jerry buss grandchildren
And in hindsight, we can see the result. Would you like to offer Betty Jean Busss loved ones a condolence message? Until last week when Jeanie Buss fired her brother Jim Buss, all six children spanning 31 years in age from eldest to youngest worked within the Lakers' organization or for the team's NBA. Dr. Buss always carried himself (with a tremendous) level of humility. All relationship and family history information shown on FameChain has been compiled from data in the public domain. Id heard all about the championships in the 1980s, but we werent there yet. Hulu's "Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers" is taking a different approach. Buss made several key moves in his early years as the team's owner, most notably selecting Magic Johnson with the No. The takeaway is that we all have to be good, well-rounded people. I was there with my wife; wed just gotten married the year before. I was thankful he gave me an opportunity to get involved, and more importantly, get involved with someone like him where I learned a lot. He says he plans to run for political office next year, but wouldnt say which one. So in 1985, Im playing for Dr. Jerry Buss, and hes a legend. That was it. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. I sense that youre deferring to these guys a little bit. Back in those days you could actually raise your voice to players and theyd understand. There is no good answer for the loss of a loved one. Having him around, you always felt support. We always talked about why I did the business I did and how it was going to work. He was just really conscious of people around him and respected people that worked for him. We never had any problems to talk about, except for any games that we might lose. Id just moved up to live with him in Playa Vista in 2006, and late one night after a game he was drinking wine. But I hadnt seen him yet. People thought it meant you had to have a superstar, but it really wasnt about that, it was about the winning, and then people would see the superstars because we were winning. I played two years for Mr. Cooke, so I could really see the difference (right away). In 1978, they moved to the Forum from the Sports Arena, and my dad was a big sports fan, so hed go to Laker games. He got a big kick out of that, and by the fourth season, he won. Id have at least expected a phone call or something. And his business smarts (also kicked in), and the Laker Girls got branded through Reebok. In 1978, at age 33, he became owner of the team following his father's death. He taught me everything. The one (free agent) that was really the star on top of the Christmas tree was Shaquille ONeal. So he lined things up, and Id get samples, and wed talk it through, and hed say, Oh! We were big into collecting basketball cards growing up. Thats not normal for most owners. It was incredible. I remember watching those games with my dad. and his wife, JoAnn, had four children: Johnny, Jimmy, Jeanie. Meghan Markle. Dr. Buss left a lasting legacy, expressed through those that were close to him. Finding great success in the real estate business, he pursued real estate investing full time. Thats something I still talk about and brag about to my sons. After all the experiences Ive had in pro sports, Ive never had a better owner. We talked about where he was at in his life the Lakers we covered everything. Despite some setbacks in the years since she took over, with only one NBA Championship win in 2020, Jeanie is still the undisputed boss of the franchise. Everybody that we asked to participate agreed to be interviewed, and everybody gives the experience that they had because the fans know about what took place on the court, Jeanie said to The Athletic. Thats why we got together so much. Today, it's about celebrating his life, his contributions to the city of LA and his inimitable. Youve got this really good looking coach in Pat Riley whos completely Hollywood. He used to always say, Now Bill, you go ahead and tell me what you think, and then you listen to what I have to say. Jerry played an important role as owner of the Lakers, ensuring that basketball become more than a sport, but also a spectacle. He showed that you dont really have to lock yourself down in one area as a person. He didnt want to go fast. Every championship, wed go celebrate away from everybody. You can. He would listen to things. The Lakers had literally won the championship a few minutes earlier, but my dad couldnt stop raving that I had 25 points, 16 rebounds and 5 blocks in my AAU game. He was so cool when he introduced himself, so laid back. He was one of the first people to do it, and now its commonplace. He had a brilliant mind, and he made a fortune in real estate because he was able to see the opportunity and bring everything together, and thats how he built his wealth. It doesnt mean you can always win every year, but you have to give them something that theyre proud of and that they can connect to. I remember the first game that we played in Michigan*, at the Silver Dome, and it was a home game for us. I was happy to see the way that Dr. Buss and the franchise stuck by Earvin. When asked if selling his shares was part of his aim, Johnny said, Absolutely.. The war over Jerry Buss ' fortune just took a shocking turn -- with a mysterious woman claiming she's the secret daughter of the late Lakers owner . That was a lesson learned. We reached our natural peak as a team in 87, 88 and 89. He wanted me to be the highest paid assistant in the NBA. After I took the job with the Knicks, Dr. Buss called me on the phone and asked if I was in L.A., and he wanted to have dinner with (my wife) Chris and I. When Jack Kent Cooke sold the Lakers, the Kings, the Forum and a 13,000-acre ranch in Kern County, Jerry Buss met him at an office in Palos Verdes. His vision inspired us and gave us the OK to be, sometimes, and