Dr. Buss was there, and Earvins family was there, and it was just very special. Theres a picture I have in my office where guys are grabbing his shoulders, throwing champagne on him, Im messing his hair up. I dont think other teams really wanted to deal with us to begin with, and then (that happened). One of his favorite comments always used to be, Aint nothin like winning! So thats one of my vivid memories. And then Id go home. Following some hefty That was a big part of growing up for all of us. Dr. Buss was the perfect owner to play for. I think thats why people just adore him so. the feat since the Chicago Bulls, who did so from 91-93 and 96-98, also After an apparent conflict with his siblings, Johnny resigned from the Buss Family Trusts and the Board of directors of the Lakers. He was waiting on some people to come, so we just sat there, and it was right after retirement, and he talked about how appreciative he was of me being a Laker and the three championships. 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. Never, ever. Id just moved up to live with him in Playa Vista in 2006, and late one night after a game he was drinking wine. with Karen Demel{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Karen Demel", "gender": "Female" }, Jesse Buss{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Jesse Buss", "gender": "Male" }, born 1988, age 34 (approx.) The Jordan-led Chicago When Earvin announced he was HIV positive, it was a tough day. He had an appeal to the common man, and thats what I think when I look back at everything. I was there with my wife; wed just gotten married the year before. 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). It wasnt owner-player, it was two guys hanging out. Now, HBO's 'Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty' provides a dramatized version of that period. Also, check Bohdan Bondarenko: Early Life, High Jump & Net Worth>>. the Lakers, who were then coached by Phil Jackson, became just the fifth team And he would tweak a price code by $1.25, or $0.75, and in my mind I know hes going to want to know the gross potential, so Im getting out my calculator, but before I input the numbers, hes already telling me what the gross potential is. 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. Because Id worked on prior events like Championship parades and so on, event mode planning started. My contract is up, wed just beaten the Celtics in Boston, everybody was happy. Buss married JoAnn Mueller and had four children; Johnny Buss in 1957, Jim Buss in 1959, Jeanie Buss in 1961, and Janie Buss in 1964. Laker fans didnt have After moving to Wyoming, If we werent playing well, he would just show up at practice, unannounced, wouldnt say anything. When you hire someone and they meet your qualifications, let them do their job, and go from there. He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a contributor. I remember when he explained it to me we all knew Wrigley Field, where the Cubs played. And especially on airplanes, hed always ask me what I was reading, because he was an avid reader. Thats not to say it was It was incredible. After we won our first championship in 1980, we hugged, and said, Can you believe this? Magics mom was a Seventh Day Adventist, and they have similar dietary restrictions as Muslims, and she was aware of my faith, so she would cook for me and take care of me when I was on the road and wed cut through and play in Detroit. The couple has four children together two elder sons, Johnny Buss (born in 1956), James Jim Buss (born in 1959), and two younger daughters in Jeanie Buss (born in 1961) and Janie Buss (born in 1963). However, that changes in the season finale as Buss wishes to bring more family members into the new family business. I first met him at Muhammad Alis retirement party at the Forum. 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. Buss married JoAnn Mueller and had four children; Johnny Buss in 1957, Jim Buss in 1959, Jeanie Buss in 1961, and Janie Buss in 1964. Jerry Buss had an on-off relationship with, Puppi Buss had an on-off relationship with. all-around experience for spectators. He was the mastermind. He is survived by sons Johnny, Jim, Joey and Jesse and daughters Jeanie Buss and Janie Drexel, all of Southern California; eight grandchildren; former wife JoAnn of Las Vegas; half sister Susan. He didnt look at it as, someday this is going to blow up and be this incredibly valued team. And Id just played in a rec league game maybe a week prior. The whole way, hed keep track on his watch, and we had to get there on the dot at 12:00. I read a biography on Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow, and really got into collecting early gold coins, so I focused on it, and it was interesting talking to Dr. Buss about his collecting. I was happy to see the way that Dr. Buss and the franchise stuck by Earvin. Professionally, The Dwarfs were outstanding contributors who held positions as special assistant, financial advisor, investment banker, ADPAC marketing executive. [16] During his time as Lakers owner, Buss was widely known as a playboy and had a string of young girlfriends. If you knew me you would understand Im not about money at all. So I had the surgery, and one of the first phone calls I got when I got home was from Dr. Buss, just calling to check in on me. He inspired the Lakers' Showtime era with his vision that basketball games must be entertaining. Dr. Buss knew his team needed more wins than losses, but he also knew they needed to entertain. There were eight or nine different price codes, and each one had so many thousands of seats, not counting the floor seats. Because the Lakers threw everything into the pot, anticipating and hoping to be able to acquire Shaq. Just go out there and play. And he always wanted to know what my favorite book was, and I told him it was The Agony and the Ecstasy. He said, Thats interesting, because I knew Irving Stone, the author. I wouldnt ever want to try that. 