Id heard all about the championships in the 1980s, but we werent there yet. With an active income from real estate, he even purchased Pickfair, the Beverly Hills estate in 1979, which Mary Pickford and Douglas Fairbanks once owned. the NBAs LA Lakers, the NHLs LA Kings, The Forum indoor arena, and a Thiry has appeared on nationally televised sports broadcasts on Fox Sports 1. Jeanie Buss, Magic Johnson, Jerry Buss, and Phil Jackson, Lakers celebrate their 1985 Championship over the Celtics. Buss not only played poker for fun, but he also made a career in poker games as he participated in the 1991 World Series of Poker Tournament. Dr. Jerry Buss celebrates with the Lakers while holding the Championship Trophy in the lockerroom after winning the 1986 NBA finals against the Boston Celtics at The Boston Garden on June 8, 1987 in Boston, Massachusetts. My dad changed the landscape of the NBA in terms of how he thought about the business. with Karen Demel back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002. Kind of re-thinking the economics of ticket sales. I thought he was really sincere about the things that he always said, so thats what I appreciated the most about him. Its not just another team in the league. We had the press conference, and I said Im going to be here with Pat for a month, and then Pats going to be the head coach. His name will already be remembered, but to have it right there (on the shorts) is pretty big. Buss also had two kids with a girlfriend, Karen Demel. There was purity to that. He always wanted to make his family feel important, and he showed that in many different ways. Every championship, wed go celebrate away from everybody. Ten championships? Jim Buss maintains his 11% stake in the teams ownership. February 18, 2013, aged 80. In a 1998 interview, she document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America, Uju Anya Ethnicity And Parents: Family Net Worth And Salary, Sonia Montejano: Early Life, Career & Net Worth, Who Is Limmy On Twitch? Buss and her other siblings, who were still on board with their fathers In a later interview, Jeanie said that one of the reasons for firing Jim was because she didnt believe he made the right player trades. vision, prevailed. He purchased the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA along with the Los Angeles Kings hockey team of the NHL, The Forum (all for a then-record combined $67.5 million for those three properties[9]), and a large ranch from Jack Kent Cooke in 1979, in a deal that also transferred ownership of the Chrysler Building. I didnt think we were going to get a chance to draft Kobe. That showed me what he was all about to me, he was the best owner. For him to give me that 1-on-1, personal treatment considering where I stood on the team that was treatment I thought hed give Kobe or Shaq. Space-X continues to reach for the stars. He was going to build a championship team no matter what it takes. A few days later, the first time I met Dr. Buss was at the Forum Club, after a game. I guess it took everyone by surprise, but actually it worked out great for him, great for the Lakers, and he went on to produce some championship teams here in Los Angeles. He was raised by his mother, Jessie, who worked as a waitress. He was a master at dealing with people, a genius businessman, and really just as good with people as he was with business. But I hadnt seen him yet. People thought he grossly overpaid, and people wondered who is this maverick, who is this Dr. Buss? After an apparent conflict with his siblings, Johnny resigned from the Buss Family Trusts and the Board of directors of the Lakers. I think theres a lot of money in it. Jerry Buss has six children. Being a famous persons spouse could be especially hard if you try to make your own name. His passions, what brought him to the mindset of wanting to own a team and what he wants from a team, and then just L.A.; it was an all-new environment for me, and he wanted to make sure I knew about it and understand as much as I possibly could. Jim worked as the President of Los Angeles Lazers from 1985 (to 1989), succeeding his elder brother in the role. Naming rights. Dr. Buss was truly an amazing man. I didnt really have an agent at the time. Almost never, to my knowledge, I dont remember ever seeing him with a pen or a pad in front of him. So Jerry Buss does not still own the Lakers, but his children do. I became a real big Kobe fan because of that, and wed go to the card store, and Id try so hard to get as many Kobe Lower Merion cards, and rookie cards as I could find. Youd pick up three of them, and it was the same trade tweaked multiple times. It was everything that you would hope for in a new teammate thats going to make a significant contribution to the team. We would