thats pretty cool. Success starts at the top. Buss said this or Dr. All the while, he inspired fondness and loyalty amongst his family, players, employees and fans. Not just the owner-player, employer-employee relationship. And I knew, dont talk about management. So he created the Senate seats program sort of the precursor to the club suites program. And they said, Now the Dallas Mavericks come up. They said, Word is that the Lakers may trade James Worthy to Dallas for Roy Tarpley, a couple other players and a draft pick. The Bryant-Shaquille O'Neal tandem brought three more titles in the early 2000s. His first son did not want to carry on his love for basketball, his love for sports the way he wanted.. With Dr. Buss, Im sure he would have loved for the two of them and the team to be able to coexist a little longer and maybe get another title or two, but he let it play out. It started with Dr. Buss, and we were all upset about 1984. You understood the genius of this man, because youre dealing with a guy whos just on a different plane. We had a bunch of ideal guys Kareem Abdul Jabbar and James Worthy next to Earvin. When they were taking a break, let the women have center stage. It was a conversation that only he and I knew about. I think the everyday element had taken its toll, so he probably was spending more time with his family and a little bit less with the team. He really was in a lot of ways a mentor, in business, in life and in basketball. So in 1987, we win the championship, and I win Defensive Player of the Year. I didnt realize this was a thing, where you get handed this trophy from the commissioner and do a speech. Then he started to go to Italy for a month. Dr. Buss literally went through every moment vicariously with us. The Buss siblings had a meeting the week after Dr Jerry Buss death, to discuss how the Lakers would work going forward. I dont remember a whole lot about the podium when Dr. Buss accepted the championship, but I do remember that Kareem stuck a towel in Pat Rileys mouth so he wouldnt say wed win it again next year. Hed meet his friends there, and some of his friends were executives at Great Western Bank. And hed say, I want you to come to Vegas in a week. Everywhere we went, everybody would holler our names. The MISL (Major Indoor Soccer League), at the point where I was playing, was propping up soccer in America, and outdrawing NBA teams in certain markets. He was amazing with his connections and who he knew, and now, I just had to put the work in, and I did that. Dr. Buss, its because the lights are so high up in the ceiling, and in order to make the court bright enough for broadcast, its really bright. He says, I understand, but can you keep an eye on that? So in 2004, the NBA came in with the All-Star game, and they brought in rigging with lights to create that sort of Broadway musical focus on the court. I couldnt be more thankful for all the parties involved in that trade, because it really changed my career here in the NBA, and gave me a second life. He said, Oh yeah, thats my building! and I said, Well, thats great, maybe I can get free rent or something like that! But I do remember that there was this zest and this absolute excitement and enthusiasm that he had when he bought the Lakers and he became the owner. He was also a country singer who performed at dive bars, among his favorite jobs. Clutch and going to meet everybody. He put his imprint on the league fast, and then we win the championship too? We kept in touch that way. Or to USC football games. 9018 Balboa Blvd., #620, Northridge, CA 91325 Tania Ganguli covered the Lakers for the Los Angeles Times from 2016-20. If you knew me you would understand Im not about money at all. So all we could do was try to stay together and do what he asked us to do and that was to make as much money as possible. Rattling off 10 championships before his passing in 2013. 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.) He was raised by his mother, Jessie, who worked as a waitress. Very unique to have an owner who took a player under his wing and was really teaching him stuff outside of basketball to help him when the game was over. All of these great people spoke about him. At that point, we seemed unbeatable. In 1996-97, after I came back to the Lakers for Kobes rookie year, we didnt see Dr. Buss quite as much. Thats what he wanted to do in his life. My biggest concern was being traded every year. If you are thinking of buy an NBA jersey then check out the official retailers of the NBA below. Then I went back home, and the next time I saw him was training camp. Ex-husband of JoAnn Mueller He was a very well-rounded person. Coming through life, there are some people that you look at as more than a friend, more than a boss. He had something written on it, but it was turned over. When Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers back in 1979, he turned a perennial second-place franchise into a pillar of excellence. There was purity to that. New Jersey was going to draft him at seven, which they did not. It was everything that you would hope for in a new teammate thats going to make a significant contribution to the team. I thought it was a 1-on-1 dinner! Ultimately we came back and made another offer and Lamar took it. He went from playing, to (working with) Chick, to assistant coach to a head coach in what, two and a half years? There wasnt a lot of sour grapes between players and Dr. Buss. I knew he and Magic were really close. Son of Lydus Henry Buss and Jessie Mae Buss And so, I had to trust him. Worthy, Riley, Magic, Cooper, and Buss Celebrate the 1987 Title. This is two days after the parade and everything. I go up to the suite, and I sit down on the stairs next to him, and I said, Well Doc, what do you think? He says, Its great. And then we went and celebrated together again. So I played in San Antonio for about 4.5 months and