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. 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. 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. Just a great feeling to play for an organization that had a leader like Dr. Buss. Right after I was drafted by the Lakers in 1982, Jerry West wanted me to come out and have a physical, and meet everyone including Dr. Buss. Moreover, he also became an inaugural member of the USC College Board of Councilors. Id played the whole season with a torn ligament. Especially after I retired, we spent time together. another LA sports investment the following year. We had some tumultuous losses. He really looked at it as entertainment. We used to call him Magic Buss, or Earvin Buss. Initially, he entered the real estate business with $1,000 in the 1960s in West Los Angeles. 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.) It was a very unique way of conducting business. He would talk about how he could go anywhere in the city and people loved the Lakers. He would surprise you. Jerry was the owner of Los Angeles Lakers (NBA), Los Angeles Kings Hockey (NHL), and The Forum. Buss was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on January 27, 1933, at the height of Id say, I call it the smorgasbord defense a little bit of everything.. I was just sitting there. These were special parts of the relationships between our teammates and management and everything. He was doing it because it was truly his passion. I miss him a lot. Buss originally went to invest in real estate in order to provide an income so he could continue teaching. We wouldnt have to spend the midlevel exception; we could try to find midlevel value guys for a fraction of the price. But it wasnt just He was the first one who recommended Angels and Demons, before it became a really big hit. My dad could see talent, and he knew how to approach and get the best out of each person. All these companies want to do business with the Lakers? 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 remember him calling me into his office, and we sat and we chatted for 10 minutes, and then there was a piece of paper that he had on his desk. Just showed up and watched. Not just in the Lakers and what theyd become but he had a plan. So he created the Senate seats program sort of the precursor to the club suites program. It was Jerry West and Jerry Buss who opened the door for me, especially Dr. Buss, because I think Dr. Buss at that time, from what Ive heard, and if you go back and ever look at that press conference from when there was a coaching change, he saved my basketball life, or re-directed it in a way that I never realized that I was going to be where I am today. Jeanie Buss, who worked in numerous roles for her father over the years, has taken the most prominent role of all Jerrys children. In the early 60s Buss The Great Western Forum is a Los Angeles indoor arena that used to host many games for the Buss family's teams. To speak about what Dr. Buss meant to the Lakers and to basketball, to the NBA, period. Obviously, Kobe was able to do that with the help of the franchise. And he got it right every single time. Born in Salt Lake City, Buss was raised by his divorced mother, Jessie. This close-knit group of friends would often bid on charitable auction items that would help the causes of the events they attended. Read More:What Was Jerry Buss Net Worth at the Time of His Death? 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. Businessman Jerry Buss buying the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979 marked the beginning of an incredible run of success for the NBA franchise over the next twenty years. Furthermore, stand-up comedy was something she always wanted to try, eventually leading her to develop a comedy show with Mindy Lahiri, Elaine Ko, and Linda Rambis. In addition, the fund was used for two endowed chairs and an endowed scholarship fund for students with a chemistry degree. restaurant in the Forum into a nightclub, bringing glitz, glamour, and celebrities I do remember after we won that year, on the night of Game 7, and looking in Dr. Busss eyes as he was being presented the trophy. My dad changed the landscape of the NBA in terms of how he thought about the business. That helped save this league. Meghan Mountbatten Windsor, The Duchess of Sussex. My dad started incorporating Joey and I more after we won the back-to-back titles, and we had the mid-level exception in the summer, and he asked who we liked. And when we were all kids and we were together growing up, wed always watch the games. He wanted it to be entertainment mixed in with a great team, and he was fortunate enough that he had a great team. 