Bob Iger’s arrival as part of the new Lakers ownership group comes with an awkward detail for the franchise’s fan base: the longtime entertainment executive once openly identified himself as a Los Angeles Clippers fan.
During a 2021 appearance on “The Old Man and The Three” podcast, Iger discussed his relationship with Chris Paul and his involvement with the NBA’s 2020 bubble in Orlando. Asked about his NBA fandom after moving from New York to Los Angeles, Iger explained why he chose the Clippers instead of the Lakers.
“I am a Clippers fan,” Iger said. He explained that he moved to Los Angeles in 2000 and needed an NBA team to support, but his upbringing as a New York Knicks fan made rooting for the Lakers difficult because of the historic rivalry between the franchises.
“So I couldn’t root for the Lakers very easily; it just was not in my DNA,” Iger said. “So I decided to adopt the Clippers, which was actually a good thing, because their seats were a lot cheaper than the Lakers.”
The comments are notable because Iger is now part of the ownership group positioned to take control of one of the Lakers’ biggest rivals. Iger and Josh Kushner have emerged as the new ownership figures following Mark Walter’s agreement to sell the Lakers for approximately $12.5 billion, according to the information provided.
The timing also comes after a major basketball transformation in Los Angeles. The Lakers went 53-29 during the 2025-26 regular season, finished fourth in the Western Conference and won the Pacific Division before being swept 4-0 by the Oklahoma City Thunder in the conference semifinals.
Luka Doncic led the team with 33.5 points, 8.3 assists and 7.7 rebounds per game while shooting 47.6% from the field. Austin Reaves averaged 23.3 points, 5.5 assists and 4.7 rebounds while shooting 49.0% overall and 36.0% from three-point range.
The Lakers then moved aggressively to reshape the roster around Doncic and Reaves. They acquired Walker Kessler in a sign-and-trade and committed four years and $130 million to the center while surrendering two unprotected first-round picks and two pick swaps.
Reaves also received a four-year, $185 million extension, making the Doncic-Reaves-Kessler trio the foundation of the franchise’s next phase.
Iger’s connection to the basketball world extends beyond his former Clippers fandom. Ramona Shelburne recently identified Chris Paul as someone to watch around the Lakers because of Paul’s close relationship with Iger, while noting that the recently retired point guard is an “incredible basketball mind.”
