame during Enshrinement Weekend festivities on Saturday, September 6, in Springfield, Massachusetts.

SPORTS BIZ: Secret to a Great Summer

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By JAMES GUMINA

MOUNT VERNON, NY – One of the great opportunities of this  summer has been working as an intern for  Westchester SC at home games. For anyone not familiar, Westchester SC is a first year expansion club in USL League One that holds the record for quickest turnaround from franchise announcement to fielding a team on opening day, and it’s already one of the fastest growing professional clubs in the United States. They compete in USL League One, a professional league two tiers below MLS, as well as in multi-league tournaments like the Jägermeister Cup.

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Home games are played at Mount Vernon’s Memorial Field. Don’t let the number of multipurpose lines on the field fool you, the stadium and club are run extremely well and quite professionally. Easy entry, musical bands, numerous concession stands, and food trucks from across the local community make taking in Westchester games a great experience for the family.

In an era where going to see a pro sports game has become financially burdensome, local professional teams like this are a breath of fresh air. Ticket prices start at $15, and you can get a full, delicious meal and drinks from a food truck for under $20. Add in free parking, and you’ve got a proposition that’s hard to beat. This isn’t your local rec league. These are professional players, many with long careers in academies and clubs both in the U.S. and abroad.

WSC may be new to the league, but its roster is anything but inexperienced. The team pulled on local pipelines and talent to form a dynamic and competitive squad in its inaugural season. From MLS Veterans like Andrew Jean-Baptiste, to USL League one standouts like Steven Payne, to dynamic young goal scorers like JC Obregon, the roster spans experience levels and makes the product on the field a treat to watch.

From the way this team is run, you would have no idea it was a first year club. The stadium experience is smooth and seamless, with a European-style “Ultra” section, dubbed the 914th Infantry, leading chants and energizing the crowd.

I spent a long time in the stands prior to the recent game against AV Alta FC asking where people were from and what brought them to the stadium. As to where people were from, I heard just about every town within a 30 minute drive and a number of people who made the trip up from New York City. With free parking across the street and just a 15-minute walk from Metro-North train line, Westchester SC has drawn fans from across the region.

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Where there was a wide variety of answers to the first question, nearly everyone had the same answer to the second; community.

From members of the 914th infantry, to kids who had heard about the team from one of their friends at school, to family of the players and employees of the team, WSC has made strong inroads into the fabric of the local community. It’s a community of people that love sports, especially soccer, and with the New York City professional teams being hard physically and financially to access, Westchester SC can capitalize on the shortcomings of the more established teams and Westchester can better serve the fans.

Between all these facts, and the raucous 2,000+ person crowd against AV Alta FC, it was easy to forget that the team has only been in existence for closer to 10 months, rather than 10 years. This season is only the beginning for this franchise, and what a well executed start it has been. I look forward to attending more games over the course of the summer of 2025 and to watching the team grow, develop, and prosper within the Westchester community.

Can’t Beat, “Beat the Streets”

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Guest Column, by James Gumina

One of life’s joys is being introduced to something new. This past weekend, that joy came in the form of professional wrestling, as I attended the FinalX and Beat the Streets World Championships qualifier at the Prudential Center in Newark.

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I was on hand for both the full slate of wrestling on Saturday and the press conference on Friday morning. As I helped athletes, media, and coaches check in for the press conference, I started to get a feel for the event. The word ‘community’ is often overused, but it truly captured what I felt when interacting with everyone on Friday. The athletes and coaches were friendly with us and one another, and the media members were all extremely passionate about the sport.

The press conference featured some of the athletes with the biggest names and resumes competing in the event, though not always the ones who found the most success on Saturday. They all stressed the importance of growing interest in the sport and being role models for the next generation of wrestling athletes.

“I particularly admired Wyatt Hendrickson’s viewpoint about how his life has changed since upsetting Gable Stevenson in “the biggest upset in NCAA history” this past March.”

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However intriguing the press conference was, it paled in comparison to the event itself.

