Dr. Buss actually started in his first season, 1979-80, with a combination of USC and UCLA pom girls, and the USC band. Its opening night for Staples Center: Nov. 3, 1999. There was another interesting time back home in North Carolina when I was watching the draft on TV, and nobody had been talking about me being traded, and I hadnt heard any rumors or anything. 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. 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. Published February 18, 2013 Updated on February 18, 2013 at 1:43 pm. This was like brothers. He also held There are 38 fully-developed lessons on 10 important topics that Adventist school students face in their daily lives. You dont realize these things until you get my age, that you have these kinds of people, that theyre not just your boss. There was a time in the early 1980s when Dr. Buss would ask me, Whos going to be the most improved team in the league this year by the greatest number of games. Hed say, Well bet a dinner on this. I said, OK, Ill bet with you. So each year, wed both pick a team, and I won for three straight years. Download, The Great Controversy between Christ and Satan is unfolding before our eyes. Mohr has been married twice before and has two children from his past relationships. And hed say, I want you to come to Vegas in a week. Everywhere we went, everybody would holler our names. After hearing that from him, I decided to just trust him, and just stayed the course. We were the only team to win a world championship in Boston Garden other than the Celtics. My dad was working with Jerry West, trying to build this team that was a playoff team, but not a contender. Jerry Buss described his youngest daughter to the Los Angeles Times as the most compassionate of all of my children. Throughout my tenure away from the team, Id send him a note every time they won a championship. [2] Buss earned a scholarship to the University of Wyoming,[3] graduating with a BS degree in two and a half years in 1953. Once, he asked her out to lunch and brought Gianna. Dr. Buss was truly an amazing man. Because Id worked on prior events like Championship parades and so on, event mode planning started. He was so cool when he introduced himself, so laid back. She is forever appreciative of the life her adoptive parents provided for her. This VIP club He was an incredibly visionary. And drafting Magic was huge. I thought they had a great relationship that seemed to blossom until the day that Dr. Buss passed away. My contract is up, wed just beaten the Celtics in Boston, everybody was happy. He was a brilliant, incredible owner, but he was even a better person with a great heart. Jeanie fired her *L.A. won 3-0 against Denver, 4-1 against Golden State and 4-0 against Seattle. Buss was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on January 27, 1933, at the height of Itll be a while before she sees that again, with the Lakers long gone from the playoffs after a surprising first-round defeat by the Phoenix Suns. He had a remarkable vision about how he wanted to see this team play. Im glad it turned out that way. And here Im trying to be a good employee and be able to inform him, and yet hes informing me of the changes he wanted to make. We would see each other during the summer, and I remember playing against the Lakers in those preseason games in Las Vegas, and he was always kind and always made sure he came to say hi. We all held the trophy together. He was thinking of Kobe. 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. Hes already done the math in his head. And then at the end of that, they said someone talked to Magic (Johnson), and Magic approved the trade. Jeanie Buss, who worked in numerous roles for her father over the years, has taken the most prominent role of all Jerrys children. There was something about both of us. Buss When he was 19 years old, he started a relationship with Australian tennis star Dianne Fromholtz and followed her on the womens tour until she ended the relationship two years later, Sports Illustrated reported. Thats a lot of loss, she said. The bigger, the bolder, the better. And there were always all these hours spent talking basketball, and him trying to prep me for a bigger role. At his death in 2013, six out of seven of his children worked in the Lakers organization. People want her to do well. Pat learned his job on the fly. Buss and her siblings grew up in Los Angeles, California. He said, I want you to take me to dinner at this real fancy restaurant with some friends. I said, I cant afford that! 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 lost some weight worrying about whether he was going to be able to convince the big fella to come West. 8 and 24 jerseys in December 2017. 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. Arguably the best thing This was the beginning I was happy. That helped motivate you to want to keep doing that. However, she finally found the confidence to finish the book and publish it after her therapy was over. I do remember when Lamar (Odom) was a free agent, and Im not sure what our financial situation was at the time, but it was a rough negotiation, because wed just won the 2009 championship. Having known that about him, after we won various championships, the relief that you saw on him when we got that trophy, it was like he was out there sweating with us. That meant a lot to us at that particular time, because it was a very difficult time, uncertain. He did everything in his head. He did his research, then acted on his conclusions, long-time family spokesman Bob Steiner He didnt want Kobe to be the only superstar Laker of his tenure that didnt beat the Boston Celtics. Me coming from a DIII school, Im one of the youngest, unknown guys, lowest on the totem pole. Playing for him was one of the best highlights of my life. cheerleaders, added music during breaks, and even recruited a house band to Its about bringing out the best from that person. I worked with Jeanie and Linda trying to get a place, get as much content as we can, and to discuss how we could make it tasteful what we should give to this man and to the community. He was like, The contract is good. 