go to Italy a lot, and we were staying at the Hotel Le Boulevard in Venice on the island of Lido when we had to trade Shaq. Casino.org is the worlds leading independent online gaming authority, providing trusted the great depression era in the US. I was a young player in Portland, and I knew about Jack Kent Cooke and what his reputation was, but we all heard about this man named Dr. Buss buying the Lakers, Kings and the Forum, and some real estate properties for what was an exorbitant amount of money at the time. Buss Family Trust is a 66% controlling ownership of the Lakers passed to Jerry Buss' six children via a trust, with each child receiving an equal vote (11% for each child). I was working with Chick Hearn in the broadcast booth, but I remember meeting him at the Forum and had a very, very light discussion about the real estate business, and then I realized I was renting one of his apartments in Santa Monica, he and Frank Mariani. Due to his bad health condition, he couldnt attend the game of Lakers during the 2012-13 season. It wasnt like he had the money sitting right there, so he was going to give up everything, and put it on a potentially losing business. The first time I met him was when we were in training camp in Hawaii, when he came into the gym in his jeans and his Hawaiian shirt, just watching practice. He was a wheeler and dealer. The Great Western Forum is a Los Angeles indoor arena that used to host many games for the Buss family's teams. Just sit and let the dust settle, and a decision will be evident to you. Joey owns 11% of the Lakers, the same as his brothers and sisters,. Dr. Buss will always be forever in my heart. He also held Dr. Buss was my boss in a completely different way from what happened later. He was my mentor. Many Los Angeles Lakers fans mourned the passing of the team's primary owner, Jerry Buss, on Monday. A lot of people have different memories of him mine were always good, and he just always showed the best about who he was. We were so confident. He would empower the people that worked for him, and hed be a problem solver. Jerry Buss died of kidney failure on February 18, 2013. To pay tribute towards the legendary human being, Jerry Buss, hundreds of his friends, relatives, colleagues gathered at the Nokia Theatre L.A. On February 22, he was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in a private ceremony. Jerry Buss began to face some intestinal problems in 2012 and was hospitalized for months. Daniel Craig. He was a great man and an incredible friend. In the summer of 2007, Kobe Bryant requested a trade from the Lakers. In 1988, winning for the second straight year and fulfilling the prophecy of Pat Riley (guaranteeing a repeat) was a special year but that year was so hard. He taught us that we should do our best to be happy, and do things that make us happy; whether or not that was basketball was up to us. That was my reaction. It was like watching a 17-year-old guy just batter a 30-something year old guy, and youd expect itd be a lot more balanced than that. It was an extension of the brand, a way to reach Los Angeles. He was always like that. [24][25] On February 21, hundreds of friends, colleagues, and family members gathered to pay tribute to Buss in a televised memorial service at the Nokia Theatre L.A. Live, across from the Lakers' home court, Staples Center. Johnny Buss of trying to bust the [Buss family] trust and leave the rest of Jerry Buss began to appear on the media worldwide after he became the owner of the Los Angeles Strings. All these companies want to do business with the Lakers? of a golden era for Los Angeles sports, and Busss public profile rose with the We had some pretty decent teams at the time, I just didnt think we were ready to take that next level. Following some hefty And I did very well investing in the coins. restaurant in the Forum into a nightclub, bringing glitz, glamour, and celebrities And drafting Magic was huge. compassion and care for others were evident in Busss generosity later in life. playboy and used to host his birthday parties at a brothel. Donald Trump. At the time, we were marveling at how much a Michael Jordan rookie card was in the early 1990s. There is no good answer for the loss of a loved one. team. Thats how generous, and how giving and how much I dont want to say a fan he was a true, true owner of the game. This multi-talent legend is not with us anymore, but his great work will always remind us of him. I didnt realize this was a thing, where you get handed this trophy from the commissioner and do a speech. She grew up with older brothers Johnny Buss and Jim Buss and younger sister Janie Buss. Then he started to go to Italy for a month. He left the organization in good hands Jeanie is a great owner, too. Dont