had no idea the Lakers were interested in me. Its the first thing you do now when youre going to build a building. We were holding the trophy, and there was a writer, Steve Springer with the L.A. Times, who came into the hallway when we were walking off the floor with my dad, and (Springer) asked what did it feel like to win your first championship since 1988? Its not only a game, its entertainment. Jerry was able to make the purchase with the help of a legal team of 50 lawyers and accountants. There was nothing too distract them, the players, and the family, because it really was all about the Lakers, all about preparing for the games, all about having fun in the games, Showtime, all about having fun in Los Angeles, all about having fun as families. Buss was a high-stakes cash game poker player for many years, but later in life was more active in tournament games. I get this call, and (am told) Dr. Buss wants to see you. He had been in and out of the hospital for more than a year before his death. What do you think. He was talking about wanting to get out of Memphis and all this stuff, and Im like, Man itd be great if we could play together. Ive always had respect for him, known his family. Buss also owned other professional sports franchises in Southern California. 3 reviews. There were eight or nine different price codes, and each one had so many thousands of seats, not counting the floor seats. (Jessie later remarried when Jerry was 12 years old.). It really became overwhelming to see just how much he put into seeing every single little detail of that trade. I was emotionally and mentally exhausted. During his induction into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2010, Magic Johnson called Jerry a master at building a team.. And then when I came down to Miami, it was a whole new world for me down here. Later it was Miller Genuine Draft. Jeanie Buss, Magic Johnson, Jerry Buss, and Phil Jackson, Lakers celebrate their 1985 Championship over the Celtics. I cant imagine coming into the league at 18 in a grown mans world. Hed play his cards. Jerry Buss Family, Net-Worth, Wiki & Bio.Topic covered in the video:who is jerry buss,How jerry buss. But I always had a relationship with Dr. Buss, even after that. Therefore, viewers must be curious to find out whether Buss sons ended up working with the LA Lakers. It was like family. He was the mastermind. I thought we were at our very, very best even though we got beat by the Pistons on that 3-peat effort, we were undefeated going into the Finals until Magic and Byron got hurt. Im not going to tell them what trade to make. Space-X continues to reach for the stars. That was so special. It wasnt much of a workout. It was good to see him, man. I think thats important in this day and age, when people are talking about dance teams, but he really saw it as these talented dancers deserve an audience, and now every team in the NBA has a dance team. A few times a year, especially if Dr. Buss traveled with the team, wed sit down and hed ask my opinion about certain things with the team, which I really appreciated his confidence in me. Coming from Yugoslavia, I had some issue with military service, and there was an issue there that Dr. Buss made sure to let me know he was behind me and my family no matter what. In 1985, before we left (L.A. after Game 5), I told the dudes only take one set of clothes. I remember once getting a math, or maybe I should call it a business lesson. His succession plan had daughter Jeanie assume his previous title as the Lakers' governor as well as its team representative at NBA Board of Governors meetings. And I walked right by him. After we won our first championship in 1980, we hugged, and said, Can you believe this? When Earvin announced he was HIV positive, it was a tough day. He loved plays, and he wanted the focus to be on the athletes and the court. Id been with the Blazers for eight years, and almost came to accept the fact that we couldnt beat the Lakers, with Magic and Kareem and Jamaal Wilkes, and then James Worthy and everybody comes in. Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss was born on Jan. 27, 1933, in Salt Lake City. Dr. Buss was one of those guys. Thats probably the most Ive ever seen him animated. I think theres a lot of money in it. The Lakers were very successful under Buss' ownership, winning ten NBA championships with such players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. Dr. Buss was the first celebrity owner in all of sports. I even wrote a paper when I was in seventh grade about how Kobe was going to be a future Hall of Fame player, and that the combination of Shaq and Kobe was going to be one of the best duos of all time. And after a few bad games, hed send his driver to me after the game and say, Hey Ill be picking you up tomorrow at 6 p.m., and wed go sit down and have dinner. We wanted it so bad. That would be amazing to me. Hed always end the discussion with something like, Mitch, thats my opinion but youre the expert and Ill trust your judgment. Now, the one thing that was unique about him, if it ever involved numbers, I never saw him ever write anything down or calculate anything in shorthand or with a calculator or anything like that. I cant do that! He said, Well thats what I had in mind. I said, I cant pick up the tab for a whole group of people! And that was the end of our betting routine. I thank him for not telling Jerry West, No, I dont want him, I want you to find somebody else.. Thats how he was. Just go out there and play. All the other times, wed go to Las Vegas. That was a big thing for both of us. The Lakers were the crown jewel. He was always like that. After the first time we lost to the Celtics in 2008, Dr. Buss and I talked and I said, Man I feel bad, we lost to the Celtics, I never want to bring that heartache to you and this organization ever again. He said, No, it sucks losing to