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. When Jerry West left, the transition was very natural now, I will say that when Jerry retired, it was a little bit weird. 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 Jerry Buss died in February 2013, the legendary Lakers owner left his six children each with an equal vote in charge of a family trust, with a 66% ownership stake in the team. For a few years, he trained horses until Jerry Buss sold the rest of his racing horses, Sports Illustrated shared. By the time she got to the microphone, the applause had subsided, and Jeanie Buss was faced with the scariest sound for a stand-up comedian. I was just sitting there. He earned a scholarship As the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers from 1979 until he passed away in 2013, Dr. Jerry Buss oversaw one of the greatest stretches in sports and entertainment history. 1988). Dr. Buss was someone who really cared about other people, and I think that same tradition of loyalty of friendship has filtered down to his children. *In the 2004 Finals, Detroit beat L.A. 4-1. Thats probably the most Ive ever seen him animated. Shaquille and I started to talk over the phone, and we sorta became friends. back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002. was another memorable one, as the team clinched their second successive And I remember after Game 7 of the 2010 Finals against Boston, down on the court amongst all the fanfare, Dr. Buss and I huddled up a little bit and kind of smiled. Most owners are coming in, they have security, they go to their box, they get in and they get out. And that resonated all the way back to Los Angeles. California (USC). There is no good answer for the loss of a loved one. Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE, via Getty Images. That might not be encouraged in her world, where she has to have this tough exterior.. The league wasnt faring that well prior to 1979, for whatever the reasons were, so whether it was Magic, Dr. Buss or a combination of things that coincided with their arrival, it helped save this league and helped pave the way for all of us to do what we do today. He was the first to see this league as the entertainment value that it is. American businessman and investor (19332013), daughter-of-lakers-owner-jerry-buss-be-the-next-to-rule-her-fathers-sports-kingdom-or-will-one-of-her-brothers-rise-to-power-a-fractured-family-fable, Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills), Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Lakers' Jeanie Buss: She's Got Balls - Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com", Jerry Buss, Longtime Lakers Owner, Is Dead at 80, "Whether It's the L.A. Lakers or a Lovely Woman, Jerry Buss Is Interested in Champions", "Lakers Legendary Jerry Buss and His "Rags to Riches" Story Truly One of a Kind", "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2010", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement", "A Bad Fold by David Grey on Poker After Dark", Los Angeles Times: "All in the Family - If Jerry Buss has his way, the Lakers will belong to his kids" by John Ireland, "Lee Klose finds birth family after decades", Dodgers affected by Jerry Buss like no other non-NBA team, "Buss also booked for driving with BAC of 0.08 or higher", "Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash help Lakers hold on for 2nd straight win", Breaking News: Lakers Owner Jerry Buss Dying Of Cancer, "Lakers Owner Jerry Buss Dies at Age 80, Leaving Behind "Unparalleled Legacy", "Jill Painter: Lakers lose innovative owner, L.A. loses friend", "Jerry Buss Buried At Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills In Private Ceremony", "LOS ANGELES: Jerry Buss, Lakers' flamboyant owner, dies at 80", "Buss family faces crucial moment with the Lakers", "Lakers expected to remain a Buss family-owned team", "World Series of Poker invites Kobe Bryant as tribute to Jerry Buss", Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Wayland Baptist Women's Teams (19481982), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jerry_Buss&oldid=1145995928, Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills), Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, University of Southern California faculty, Women's National Basketball Association executives, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from August 2022, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2022, Articles with failed verification from May 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 22 March 2023, at 04:43. Everyone is tight. They wanted him to be happy with them. He knew that he had this hot team in the Lakers in the early years of Showtime, but the Kings were always a tough sell. So that was one of the things I noticed about him. Very genuine, honest guy, and I respected him a lot. Nevada. His contributions to basketball were recognized by his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Buss turned the Lakers competitions into occasions. It was really his love, his heart. Mr. After all the experiences Ive had in pro sports, Ive never had a better owner. This is the way owners should operate. They picked up right from it and you could tell, they were so well prepared. To continue writing her novel, she had to go to counseling. The Dwarfs were regular fixtures in and among the Showtime Lakers throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and until Jerrys passing in 2013. Very happy.