Metta Sandiford-Artest, a former player for the Los Angeles Lakers, disclosed that his attempt to acquire a 1% minority ownership stake in the team for $100 million was declined. Sandiford-Artest stated he approached businessman Mark Walter after Walter purchased the Buss family’s majority stake in the Lakers for a reported $10 billion valuation in 2025.

"I sent the email the next day, I tried to get in at $100 [million], and they didn’t let me in," Sandiford-Artest told the California Post. "But I wish he had let me in. That would’ve been great to have a former Laker as an owner, especially with the Buss family gone. It would’ve been great to have a Laker, a champion like Metta World Peace."

Walter's ownership of the Lakers has been a subject of recent activity. Less than a year after his purchase, Walter agreed to sell his stake to former Disney CEO Bob Iger and venture capitalist Josh Kushner for a record $12.5 billion valuation on Aug. 12. This deal is pending approval from the NBA Board of Governors. Walter is currently under investigation by federal prosecutors and the Securities and Exchange Commission concerning potential loan fraud.

Sandiford-Artest, who played for the Lakers for six seasons across two stints and won a championship in 2010, expressed his belief that the team's valuation was poised to increase significantly. "Once it sold, the next day I tried to buy in for 1%," he said. "I knew it was going to [go up in value]. I knew I. I said the Lakers are going to be valued at $14 [billion]. I thought it was going to be a $14 billion value within like 18 months."

Sandiford-Artest mentioned that he was unsure of the exact reason for the rejection of his offer. "They didn’t respond, and then they were like no," he stated. "The reason why I tried to is I knew the value was going to go up, so I missed out. I was kind of bummed about it. You have a former player who wants to put in $100 [million]."

He anticipates that under the new ownership, the valuation of the 17-time championship franchise will continue to rise. "The Lakers are going to be just as big as Disney, honestly," Sandiford-Artest told The Post.

Additionally, Sandiford-Artest revealed he attempted to purchase a stake in the BIG3, a 3-on-3 professional basketball league founded by Ice Cube and Jeff Kwatinetz. His offer for a stake in the league, which is expecting a $290 million valuation upon its planned public offering later this year, was also declined. "I would’ve seven-exed my money," Sandiford-Artest commented. "I was a little bit bummed, But it goes to show you the foresight that I had."

Sandiford-Artest, an NBA All-Star and Defensive Player of the Year in 2004, played 17 seasons in the league before retiring in 2017. He played for the Lakers from 2009-2013 and again from 2015-2017. He expressed gratitude for his time with the franchise, particularly highlighting how they contributed to his championship win and supported his advocacy for mental health awareness among athletes.

"Just the way they involved me in the organization," Sandiford-Artest said. "That stands out a lot. It was like a family."