them. I said, I promise to you well never lose to those (expletive) again. And then we wound up beating them two years later, and we thoroughly enjoyed that, by the way, after we beat them in Game 7. (Fast forward to the Finals) against Indiana, and in the 4th quarter and my dad grabs me and Jesse with a minute left in the game, and he says, We gotta go! He just took us down to the court. An alumnus of Northwestern University and Arcadia High School, she has written about everything from high school sports to college football to boat racing during the past 15 years. And thats what Dr. Buss wanted, to create a place where it could be magical, almost like Disneyland. The trade was difficult for me, obviously at that moment. Later on, Dancing Barry. It wasnt out of fear, it was out of respect, that players wanted to play hard for him. . I just looked at him. With 10 NBA championships under his belt, Jerry was the single most decorated owner in sports history. There was something about both of us. As part of the deal to move the Lakers into Staples Center, Buss sold the Great Western Forum (which was later reverted to its original name). But how can I contribute? They traded their starting center for a guard. After separation from Mueller, Buss dated Karen Demel and had two children: Joey Buss (born in 1985) and Jesse Buss (born in 1988). At the end of the day, it was almost like a perfect puzzle. All the big decisions had always been at Jerry Buss's feet and therefore the family were trying to determine who would now be the shot caller. And then 25 years later, to be able to celebrate at a different stage in my life with him again (2010). Id never encountered somebody with that type of money and power to be so easy to talk to. He lived a true rags-to-riches story, as he learned the value of hard work at a young age. Id run into him in Los Angeles at various places and said hello. And he did. Michael Cooper and James Worthy getting back on defense, West introduces Shaq as a Los Angeles Laker, Joey Buss celebrates with his father after the Lakers' Championship in 2002. Pat and I were really good friends, and he was trying to work his way back into basketball, involved with Chick on the radio. I dont think theres any thrill in it. But with cap space so precious, and stars so important, I looked at the draft and saw how late first round picks dont make a lot in salary. I had someone in my mind, me coming from the South, who was going to be really distinguished and have a suit on, and youd be able to know who the owner was right away as soon as you seen him. He wanted it to be entertainment mixed in with a great team, and he was fortunate enough that he had a great team. And I was really just flabbergasted. He was just one of those type of guys. It was really tremendous. He was so quick. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Powered by Standing Stone Designs | He was big on that. And Kobe was going to be one of them, we thought. Wed usually eat, hang out by the pool and talk after the morning session, and then after the evening session, a lot of times wed go to dinner together. Shes trying to do the same thing her dad did, so thats great. He currently resides in Los Angeles. Theyll like that! Bit by bit, hed put his personal love in every selection and make sure that at least during the Holidays, all the people that meant something to him got something meaningful. My dad changed the landscape of the NBA in terms of how he thought about the business. I just wanted some of that Salisbury steak and a good meal. Thats the affirmation you really want. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. In the summer of 2007, Kobe Bryant requested a trade from the Lakers. I dont think other teams really wanted to deal with us to begin with, and then (that happened). So I talked to the NBA, and that started the process of us putting the lighting in that we have now. From then on, I was at his house every weekend during the season, it seemed like. My dream was to be a businessman after I was done. But Wrigley was also the name of the family who owned the team, and also the name of their chewing gum, Wrigleys Spearmint Gum. But I remember after 1985 when I was negotiating my contract. And little did we know wed be teammates months later extremely serendipitous. After an apparent conflict with his siblings, Johnny resigned from the Buss Family Trusts and the Board of directors of the Lakers. Buss became an owner in World Team Tennis, the Los Angeles Strings. Buss graduated from the University of Wyoming with a bachelor's degree. He was the majority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association (NBA), winning 10 league championships that were highlighted by the team's Showtime era during the 1980s. We wanted to change that, and one way was to have entertainment all the way through the game, he said. He would call me in some days and hed say Hey, hey, be a coach. So, we were preparing for the offseason in 1996 when we signed Shaq and traded for the rights to draft Kobe. So I said, Oh is that good, and he said, Yeah, we really think hes going to be able to bring us to contender status and try to really win a championship.. On Feb. 13 of 1987, I found out from the Spurs trainer that I had been traded to the Lakers. Im not saying that Jerry was the opposite, but he was a lot more fun than I think Jack was. All those times we were together, I shared with him, I wanted to be more than just a basketball player. I think his father was a coal miner, if I remember correctly, and we shared a lot of personal things that you share if you like each other. We used to sit at his house and eat the same thing, Chinese chicken salad from California Pizza Kitchen, and wed sit there and just talk. And of course I went to greet at him and sat at his table until his guests got there.
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