*L.A. 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. He just wanted to assure me that his promises never changed about winning championships, and being patient in the process, waiting for the right piece to come along. So, Dr. Buss was one of the coolest owners Ive been around. Everybodys been calling, but this is the call Ive been waiting on. And I did very well investing in the coins. She is the daughter of Jerry Buss, who owned the Lakers and other sports businesses. I remember thinking it was really cool to have somebody go to the NBA straight from high school, somebody that was only five or six years older than me. Its easy to say that he was the best sports owner around the world. He also redefined the Thats not normal for most owners. I was fascinated about how cards accrued value, and Id always ask questions to my dad about it. out of college was working as a chemist for the Bureau of Mines. 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.. The Second Act produced by Dr. Jerry Buss included a new cast, a duo by the name of Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant. and his business partner, Frank Mariani, established MarianiBuss Associates. Having grown up in the Depression-era, coal-mining badlands of Wyoming, he It was cool knowing that he appreciated those little things, that effort. In 1985, before we left (L.A. after Game 5), I told the dudes only take one set of clothes. But when I got out of high school, I learned there was more we could do together around sports., As Lakers fans know, Buss father died in February 2013 when he was 80 years old. Buss owned other professional sports franchises in Southern California. Dr. Jerry Buss's professional success and his reputation as a playboy have been well documented over the years, yet little is known about the Buss family. And when (my wife) Chris and I would have dinner with Dr. Buss, he was very gracious with Chris. Eventually, all three teams moved into a more modern arena in downtown Los Angeles, the Staples Center, which opened in 1999. It just felt like we never got to catch our breath, she said. But it was one of the toughest things Ive encountered physically, mentally and emotionally. His dream was to own the Lakers, my dream was just to be a part of it, and we became part of a team that goes down in history, and then he built another one when he got Shaq and Kobe. 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 have her laugh and anybody that met her would use the words kind and sweet smile. That was his vision. Magic was worth every accolade or attention he got, because he carried us. Many friends and And it all flooded back in that moment.. And of course I went to greet at him and sat at his table until his guests got there. Outside of her immediate family, Buss is very close with Phil Jackson, her now-ex-fianc. You have cap space and you go for big stars, but that was something my dad was going to outline the blueprint for. It was really vivid and authentic. It was amazing. Its the first thing you do now when youre going to build a building. 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" }, relationship resumed before 1975 until before 1990, Johnny Buss{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Johnny Buss", "gender": "Male" }, born 1956, age 66 (approx.) The book also discusses her challenges when attempting to learn more about her biological family. get along. When he bought the team, it was more like a dream come true he told me he always wanted to own the Lakers. In a limousine He knew the patterns of how often the boats and trains would come, and it was then a challenge to the whole family to make sure it happened and to execute on it properly. We have provided a download link below to Firefox 2 installer. This is a common theme when people comment on Jerry Buss. Its almost like having to put him away again, she said, her voice cracking. Luckily that first year the players, in spite of my lack of experience, we won the championship and the rest is history. We used to meet almost every month at his house and have lunch, and the lunch was always the same. Buss became an owner in World Team Tennis, the Los Angeles Strings. It wasnt like I was negotiating for a contract, or I was currently playing, or he was looking for any ideas about other players. Most people at that level were pretty standoffish. Then he started to go to Italy for a month. 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. Its unbelievable what he did. Finding great success in the real estate business, he pursued real estate investing full time. He made sure they had the kind of food I wanted, and he was really attentive to the little details to make sure it was a comfortable environment to me. He had a huge, beautiful office with all kinds of knick knacks and stuff like that. This was before smart phones, so there was no cheating. Jerry Busss first job I asked, What did Kobe think, and my dad had talked to Kobe on the phone, and Kobe said, Yeah, I can win with this dude. We had the injury to Andrew and Trevor Ariza that year and ran into the Celtics in the Finals, but we showed big improvement from the year before, and ended up winning the next two years. We all love this sport, basketball, but there are other things to enjoy in life as well, and he certainly enjoyed them all. Thousands of family and friends were in attendance at a memorial service for Jerry Buss on Thursday at the Nokia Theatre. I love him, and his family, and I thank him to this day for the opportunity. In L.A., actually Im Barbies mom.. It was enough to make Buss search for answers. There was prime real estate, and it was about location, location, location. