The Chicago Bulls celebrate during the game after Nikola Vucevic #9 of the Chicago Bulls scored the game-winning buzzer beater against the Portland Trail Blazers on November 19, 2025 at Moda Center Arena in Portland, Oregon.
Cameron Browne | National Basketball Association | Getty Images
Walmart Heir Lukas Walton and his wife, Samantha, have acquired a minority stake in the Chicago Bulls and the United Center, the team announced Friday.
The transaction involves the purchase of existing interests from limited partners and does not give Walton control of ownership, the team said. The amount of the minority stake and the valuation were not disclosed.
The Reinsdorf family remains the majority owner of the Chicago Bulls. Jerry Reinsdorf purchased the team for $16.2 million in 1985. Today, the team is worth about $6.45 billion, according to CNBC’s most recent NBA valuations, making the franchise the fifth-most valuable in the league.
The Wirtz and Reinsdorf families share ownership of the United Center, where the NHL’s Bulls and Blackhawks play. They will continue to own a majority stake in the United Center and Project 1901, a $7 billion redevelopment project on Chicago’s West Side, the team said.
The Bulls have been one of the most successful NBA franchises in history, winning six championships during the Michael Jordan era. In recent years, however, they have struggled, having not made the playoffs since the 2021-22 season.
Lukas Walton is the 39-year-old grandson of Walmart founder Sam Walton. He and Samantha Walton reside in Chicago. Lukas Walton has a reported net worth of around $45 billion according to Forbes.
“The Chicago Bulls are as iconic as the city itself, and this transaction reflects our commitment to the city’s future. We have long admired the vision that the Reinsdorf and Wirtz families have outlined for the 1901 Project, and we look forward to the United Center’s continued positive impact on Chicago’s West Side,” the Waltons said in a statement.
Lukas Walton’s uncle, Rob Walton, purchased the NFL’s Denver Broncos in 2022 and also owns a stake in the MLB’s Arizona Diamondbacks.