The bouts started at 12:30pm (EDT) with third-place matches, and went all the way through 8:00pm. A raucous crowd of six thousand packed the lower bowl of the Prudential Center from the first bout to the final minute of the last match.

Chatting with people as I walked through the concourse, and noting the massive forearms and slightly cauliflower ears of the fans, it was clear this event pulled in wrestlers, young and old, from across the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut tri-state area. The crowd brought energy, and the wrestlers fed into it, each one of them signing innumerable autographs and filling camera rolls with selfies. I even saw a few wrestlers giving away their shoes to some of the kids in the audience.

It was clear the crowd had some favorites, but the thing they were most loyal to was exciting takedowns. One of the crowd favorites was Yianni Diakomihalis, who cruised to a 10-0 victory in the first round of his best-of-three versus PJ Duke.

The favoritism turned out to be a fickle thing, however, when Duke upset Diakomihalis with a last-second throw in round two and then a pin in round three to elicit two of the loudest crowd pops of the event.

Hendrickson continued his run of greatness with a dominant win in round one, followed by a hard-fought victory in round two. Explaining his strategy after the match, he talked about how he wanted to be aggressive and put on a good show, following it up by saying, “I just love wrestling, I was born for this.”

Some familiar names fell short of qualifying for the world team. After moving to a new weight class, 34-year-old Kyle Dake lost to Zahid Valencia in an exciting match. Kayla Miracle, the 2017 and 2018 US Open champion and current high school teacher, also fell to Adaugo Nwachukwu.

On the other hand, there were a handful of teenagers and high schoolers with outstanding performances. The aforementioned PJ Duke upset Yianni and qualified for the world team, and 19-year-old Audrey Jimenez won her match to qualify for the worlds in Croatia as well.

It was not all wins for the youngsters, however, as 17-year-old Everest Leydecker, a student at the school Kayla teaches, lost in her match to Cristelle Rodriguez, and will now miss out on the chance to celebrate her 18th birthday in Croatia.

But the event wasn’t just about competition. It was also a fundraiser for Beat the Streets, and a successful one at that, raising nearly a million dollars. Beat the Streets is an organization that provides wrestling and educational opportunities to underserved students in the New York City area. It boasts a 100% graduation rate and enrollment rate into college or the military.

Throughout the event, different Beat the Streets students gave their testimonies about how the organization has supported them and will continue to do so. The conjunction of elite-level wrestling and charitable outreach symbolized the true community-first aspect of wrestling.

While I did not walk into the event with any wrestling experience under my belt, I walked out with a newfound appreciation for the athletes, fans, and, ultimately, the sport. It is a tight-knit community that loves the sport and has created a wonderful atmosphere and an impressive, world class event. I am looking forward to seeing the winner compete at worlds in September, and to following many of them on their path to the LA Olympics in 2028.

Lawsuit Filed vs Zion Williamson

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LOS ANGELES – (Wire Service Report) – New Orleans Pelicans star Zion Williamson was accused of rape in a lawsuit filed this week in Los Angeles, the New York Post reported.

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In the suit filed Thursday in Los Angeles Superior Court, the woman — identified as Jane Doe — alleges Williamson sexually assaulted her twice in 2020.

The plaintiff, who claims to be the NBA forward’s ex-girlfriend, alleges there was a pattern of “abusive, controlling and threatening behavior” toward her that occurred in California, Louisiana and other states.

Williamson, 24, also is accused of threatening to have his security personnel shoot Doe in the head and have her parents killed, according to the report.

“Our client is very adamant about this — it’s not her desire or our desire to litigate this case in the press,” Doe’s attorney, Sam Taylor with the Lanier Law Firm, told the Post on Friday. “It’s a very serious case, as reflected in the allegations. Our client looks forward to her day in court where she can go and explain to a jury what happened to her, the things she endured for this defendant and getting justice.”

Williamson’s representatives did not immediately respond to the newspaper’s request for comment.

As of Friday afternoon, the Pelicans had not commented publicly on the allegations.

Williamson, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft out of Duke, is a two-time All-Star with career averages of 24.7 points, 6.6rebounds and 4.3 assists in 214 games (all starts) with the Pelicans.

