The bond that brought new Los Angeles Lakers owners Bob Iger and Josh Kushner together did not necessarily involve dollar signs, spreadsheets or investment opportunities.
It was actually their wives.
Karlie Kloss’ relationship with Willow Bay is what initially ignited the friendship between Iger and Kushner, according to The Seattle Times.
The outlet reported on Thursday that Kloss, the 34-year-old wife of Kushner, and Bay, Iger’s 62-year-old spouse who’s now the dean of USC’s Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, had a meeting several years ago that ultimately brought Iger and Kushner together.
In 2018, Kloss, a supermodel, reached out to Bay, a former model, about Estée Lauder, according to the report. Kloss had been gearing up to become a spokesperson for the brand, and wanted to pick Bay’s brain after she had worked for the cosmetics company years prior.
Soon after, Kloss turned to Iger, then-Disney’s CEO, and asked if he wouldn’t mind having a chat with Kushner, her business-minded significant other.
“I think she thought he would benefit from some of my wisdom,” Iger told the Seattle Times.
Following their meetup, Iger admitted he took to Kushner “right away.”
“Humble, extremely smart, easy to connect with,” the 75-year-old Iger said of the 41-year-old Kushner. “I quickly learned that he has a lot of wisdom of his own.”
Since that meeting, Iger and Kushner went from acquaintances to friends to business partners to eventual Lakers owners.
The Seattle Times reported the deal for the duo to purchase the iconic NBA franchise from Mark Walter began last Friday. On Wednesday, they scored the team from Walter for a staggering $12.5 billion.
“As lifelong NBA fans,” Iger and Kushner said in a statement following the consummation of the deal, “we are deeply honored for the opportunity to become stewards of the Los Angeles Lakers, one of the most iconic sports franchises in the world.”
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