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. The teacher looked at me and said, Dont get your hopes up too much. My last year when I retired (2004-05), I remember being a free agent, and one call from him made my decision easier when he told me, You started with the Lakers, you have to retire with the Lakers. That was my decision, trusting that guy, and man, it was a pleasure to play with him. In other words, how offensive could it be? 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. Dr. Buss was there with us. 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. We didnt tell Mitch (Kupchak), we didnt tell anybody about that. Jerry Buss has six children. 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 just shook the trophy in that tiny little locker room in Boston. Johnny Buss, owner of the Ice House Comedy Club and co-owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, poses for a photo in front of a new neon sign inside the establishment's lobby in Pasadena, on Friday, Feb . Im this young guy out of UCLA, and when you first meet him coming into the locker room, and he comes to shake your hand, theres no greater form of nervousness in this town at that point in time. Am I being traded? He says, Were not trading you, what are you talking about? So we start chitchatting, and talking about other things, and finally he says, Coop you know what, I got some other meetings I have to have, but I just want to let you know theres something for you at the tunnel. So I go, OK, this is it. I figured Jerry (West) or whoever the other team was at the tunnel at the Forum. It was everything that you would hope for in a new teammate thats going to make a significant contribution to the team. He was the first one to see that opportunity to sell the naming rights of the building, which really was an asset to the company, because now instead of going to Forum, you were going to the Great Western Forum, and Great Western was one of the big banks in Southern California at the time. My dream was to be a businessman after I was done. But one things I remember that stood out to me, as nice as Dr. Buss was, he was really a good owner but he looked at me and said, Look, I understand youre upset. Johnny never fully dove into his familys sports holdings, but he stuck around while his father lived. It means more, and it means more because of this one man, and everything that came from it. The lying in state was held on Monday, February 27th 2023 from 12:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Fox Funeral Home (1116 N 19th St, Beatrice, NE 68310). Money has never been a part of my being. We talked for about an hour and a half, two hours, and I decided to believe in him, and he believed in me. However, Johnny stated that he did not wish to be a part of the family business. 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. 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. Laker Girls. It was an extension of the brand, a way to reach Los Angeles. Very few. Some owners look at it like a business, only. Thats when we found out about his enlarged aortic root. Success starts at the top. And I remember a nice gesture from him, when I signed my extension during my third year, and I had to have a back surgery. If you got up five miles over the speed limit, hed say, What are you doing? Jerry was soft spoken, he had a great charm about him, and was just a unique person who believed in me for a long time, and I dont think in my life Ive ever had anybody who was as straight forward with me as him. The times that he took out for 1-on-1 time to get me to feel comfortable, to tell me that he loved my game, that he wanted me to play confident. That was the plan that I understood.. He also taught me how to be a leader and to hire the best people and let them do their jobs. It was a long time before the other franchises got wise like that. I think he knew, with me being 20 and alone all the way from Michigan, he became a father figure to me. (Jerry and JoAnn divorced in 1972.) Dr. Buss paid out of his own pocket for a million-dollar surgery to save the kids life, not knowing if hed ever play basketball. It didnt just happen. When we won Game 4 in the Garden, that was the big difference. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. Incredible. He really was in a lot of ways a mentor, in business, in life and in basketball. Who is Dr. Jerry Buss? It was just great to be able to watch and learn. Dr. Buss was very thoughtful. It was a wonderful stretch of years, during the threepeat, despite the battle between the big fella and Kobe. Dr. Buss knew his team needed more wins than losses, but he also knew they needed to entertain. He was so cool when he introduced himself, so laid back. She became the Lakers governor in 2014 after her father's death and is now the representative of the team on the NBA board of governors. 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. Not much is known about Johnnys early life or educational background. He had a 66 percent stake in the team when he died, and judging by the trust he set up years ago to hold the ownership stake, it has long been his intention to keep the Lakers in the Buss family. 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 had just come out, and somehow he got his hands on it, and wanted to know my thoughts on it, especially because he knew I was Italian and I was raised Roman Catholic. He was my mentor. It wasnt just owner-athlete relationship, it was more like a family with his employees. Read More: Where is Jerry Buss Daughter Jeanie Buss Now? Its unbelievable what he did. Many Los Angeles Lakers fans mourned the passing of the team's primary owner, Jerry Buss, on Monday. Dr. Buss liked to go the horse races at Hollywood Park, and he was great at picking winners. You could say he and Steinbrenner were the first to grow probably bigger than the franchise. So in 1987, we win the championship, and I win Defensive Player of the Year. My relationship with him, I think, became so close as Id try to explain to him how important each position was and what you would expect from those different positions, and how theyd fit. Id say, I call it the smorgasbord defense a little bit of everything.. Meghan Markle. I was fascinated about how cards accrued value, and Id always ask questions to my dad about it. His name will already be remembered, but to have it right there (on the shorts) is pretty big. And I would come back in town, and we would see each other. 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. There was prime real estate, and it was about location, location, location. Such a meaningful and historical figure to all of us that who love this game and this League. [3] He was also the co-owner of a real estate investment company called Mariani-Buss Associates with his long-time business partner Frank Mariani. 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. However, that changes in the season finale as Buss wishes to bring more family members into the new family business. 