One thing we know is that the cachet of a famous name can and has added millions to the value of certain homes. Here’s a prime example: in the seaside community Manhattan Beach, the town’s priciest-ever residential deal has just been recorded, grant deeds confirm, and it’s a celebrity-on-celebrity affair. And in a surprising twist, the property in question is not located anywhere near the coveted Strand, the beachfront street that has long traditionally commanded the highest home prices in the city.
Located a few sleepy blocks inland, on a sloping street with over-the-treetops ocean views, the record-setting house was custom-built more than a decade ago by retired tennis pro Maria Sharapova, who had the property featured in a 2019 issue of Architectural Digest. This summer, she publicly announced her plans to list the house for $25 million, an amount that drew more than a few eyebrow raises from avid real estate watchers. But Sharapova proved the doubters wrong: despite the house never officially hitting the market, it sold almost immediately for her full $25 million ask. The buyer is NBA All-Star Luka Dončić, who just signed a $165 million contract extension with the L.A. Lakers.
Designed by well-known architectural firm KAA Design and furnished by interior designer Courtney Applebaum, the house is largely hewn from concrete, glass, and metal. Per tax records, there are five bedrooms and eight bathrooms in 8,000 square feet of living space, all of it sequestered on a quarter-acre property Sharapova purchased in 2012 for $4.1 million.
The Russian-born superstar subsequently spent three years creating and building her dream home. But even with the millions in construction and design fees, we’d bet she still walked from this deal with a very hefty profit.
Sharapova told AD that she was inspired by Japanese architecture and “minimalist aesthetics” when crafting her dream home. Minimalism and a liberal use of concrete can often read dangerously cold, but there are plenty of warm touches, too: bleached oak, cedar, and silver travertine details are scattered throughout the residence.
There’s also a swimming pool, which juts up immediately against the sliding doors of the combo living/dining area, meaning a fun swim is always one quick jump—or accidental tumble—away. While there are no views from the pool area, the upstairs primary suite features panoramic ocean and Palos Verdes Peninsula vistas.
We love the home’s courtyard-style entry garden, which features a lone Japanese pine. There’s also a two-lane bowling alley conveniently adjacent to the main living area.
And yes, this is the most ever paid for a Manhattan Beach home, eclipsing a $24.5 million sale inked on The Strand just last year. That Strand house, for what it’s worth, is a bit smaller than Sharapova’s home but also features direct beach access and unobstructed views of the ocean, Catalina Island, and the iconic Manhattan Beach pier.
Sharapova, 38, still maintains two posh properties up north, near Santa Barbara: an $11.5 million Montecito home and a smaller $8.5 million ranch house (below) in the neighboring community of Summerland.
As for Dončić, who played seven seasons with the Dallas Mavericks and was reportedly blindsided by his 2025 trade to the Lakers, the 26-year-old still owns a $3.3 million home in Texas, in the upscale Preston Hollow area of Dallas.