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.) Sanjib Sah is an engineer and a content writer passionate about celebrity news and gossip. (My decision to stay) was 100 percent Dr. Buss. We had a bunch of ideal guys Kareem Abdul Jabbar and James Worthy next to Earvin. It was just really cool. This What Was The Deal With The Casino In Nevada State Prison? Without his vision, the sport would Thats the affirmation you really want. Dr. Buss liked to go the horse races at Hollywood Park, and he was great at picking winners. Very happy.*L.A. carried their regular season form into the playoffs, winning the WNBA title and He was a wheeler and dealer. His beloved Lakers made it to the Finals 16 times nearly half of his 33 seasons and won 10 championships while missing the playoffs only twice. And I did very well investing in the coins. Shes trying to do the same thing her dad did, so thats great. And I walked right by him. It was a tough year, a tough day. The Lakers would rebuild The series is set in the back offices of an NBA team and was recently greenlit for a 10-episode season by Netflix. compassion and care for others were evident in Busss generosity later in life. Thats one thing different about Dr. Buss different from owners back in the day he was a celebrity too. some siblings selling their 11% stake in the team (valued at $3 billion at the Joey Buss, 32, is in his sixth season as the D-Fenders president and chief executive. His contributions to basketball were recognized by his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. He created new revenue streams; thats why everybody has a club now. entertainment beforehand, then take courtside seats for the action. Buss purchased the team, reported to be worth around $1 billion, in 1979. My dad only missed the playoffs twice in his entire 34-year tenure as an owner. Now, HBOs Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty provides a dramatized version of that period. The sale of the team would require a majority vote among the six children. Jerry Buss was a kind-hearted and humble human being who is no longer with us; however, his children represent him, who works in the Lakers organization. Thats when we found out about his enlarged aortic root. And then at the end of that, they said someone talked to Magic (Johnson), and Magic approved the trade. The love of his life was the Lakers and his kids. According to Jerrys And then they walked me back over and said, Heres Dr. Buss. Coming from Tobacco Road, North Carolina, I was like, Damn, this is a cool dude! I couldnt believe he was just down to earth. Dr. Buss literally went through every moment vicariously with us. The bigger, the bolder, the better. I remember growing up in the 1990s, and often losing to the best teams in the West, like the Supersonics, and then the Jazz. I love it. He was very appreciative, very happy. His vision really helped make these moments possible. He loved to jump on it. So I immersed myself into the college game and wanted to be that for my dad, so we wouldnt take up a lot of cap space, but we could still get valuable role players. He wanted to win every single year, but he also knew that was impossible. A representative for the Buss family expressed at the hour of his passing that the kids had "no interest in truly selling the establishment." Lee Buss Is The Oldest Taken on Little girl Of Jerry Buss Lee Buss is the oldest offspring of Jerry Buss. We were the only team to win a world championship in Boston Garden other than the Celtics. Dr. Jerry Buss was a larger-than-life character whose impact on US sports can still be felt today, nearly a decade after his passing. 66% share of the Lakers and passed this down equally to his children, who now I saw how he would be able to rebuild a team quickly to get back to contender status. One story showed how appreciative he was for the work that he did, and for playing hard for the city of Los Angeles. Also, check Stefan Holm: Divorce, Controversy & Net Worth>>. WNBA history to dunk in a game. Id never been in a Porsche before. Jerry Buss had an on-off relationship with. He really was in a lot of ways a mentor, in business, in life and in basketball. When you add all those things up, you come up with why that series and that championships mean so much. I just felt like with the passing of Dr. Buss, they need to understand what it means to wear this uniform. Clutch and going to meet everybody. Jerry Buss Gerald Hatten Buss (January 27, 1933 - February 18, 2013) was an American businessman, investor, chemist, and philanthropist. After Jerry Buss death, Jim continued as the VP of Basketball Operations while his sister, Jeanie, looked after the business side of things as the team governor and president. [4] Buss started as a chemist for the Bureau of Mines (now the Mine Safety and Health Administration);[5] he then briefly worked in the aerospace industry and was on the faculty of USC's chemistry department. And he had an ability to let Bill Sharman, Jerry West, Pete Newell make important decisions that he didnt have the background to make. He understood the brand of the Lakers, and that first time he sat down with me in 1979, he said, I want to make the Lakers a household name. Basically, he wanted Showtime. Buss celebrated his birthday on the 27th of January, and his zodiac sign was Aquarius, which