–Field Level Media

Blazers Not in Knight’s Future

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PORTLAND – (Wire service Report) – Nike founder and chairman emeritus Phil Knight believes it’s too late in the game for him to buy an NBA franchise. Knight, 87, issued a statement citing his age as a primary roadblock to purchasing the Portland Trail Blazers. The team is on the market and being sold by the estate of Microsoft legend Paul Allen.

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“Five years ago, when I was a younger man, I had a great interest in being a part of the Portland Trail Blazers franchise. However, at my current age, I can confirm that I no longer have interest in acquiring the team,” Knight said in a statement issued by Nike.

Allen owned the Seattle Seahawks (NFL), the Blazers and a 25 percent stake in the Seattle Sounders (MLS) when he died at age 65 from non-Hodgkin lymphoma in 2018.

Allen bought the Blazers in 1988 for $70 million and the franchise has a valuation of more than $3.5 billion, according to Sportico. The Boston Celtics recently sold for $6.1 billion.

The Seahawks and the minority stake in the Sounders are not for sale, according to the trust’s announcement of plans to sell the NBA franchise.

His sister, Jody Allen, is the acting governor of the Blazers and executor for the Paul G. Allen Trust. Jody Allen declined Knight’s offer — made in partnership with Los Angeles Dodgers minority owner Alan Smolinsky — to buy the Blazers for more than $2 billion in 2022, according to reports.

Paul Allen’s will directs the existing trust “to eventually sell his sports holdings and direct all estate proceeds to philanthropy.”

–Field Level Media

Sovereignty in Front

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LOUISVILLE – Horse trainer Bill Mott looked like he was gliding on air as he made his way into the infield at Churchill Downs early Saturday evening. Just moments before, his horse Sovereignty won the Kentucky Derby.

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He displayed a beaming smile while working through the crowd of well-wishers to get to the winner’s circle with jockey Junior Alvarado, Godolphin LLC racing manager Michael Banahan and others connected to the winner of the 151st Run for the Roses.

Godolphin, a global racing giant, celebrated its first Derby win after 26 years of trying. It was the first win for Alvarado in the Derby or any Triple Crown race, and it was the second for Mott. However, he had good reason to treat this like his first.

Six years ago, the Kentucky Derby was in limbo for 22 minutes while stewards reviewed the race. Mott’s Country House finished second to Maximum Security, but he would be named the winner after Maximum Security was deemed to have interfered with other horses. The 2019 decision ranks as one of the most controversial outcomes in the century-and-a-half history of America’s biggest horse race.

That night, Mott called the outcome “bittersweet.” This time around, there was nothing bitter about it.

“This is better,” he told reporters Saturday. “I said afterwards I want to finish first, cross the line first.”

Jim Dent, PGA Tour Pioneer, 85

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AUGUSTA – (Wire Service Report) – Jim Dent, a pioneering Black golfer, one of the PGA Tour’s longest hitters and a 12-time winner on what is now PGA Tour Champions, died at age 85 on Friday.

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Dent, who died a week before his birthday in his native Augusta, Ga., was recovering from the effects of a stroke, the PGA Tour said.

“A lot of people will remember Jim Dent for how far he hit the ball, and he really did. Yet his long-term success, especially on our tour, proved Jim was more than just long off the tee,” said PGA Tour Champions President Miller Brady. “Jim was as easy going as he was competitive, and he added so much during his time as a PGA Tour Champions player. We offer our sincere condolences to his entire family.”

Dent worked as a teenager caddying at Augusta Municipal Golf Course, known at “The Patch.” He also worked at Augusta National Golf Club but in his adult years never qualified as a player for the Masters in 16 consecutive campaigns on the PGA Tour, when he never appeared in less than 22 tournaments a season.

Turning pro in 1966 and qualifying for the PGA Tour starting in 1971, Dent made the cut in 296 of 450 tour events, including 25 top-10 finishes, and earned $565,809 in official money in a different era for tournament purses.

NCAA Partners with SportsBooks

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The NCAA is set to forge a partnership with sportsbooks after an agreement was reached to supply data from its championship events through Genius Sports, multiple outlets reported Friday.

