After negotiations started after the 2011 NBA All-Star Game with former basketball agent Jason Levien and managing owner Joshua Harris, Thohir became part of the consortia that bought the Philadelphia 76ers. The consortia included actor Will Smith, his wife Jada Pinkett Smith, David S. Blitzer, of the private equity firm Blackstone Group and Indonesian businessman Handy Soetedjo. Comcast-Spectacor and Harris began talks in the summer of 2011. The deal was announced on 13 July 2011.