represented his personality as creative, talented, advanced, and hardworking. Dr. Buss had the trifecta of human values, as far as Im concerned, which is honesty, kindness and loyalty, and I think that was most exemplified in the Ronny Turiaf situation. Real Name Age Family And Twitter Explored, Ryan Haywood: Early Life, Sexual Misconduct & Net Worth, Paloma Jimenez: Vin Diesel, Modeling & Net Worth, Lauren Tannehill: Ryan Tannehill, Career, Guns & Net Worth. Jerry was blessed with a pair of brown eyes and dark brown hair color. Once that game got going, he was into it. She is responsible for all aspects of the team. Despite his extracurricular work commitments, Jerry never took Thats all I heard. later when Jessie married a plumber named Stub Brown. He also redefined the It all started to gel at that point. He was in the pass, he was in the deflection. I was picking his brain, and he was helping me every time. And then youve got this team thats running. We got something new, but we also got something that even if we didnt get Shaquille, we got a draw. It wasnt out of fear, it was out of respect, that players wanted to play hard for him. legal battles and boardroom politics (including a restraining order) Jeanie Laker Girls. And I know when it was all done, Dr. Buss was just very proud. It wasnt just owner-athlete relationship, it was more like a family with his employees. cheerleaders, added music during breaks, and even recruited a house band to Patrol officers saw him driving on the wrong side of the road in San Diego out of college was working as a chemist for the Bureau of Mines. I remember my son Thomas jumping in my arms, and he was five or six years old, and I was so tired, I could barely lift him. And at the time, Cooke owned an NFL team in Washington, and he saw Jerry Buss as a worthy person to carry on with the Lakers and the Los Angeles Kings and the Forum. 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. He always wanted to make his family feel important, and he showed that in many different ways. Since March 27, 2017, Lakers is watched over by his daughter, Jeanie. Guidelines. site map We just clicked. Explore how the celebrity world connects. Hed get a chuckle out of it, and a lot of satisfaction. Pat Riley had a great speech about that. Nights after the game, hed tease me, because wed go to have dinner at Dan Tanas or somewhere like that, and Id say, I have to go home, we have practice in the morning. And hed say, Thats why I love you. You can. It means more, and it means more because of this one man, and everything that came from it. Im glad it turned out that way. So I got back to L.A., and Dr. Buss called me in his office, and hes like, look, This is a business, this is the way it goes, we dont have to tell you. I said, I at least expect a phone call. He said I understand youre upset, it was taken out of context. Of course, I had to go talk to Magic too, and Magic said Theyd have to give up a lot more to get James Worthy. You know how that goes. Although not much is known about Buss partners, he was married from 1983 to 1985 and is a father. the teams he owned perform, and what is his lasting legacy? Arguably the best thing vision, prevailed. The first hour was always just talking and telling stories and visiting. His ex-wife owns a portion of the team but does not have the ability to vote on a sale. One time, we shook everybody up. Veteran guys. [22] On February 14, 2013, four days before his death, it was revealed that Buss had been battling cancer since 2012. In 1974, Buss produced a movie named Black Eye starring former gridiron star Fred "the Hammer" Williamson. He was really a very nice guy who enjoyed the fun things in life. He then reached a major advertising agreement with Great Western Bank for the naming rights to The Forum, resulting in the official name of the building being changed to the Great Western Forum. 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. What are we arguing about? He didnt walk around with a big hammer. high school, Jerry had secured a job in a local hotel, where he would make two Dr. Buss was my boss in a completely different way from what happened later. Thiry has appeared on nationally televised sports broadcasts on Fox Sports 1. He was that dude. The NBA and US sport, in way to winning the Stanley Cup with the Edmonton Oilers. Hed say, Jeanie, the Lakers are what connects the community, and when theyre not winning, then were not being part of the community. Its almost like the Lakers are owned by the fans. Fortunately, we put together a miraculous comeback. It was a ritual. He was raised by his mother, Jessie, who worked as a waitress. He realized there was an opportunity there, that perhaps if he could meet with him, he could convince Jack Kent Cooke to sell him the team. Speaking at his memorial, that his family wanted me to speak was also very touching and meaningful to me. Lydus Buss{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Lydus Buss", "gender": "Male" }, Jessie Buss{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Jessie Buss", "gender": "Female" }, Johnny Buss{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Johnny Buss", "gender": "Male" }, born 1956, age 66 (approx.) Im not going to tell them what trade to make. He not only was an avid reader, he knew some of the great authors, as well. I dont know if its Jerry West, or if its Magic, I dont know whats going on. I just couldnt believe 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. daughter, Jeanie, Buss felt like an outsider in Wyoming and was never accepted Talking about the body measurement of this businessman, Buss stood tall with an average body height of 5 feet 8 inches, i.e., 178cm. 