be afraid of him just because hes Kareem, just because hes Magic. At the time, she was still working towards her business degree at the University of Southern California. female controlling owner to win an NBA championship when the Lakers clinched Having played, and then him talking about little things inside of basketball, subtle things that you knew he wasnt just an owner up entertaining people during the games. The Jordan-led Chicago And he had his hands on everything. I was emotionally and mentally exhausted. . And wed go out and hed introduce me to some of the really good night clubs at the time during the time that I could go out. high school, Jerry had secured a job in a local hotel, where he would make two play live at Laker games. Once they got on the floor, they seemed to be able to put all that behind them and do what they needed to do. OK but I dont just want your money, I also want you do this, this and this to build our brand. He cut deals that were unheard of in those days, and I witnessed that. He would just sit there, empty desk, and Id go through the business with him and vary rarely would he say, Let me think about that and get back to you. It was almost always he had an opinion or a decision right then and there. Jessie Buss Cause Of Death? [12] Buss received the Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement in 1983. He really was in a lot of ways a mentor, in business, in life and in basketball. Because he found out very quick that I was very serious about winning, and he respected that. He was a very well-rounded person. He was one of the first people to do it, and now its commonplace. But he wouldnt want us to watch as fans, hed be asking what we thought about specific players, how we thought certain free agents might fit on the team. All the other times, wed go to Las Vegas. We used to call him Magic Buss, or Earvin Buss. I get up, I go there at 10 a.m. to his office (at the Forum) and they tell me I have to wait, Dr. Buss is in a meeting with Jerry West. His patience stands out (to me) the most. Sparks enjoyed a lot of success under Jerry Busss ownership, winning In January 2008, Jerry Buss donated a massive amount of $7.5 million to USC. Or hed ask us about contracts, and certain trade scenarios. Magic being Mr. Inquisitive, he wanted to know about the business aspect of basketball and life in general. It was weird timing, because Kobe was during that time also unhappy and there were stories of him potentially getting traded, or being able to move on from L.A., and then looking for a different situation. all-around experience for spectators. I think that was the only ring that he wore, when we beat Boston the first time. Jerry was a sharp and intelligent boy from an early age who attended the University of Wyoming with a scholarship. "Everybody that we asked to participate agreed to be interviewed, and . Everything changed when me and my brother Joey were at my dads beach house in Carlsbad, and he told us: Were going to hire Phil Jackson, but you cant tell anybody. I was 11 at the time, and I knew he had been the Bulls coach, but I didnt know what it necessarily meant. Trying to clear the air. Magic was way ahead of the game, and now Kobe Bryant and LeBron James and some of these guys have been (following in those footsteps) in business. Im sure he had a lot of good conversations with Kobe at that time that helped him get his feet on the ground. boring nothing ever was with Jerry Buss but the Kings did not win any In 1985, before we left (L.A. after Game 5), I told the dudes only take one set of clothes. But it was one of the toughest things Ive encountered physically, mentally and emotionally. We were up 3-1, and I remember about 2-to-3 hours before tip, I called him and said, Where are you, why are you not coming to Orlando? He said, Im not going to make it, you have to hold down the fort if we win, you have to accept the trophy. I said, Why cant someone else do it. He said, No, youre an owner, Im having you do it. I said, Well, OK do you have any advice? He said, Oh youll do great, dont worry, and he hung up the phone. with JoAnn Buss{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "JoAnn Buss", "gender": "Female" }, Jeanie Buss{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Jeanie Buss", "gender": "Female" }, born 1961, age 61 (approx.) After about 40 minutes, I said, Weve seen enough. But it was really through (his agent Arn Tellum) and the Bryant family, that (teams passed on him). Then he wanted to work out for us one more time, so Michael Cooper, whod been retired for a year or two, we asked him to come out and participate. After the 2008 debacle, being able to redeem yourself in 2010, that made it extra special. He saved Ronnys life, and he didnt have to. He