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Because the NCAA is not in charge of the College Football Playoff, the biggest impact from the new deal will come with information supplied through the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The agreement, which runs through 2032, does not include regular-season games.

While the NCAA has tried to keep its distance from the growing sports betting industry, the partnership with Genius Sports puts it more in line with professional sports leagues that have working relationships with the industry.

With online harassment of student athletes on the rise, NCAA president Charlie Baker spoke at a Senate hearing about the impact of sports betting and college athletics in December. The NCAA’s chief concern is with betting options tied to an individual player.

Genius Sports will now supply sportsbooks with official game data, through an authorized gaming license, while “limiting risky bet types,” and “safeguarding student-athletes,” are listed as primary goals of the London-based company.

“NCAA data will only be available to sportsbooks if they remove risky bets from their platforms and agree to fully cooperate with NCAA investigations and provide key information including geolocation data and device records,” NCAA senior vice president of external affairs Tim Buckley said in a statement, according to ESPN. “The NCAA retains the right to terminate any sportsbook data license if integrity protections are violated — ensuring real accountability.”

NCAA member schools will continue to get live game statistics for free through NCAA LiveStats, ESPN reported.

–Field Level Media

 

Green Bay’s NFL Draft Party

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GREEN BAY – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Fans were amazed and appreciative that the NFL’s smallest city could host one of the league’s biggest events, the NFL draft, and their mood was brightened ever more when the hometown Packers selected a wide receiver in the first round on Thursday.

An estimated 125,000 people were gathered outside historic Lambeau Field on Thursday before the start of the draft, per local news reports. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city of Green Bay had a population of 105,744 in 2023.

“This is Green Bay’s Super Bowl,” said Donnie Renard Jr., who was part of a three-generation delegation that also included his father, Donnie, and 20-year-old son, Tommy.

Renard made the trip from Wabeno, Wis., about 85 miles north of Green Bay. His son is from Wausau in the center of the state, and his dad — a lifelong Packers fan — still lives in Green Bay.

“My dad’s actually been to a Super Bowl, a Pro Bowl, the Hall of Fame Game and now the draft,” said Renard, adding that they would be back on both Friday and Saturday.

All three of the Renards were pleased with the selection of Texas wide receiver Matthew Golden with the 23rd pick in the first round. The speedy Golden was timed in a blistering 4.29 in the 40-yard dash at the NFL combine.

“I like it,” Tommy Renard said. “We needed a true No. 1, and I think he’s going to be it.”

Golden is the first wide receiver drafted in the first round by the Packers since Javon Walker in 2002. He spent two years at Houston before transferring last season to Texas, where had 58 receptions for 987 yards and nine touchdowns.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to go in the first round,” Golden said. “And to know that they haven’t picked a receiver since 2002, it’s truly a blessing.”

Golden said he is looking forward to playing with Packers quarterback Jordan Love, who passed for 3,389 yards last season despite missing two games, and 4,159 yards in 2023. He threw for a combined 57 touchdowns over those two seasons.

“Talented quarterback, he can get outside the pocket and make plays, and he damn sure can throw the ball,” Golden said. “I’m going to let him know as soon as I see him, ‘Man, you’ve got a reliable target. You can trust me.’ But trust is built over time, so going out there, like I said, and competing, and gaining everyone’s trust, that’s where it first starts.”

Despite being from nearby Kaukauna, about 25 miles south of Green Bay, Adam Schmidt was decked in two Minnesota Vikings jerseys.

“I became a Vikings fan in kindergarten,” said Schmidt, pulling up the outer jersey to reveal an older one underneath. “… It still kind of fits. Randy Moss.”

Schmidt said he thought the first day of the draft was a huge success, despite the size of Green Bay, or maybe because of it.

“I think it was awesome. Not just for Green Bay, but the entire area,” Schmidt said. “It’s tough to host a huge event like this while still having that small-town atmosphere. It feels awesome and I think the whole community is really proud.”

–Jim Hoehn, Field Level Media