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. We werent always making money; it was a passion for him. 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. He did everything in his head. There was a clause in the contract where the doctor had to give the green light because of my back, to have a contract valid, and Dr. Buss didnt even wait for the doctors. And guess what, a few months later, it ended up happening, and our paths crossed and we had an incredible run and were able to win championships. He was my mentor. Jerry Buss was a kind-hearted and humble human being who is no longer with us; however, his children represent him, who works in the Lakers organization. All six of his children worked. He eventually passed February 18, 2013, aged 80. Furthermore, this poker player also appeared in the GSN series High Stakes Poker and the NBC late-night series Poker After Dark. The first time I met him was in 1987 after I was hired, and Dr. Buss said, You come with a good recommendation Chickie Baby has recommended you highly. I was a senior in high school, and my dad would explain it to us kids like, Could you imagine to going to every Laker game? You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. He sold the team in 2006. We would usually start watching NBA League Pass at 4 p.m., when the Eastern games would come on, but he didnt really know as much about the draft. That showed me what he was all about to me, he was the best owner. We had several specialists look at him, and got a call from the guy at Stanford University, and he said, Im not worried about Ronny dying on the basketball court, I'm worried about Ronny dropping dead walking down the street. At that point, Ronny wasnt at Gonzaga anymore, so they didnt have health insurance for him; we hadnt signed him, so we werent responsible for his healthcare, and he had no personal healthcare insurance. Hed call me every once in a while. He was that fast. Along with his business partner, Frank Mariani, he formed a real estate investment company, Mariani-Buss Associates. Theres no secret why the Lakers had had so much success under him. Meghan Mountbatten Windsor, The Duchess of Sussex. He was so quick. with JoAnn Buss Joey Buss born 1985, age 37 (approx.) Slow down. He was very patient and he loved timing things out, but not necessarily rushing to places. If I was offended by the book, or what my feelings were. But he took the time (with me) a couple of times a year. Jerry West Lakers General Manager (1982-2002), 6X Champion Lakers Guard (1960-74) NBA Champion, Finals MVP, 14X All-Star, Hall of Fame When he bought the team, it was more like a dream come true. He always treated me very well. And its crazy how the Lakers are one of the biggest, most successful franchises in sports history, and it feels like a mom and pop organization. His patience stands out (to me) the most. He saved Ronnys life, and he didnt have to. The Buss family still 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 . Dr. Buss was open to all of the discussions. Before that, I remember my dad telling me about this workout for an up-and-coming high school kid, and how Jerry West told him that he was going to be this special player. Thats what he wanted to do in his life. This is two days after the parade and everything. Buss owned other professional sports franchises in Southern California. US based Meghan and Harry.. FameChain has their amazing trees. 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. Jerry Buss has six In 1979, Buss purchased 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. The Lakers are on fire. The thing he taught me the best is that he maximized his days. So in 1985, Im playing for Dr. Jerry Buss, and hes a legend. Some might wonder if his death will bring radical changes to the ownership of the team, but according to his family, thats not very likely. Elon Musk. Similarly, to continue his education, he moved back to Los Angeles and joined the University of Southern California (USC). That was a big thing for both of us. There is a reason why Once you dealt with the media, you get on with your life. Never talked down to people. She grew up in Seattle and graduated from the University of Washington. Smiled and laughed, drank champagne and went to the White House. We thought it was great. Moreover, his father was an accountant at Berkeley who taught statistics. When Hazzard died in 2011, he was still a Lakers employee. Even though after the death of Hazzard in 2011, he was still an employee of the Lakers. 1953[citation needed]), Johnny (b.1956), Jim (b. (and pretty much everyone else) were starved of success in the 90s. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Lakers Youth Foundation or a charity of the donor's choice. Therefore, viewers must be curious to find out whether Buss sons ended up working with the LA Lakers. real estate investments helped him achieve an empire worth $350 million.

Julia Emma Cyr, Menards Rubber Floor Mats, Danaher Leadership Anchors,