created new revenue streams; thats why everybody has a club now. Furthermore, this businessman has also owned the Playboy Club of the Phoenix. Some might wonder if his death will bring radical changes to the ownership of the team, but according to his family, that's not very likely. That chilled me out so much, just put me at ease, because I was so uptight having played for Mr. Cooke Dr. Buss was just such a great boss to play for. The Lakers were very successful under Buss' ownership, winning 10 NBA championships with such players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Pau Gasol, and with coaches Pat Riley and Phil Jackson. After hearing that from him, I decided to just trust him, and just stayed the course. It became a happening. Buss owned a majority And teams like the Spurs were getting guys late in the first round that were contributors. Wed talk about business. I dont think an owner of a team should be someone that just sat back thinking about making, Well, it will make me X amount each year. Dr. Buss was passionate about it. What made him so special is he was this analytical, mathematical genius who had business savvy and sense, and the right negotiating sense, because he could apply the human factor to it. It was a very empowering experience., While Jeanie was still the President of the Forum, she began taking up an increased role within the Lakers organization and has been attending the NBA Board of Governors meetings since 1995. causing a significant power struggle in the organization. Immediately when Dr. Buss bought the team, he invited me to the party, and he said, You know Jamaal, if Muhammad wont come to the mountain, the mountain will come to Muhammad. Theres a very subtle story there, because what he was saying is, we could both reach out. He was the first one who recommended Angels and Demons, before it became a really big hit. some siblings selling their 11% stake in the team (valued at $3 billion at the And thats how I recollect my relationship with him. To me, that sums up everything about who he was and how much he cared about always wanting to his players to feel good about him and about the brand, especially for somebody that played as many years for the Lakers as I did. In the mid to late 1970s, Dr. Buss owned the Los Angeles Strings of World Team Tennis. So, he liked to challenge people. He was the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning 10 league championships that were highlighted by the team's Showtime era during the 1980s. So, Dr. Buss was one of the coolest owners Ive been around. with JoAnn Buss{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "JoAnn Buss", "gender": "Female" }, Jim Buss{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Jim Buss", "gender": "Male" }, born 1959, age 63 (approx.) Moreover, he also became an inaugural member of the USC College Board of Councilors. Thats what he basically said. I remember being in the Finals against Philadelphia, and we were at the hotel bar of the team hotel. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. When they were taking a break, let the women have center stage. He understood that I needed that, and I would have been lost out here in this big city. He had his jeans on with his sports coat, big smile on his face, open collared shirt. [28] Lakers guard Kobe Bryant said "His impact is felt worldwide," and called Buss the greatest owner in sports ever.[29]. He was a brilliant, incredible owner, but he was even a better person with a great heart. As a professional poker player, Jerry Buss received a lot of recognition in 1991, when he came third in the World Series of Poker event, and when he won a second place in the World Poker Tour Freeroll . Explore how the celebrity world connects. Thats the affirmation you really want. Dr. Buss liked to go the horse races at Hollywood Park, and he was great at picking winners. Any age group, any ethnic group. He brings a unique perspective and analytical approach to his writing. He truly cared about how we were doing, how our families were doing. I didnt know all of the backchannel plans that he had about the team and what he wanted to do, but I just know that he was really excited about being the owner of the Lakers. Jeanie inherited the Lakers from her late father Dr. Jerry Buss and previously was engaged to former Lakers head coach Phil Jackson, 77. When he got a chance to buy it, it was his biggest thrill at that point in time. , Lakers celebrate their 1985 championship over the Celtics an apparent conflict with his coat! And in basketball with Kobe at that time that helped him get his feet on the shorts is. Picking winners requested a trade from the commissioner and do a speech had secured a in! 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