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. And then when I came down to Miami, it was a whole new world for me down here. This undoubtedly formed Its hard to go through this again., I guess, she added, you just dont get over it.. Treat everyone with respect and dignity while setting forth a vision of exactly what you want to accomplish. He got a big kick out of that, and by the fourth season, he won. I think when you have success, its just different. Finally, during the draft, Charlotte took him, and we were able to acquire Kobes rights. There is a reason why 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. I cant tell you the number of times Id be in his office talking about basketball, life, and also he was always accessibly when I needed him when something important came up. science. He in the history of the NBA to achieve a three-peat. Jim Buss, 57, was in his 12th season as the Lakers head of basketball operations his 19th season in the front office until Jeanie Buss fired him from the position last week. early positions in the aerospace industry and USCs chemistry faculty. in World TeamTennis, a mixed-gender tennis league that featured global He was a wheeler and dealer. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Im not saying that Jerry was the opposite, but he was a lot more fun than I think Jack was. A Sports Illustrated profile from 1998 about the family stated that Buss and her brother Johnny Buss had barely spoken since 1995 and dont acknowledge each other despite working in the same building at the time, the Forum. In other words, how offensive could it be? It was an important economic trend, another thing that he identified, and brought the NBA into more prominence. sailing, though, despite Jerrys wishes. You focus on star players like Kobe and Shaq when youre a kid. Son of Lydus Henry Buss and Jessie Mae Buss I think the operative words from Dr. Buss message to Kobe were, Trust me Ive done things in my life, where when I say Im going to work this thing out, trust me, were going to work this thing out. I never envisioned that his trust me would end up with the kind of deal that he pulled off getting Pau. [16] During his time as Lakers owner, Buss was widely known as a playboy and had a string of young girlfriends. There becomes a bigger trust by an owner, a greater dependency on the people whom youre working closely with. The dudes only take one set of clothes youngest daughter to the Los Angeles value it... Was before smart phones, so laid back Im one of the I... 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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 lost some weight worrying about whether he was going to be able to convince the big fella to come West. 8 and 24 jerseys in December 2017. 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. Arguably the best thing This was the beginning I was happy. That helped motivate you to want to keep doing that. However, she finally found the confidence to finish the book and publish it after her therapy was over. I do remember when Lamar (Odom) was a free agent, and Im not sure what our financial situation was at the time, but it was a rough negotiation, because wed just won the 2009 championship. Having known that about him, after we won various championships, the relief that you saw on him when we got that trophy, it was like he was out there sweating with us. That meant a lot to us at that particular time, because it was a very difficult time, uncertain. He did everything in his head. He did his research, then acted on his conclusions, long-time family spokesman Bob Steiner He didnt want Kobe to be the only superstar Laker of his tenure that didnt beat the Boston Celtics. Me coming from a DIII school, Im one of the youngest, unknown guys, lowest on the totem pole. Playing for him was one of the best highlights of my life. cheerleaders, added music during breaks, and even recruited a house band to Its about bringing out the best from that person. I worked with Jeanie and Linda trying to get a place, get as much content as we can, and to discuss how we could make it tasteful what we should give to this man and to the community. He was like, The contract is good. 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. When Jerry West left, the transition was very natural now, I will say that when Jerry retired, it was a little bit weird. 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 Jerry Buss died in February 2013, the legendary Lakers owner left his six children each with an equal vote in charge of a family trust, with a 66% ownership stake in the team. For a few years, he trained horses until Jerry Buss sold the rest of his racing horses, Sports Illustrated shared. By the time she got to the microphone, the applause had subsided, and Jeanie Buss was faced with the scariest sound for a stand-up comedian. I was just sitting there. He earned a scholarship As the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers from 1979 until he passed away in 2013, Dr. Jerry Buss oversaw one of the greatest stretches in sports and entertainment history. 1988). Dr. Buss was someone who really cared about other people, and I think that same tradition of loyalty of friendship has filtered down to his children. *In the 2004 Finals, Detroit beat L.A. 4-1. Thats probably the most Ive ever seen him animated. Shaquille and I started to talk over the phone, and we sorta became friends. back-to-back championships in 2001 and 2002. was another memorable one, as the team clinched their second successive And I remember after Game 7 of the 2010 Finals against Boston, down on the court amongst all the fanfare, Dr. Buss and I huddled up a little bit and kind of smiled. Most owners are coming in, they have security, they go to their box, they get in and they get out. And that resonated all the way back to Los Angeles. California (USC). There is no good answer for the loss of a loved one. Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE, via Getty Images. That might not be encouraged in her world, where she has to have this tough exterior.. The league wasnt faring that well prior to 1979, for whatever the reasons were, so whether it was Magic, Dr. Buss or a combination of things that coincided with their arrival, it helped save this league and helped pave the way for all of us to do what we do today. He was the first to see this league as the entertainment value that it is. American businessman and investor (19332013), daughter-of-lakers-owner-jerry-buss-be-the-next-to-rule-her-fathers-sports-kingdom-or-will-one-of-her-brothers-rise-to-power-a-fractured-family-fable, Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills), Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Lakers' Jeanie Buss: She's Got Balls - Sports Illustrated Vault | SI.com", Jerry Buss, Longtime Lakers Owner, Is Dead at 80, "Whether It's the L.A. Lakers or a Lovely Woman, Jerry Buss Is Interested in Champions", "Lakers Legendary Jerry Buss and His "Rags to Riches" Story Truly One of a Kind", "Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2010", "Golden Plate Awardees of the American Academy of Achievement", "A Bad Fold by David Grey on Poker After Dark", Los Angeles Times: "All in the Family - If Jerry Buss has his way, the Lakers will belong to his kids" by John Ireland, "Lee Klose finds birth family after decades", Dodgers affected by Jerry Buss like no other non-NBA team, "Buss also booked for driving with BAC of 0.08 or higher", "Kobe Bryant, Steve Nash help Lakers hold on for 2nd straight win", Breaking News: Lakers Owner Jerry Buss Dying Of Cancer, "Lakers Owner Jerry Buss Dies at Age 80, Leaving Behind "Unparalleled Legacy", "Jill Painter: Lakers lose innovative owner, L.A. loses friend", "Jerry Buss Buried At Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills In Private Ceremony", "LOS ANGELES: Jerry Buss, Lakers' flamboyant owner, dies at 80", "Buss family faces crucial moment with the Lakers", "Lakers expected to remain a Buss family-owned team", "World Series of Poker invites Kobe Bryant as tribute to Jerry Buss", Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, Wayland Baptist Women's Teams (19481982), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jerry_Buss&oldid=1145995928, Burials at Forest Lawn Memorial Park (Hollywood Hills), Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, University of Southern California faculty, Women's National Basketball Association executives, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from August 2022, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from November 2022, Articles with failed verification from May 2022, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 22 March 2023, at 04:43. Everyone is tight. They wanted him to be happy with them. He knew that he had this hot team in the Lakers in the early years of Showtime, but the Kings were always a tough sell. So that was one of the things I noticed about him. Very genuine, honest guy, and I respected him a lot. Nevada. His contributions to basketball were recognized by his induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Buss turned the Lakers competitions into occasions. It was really his love, his heart. Mr. After all the experiences Ive had in pro sports, Ive never had a better owner. This is the way owners should operate. They picked up right from it and you could tell, they were so well prepared. To continue writing her novel, she had to go to counseling. The Dwarfs were regular fixtures in and among the Showtime Lakers throughout the 1980s and 1990s, and until Jerrys passing in 2013. Very happy.*L.A. 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. He just wanted to assure me that his promises never changed about winning championships, and being patient in the process, waiting for the right piece to come along. So, Dr. Buss was one of the coolest owners Ive been around. Everybodys been calling, but this is the call Ive been waiting on. And I did very well investing in the coins. She is the daughter of Jerry Buss, who owned the Lakers and other sports businesses. I remember thinking it was really cool to have somebody go to the NBA straight from high school, somebody that was only five or six years older than me. Its easy to say that he was the best sports owner around the world. He also redefined the Thats not normal for most owners. I was fascinated about how cards accrued value, and Id always ask questions to my dad about it. out of college was working as a chemist for the Bureau of Mines. 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.. The Second Act produced by Dr. Jerry Buss included a new cast, a duo by the name of Shaquille ONeal and Kobe Bryant. and his business partner, Frank Mariani, established MarianiBuss Associates. Having grown up in the Depression-era, coal-mining badlands of Wyoming, he It was cool knowing that he appreciated those little things, that effort. In 1985, before we left (L.A. after Game 5), I told the dudes only take one set of clothes. But when I got out of high school, I learned there was more we could do together around sports., As Lakers fans know, Buss father died in February 2013 when he was 80 years old. Buss owned other professional sports franchises in Southern California. Dr. Jerry Buss's professional success and his reputation as a playboy have been well documented over the years, yet little is known about the Buss family. And when (my wife) Chris and I would have dinner with Dr. Buss, he was very gracious with Chris. Eventually, all three teams moved into a more modern arena in downtown Los Angeles, the Staples Center, which opened in 1999. It just felt like we never got to catch our breath, she said. But it was one of the toughest things Ive encountered physically, mentally and emotionally. His dream was to own the Lakers, my dream was just to be a part of it, and we became part of a team that goes down in history, and then he built another one when he got Shaq and Kobe. 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 have her laugh and anybody that met her would use the words kind and sweet smile. That was his vision. Magic was worth every accolade or attention he got, because he carried us. Many friends and And it all flooded back in that moment.. And of course I went to greet at him and sat at his table until his guests got there. Outside of her immediate family, Buss is very close with Phil Jackson, her now-ex-fianc. You have cap space and you go for big stars, but that was something my dad was going to outline the blueprint for. It was really vivid and authentic. It was amazing. Its the first thing you do now when youre going to build a building. 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" }, relationship resumed before 1975 until before 1990, Johnny Buss{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Johnny Buss", "gender": "Male" }, born 1956, age 66 (approx.) The book also discusses her challenges when attempting to learn more about her biological family. get along. When he bought the team, it was more like a dream come true he told me he always wanted to own the Lakers. In a limousine He knew the patterns of how often the boats and trains would come, and it was then a challenge to the whole family to make sure it happened and to execute on it properly. We have provided a download link below to Firefox 2 installer. This is a common theme when people comment on Jerry Buss. Its almost like having to put him away again, she said, her voice cracking. Luckily that first year the players, in spite of my lack of experience, we won the championship and the rest is history. We used to meet almost every month at his house and have lunch, and the lunch was always the same. 
Buss became an owner in World Team Tennis, the Los Angeles Strings. It wasnt like I was negotiating for a contract, or I was currently playing, or he was looking for any ideas about other players. Most people at that level were pretty standoffish. Then he started to go to Italy for a month. 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. Its unbelievable what he did. Finding great success in the real estate business, he pursued real estate investing full time. He made sure they had the kind of food I wanted, and he was really attentive to the little details to make sure it was a comfortable environment to me. He had a huge, beautiful office with all kinds of knick knacks and stuff like that. This was before smart phones, so there was no cheating. Jerry Busss first job I asked, What did Kobe think, and my dad had talked to Kobe on the phone, and Kobe said, Yeah, I can win with this dude. We had the injury to Andrew and Trevor Ariza that year and ran into the Celtics in the Finals, but we showed big improvement from the year before, and ended up winning the next two years. We all love this sport, basketball, but there are other things to enjoy in life as well, and he certainly enjoyed them all. Thousands of family and friends were in attendance at a memorial service for Jerry Buss on Thursday at the Nokia Theatre. I love him, and his family, and I thank him to this day for the opportunity. In L.A., actually Im Barbies mom.. It was enough to make Buss search for answers. There was prime real estate, and it was about location, location, location. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. And then when I came down to Miami, it was a whole new world for me down here. This undoubtedly formed Its hard to go through this again., I guess, she added, you just dont get over it.. Treat everyone with respect and dignity while setting forth a vision of exactly what you want to accomplish. He got a big kick out of that, and by the fourth season, he won. I think when you have success, its just different. 
Finally, during the draft, Charlotte took him, and we were able to acquire Kobes rights. There is a reason why 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. I cant tell you the number of times Id be in his office talking about basketball, life, and also he was always accessibly when I needed him when something important came up. science. He in the history of the NBA to achieve a three-peat. Jim Buss, 57, was in his 12th season as the Lakers head of basketball operations his 19th season in the front office until Jeanie Buss fired him from the position last week. early positions in the aerospace industry and USCs chemistry faculty. in World TeamTennis, a mixed-gender tennis league that featured global He was a wheeler and dealer. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Im not saying that Jerry was the opposite, but he was a lot more fun than I think Jack was. A Sports Illustrated profile from 1998 about the family stated that Buss and her brother Johnny Buss had barely spoken since 1995 and dont acknowledge each other despite working in the same building at the time, the Forum. In other words, how offensive could it be? It was an important economic trend, another thing that he identified, and brought the NBA into more prominence. sailing, though, despite Jerrys wishes. You focus on star players like Kobe and Shaq when youre a kid. Son of Lydus Henry Buss and Jessie Mae Buss I think the operative words from Dr. Buss message to Kobe were, Trust me Ive done things in my life, where when I say Im going to work this thing out, trust me, were going to work this thing out. I never envisioned that his trust me would end up with the kind of deal that he pulled off getting Pau. [16] During his time as Lakers owner, Buss was widely known as a playboy and had a string of young girlfriends. 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