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. I believe I've accomplished that.". Thats one thing different about Dr. Buss different from owners back in the day he was a celebrity too. 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. After Jerry's death, his children took up various roles within the organization, with Jeanie Buss ultimately becoming the president and controlling owner of the Lakers.She was only 17 when her father bought the team, and she held various managerial roles over the years, with the team winning the title in 2020. Kurt Rambis doing his usual mischief, (having fun) with Dr. Buss. To watch the franchise grow and see his influence on the Lakers, and more importantly, some of the things he did that teams in the league are still doing. When you add all those things up, you come up with why that series and that championships mean so much. Joey is a member of the board of directors and serves as the President and CEO of the South Bay Lakers (formerly Los Angeles D-Fenders), an NBA G League team owned by the Lakers. When he approached a problem, he never panicked, he never screamed, he was methodical in his approach. When he bought the team, there were literally two prices: the downstairs and the upstairs. Buss also owned other professional sports franchises in Southern California. 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. and Janie. That helped save this league. I had no idea it was Dr. Buss. Its more than just going out there and playing. He really thought about things like that, that it was equal opportunity, and if men could be the stars, then women could be the stars too. Thats another way we connected. That showed me what he was all about to me, he was the best owner. Im not saying that Jerry was the opposite, but he was a lot more fun than I think Jack was. He went from playing, to (working with) Chick, to assistant coach to a head coach in what, two and a half years? All the while, he inspired fondness and loyalty amongst his family, players, employees and fans. It was a way to motivate us to be efficient. We werent getting better to the point that I needed our team to be. We just started talking about the crazy journey that weve been on. What do you think. Working with front-office executives West, Bill Sharman and Mitch Kupchak, Buss spent lavishly to win his titles, often running the NBA's highest payroll while also paying . To speak about what Dr. Buss meant to the Lakers and to basketball, to the NBA, period. Finding great success in the real estate business, he pursued real estate investing full time. 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. Jesse would just rattle off the stats. Dr. Buss was open to all of the discussions. He was the first to see this league as the entertainment value that it is. Geni requires JavaScript! Thats how he was. And of course I went to greet at him and sat at his table until his guests got there. Jeanie was always going to be slated as running the business side for as long as she lived, Johnny said. It wasnt much of a workout. [2] Even after I got traded away, we still kept in touch. 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. I was just looking at my dad in awe, with how incredible that was. A lot of good times, and so much success on the court. It would be decades later, at age 34, when Jerry made his first million. It began when Dr. Buss purchased his dream. Who Is Jerry Buss Mom & Dad? He promoted concerts at the Forum. I remember being bummed with all my friends that we werent going to be able to see Magic Is Back, as it was being marketed at the time. He was like, The contract is good. Then he was doing Italy for the whole summer. So it was really a family. 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. Before that we had the (NBA) Draft, and we traded Vlade Divac, and we got back a player that frankly I thought was the best player in the Draft (Kobe Bryant). Then due to (certain circumstances), Jerry wanted us to be co-coaches. I love it. He was very appreciative, very happy. We had a bunch of ideal guys Kareem Abdul Jabbar and James Worthy next to Earvin. There was purity to that. 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. Daniel's 5th outing as Bond gets bums back on seats in the cinema. He was a mentor to me in a lot of ways. You saw his mannerisms go with every little gyration that was going on. Buss earned a scholarship to the University of Wyoming, graduating with a B.S. He said, Hey Mark, I know you had the surgery yesterday and am just thinking about you, hoping for a quick recovery, and I hope youre OK. It was really cool of him. That when you think L.A., you think Lakers. 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. I dont think theres any thrill in it. This is not to say there wont be disagreements. All these companies want to do business with the Lakers? I have my head down, and he says, Coop, you know it was a great year for us, a lot of people didnt think that we could get this done, but here we are finally and we did it. So I said, Doc, what team am I going to? He goes, What are you talking about? I go, Doc, what team am I going to? Even today, when they talk on ESPN, Greatest Owners in Sport History come on man, thats crazy! He would surprise you. After separation from Mueller, Buss dated Karen Demel and had two children: Joey Buss (born in 1985) and Jesse Buss (born in 1988). At a young age, Jerry would stand on bread lines to get food for himself and his single mother. It was a ritual. I think his success led him to the heights where people, fans loved him, and they were like him. Magic was perfect for that. 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. Buss, who was 80 when he died of. We all held the trophy together. Wed sit around, wed talk. My first initial meeting I was kind of thrown back, because he didnt seem like an owner. Thats the kind of guy you want to partner with. Thats one of the most important things hes taught me. 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. It wasnt like I was negotiating for a contract, or I was currently playing, or he was looking for any ideas about other players. On the other hand, Jesse Buss is the Assistant General Manager of the LA Lakers. How he figured out our monetary system, the Coast Guard, customs, the first inspector general of the Army ridiculous. It all started to gel at that point. Id played the whole season with a torn ligament. The . I never had a relationship like this, and nor did he. He was not nearly as animated in the other championships as he was in that one, for obvious reasons. Luckily that first year the players, in spite of my lack of experience, we won the championship and the rest is history. She became the Lakers governor in 2014 after her father's death and is now the representative of the team on the NBA board of governors. Fast facts to know about Lakers owner before release of Hulu documentary, Buss said in a 2010 interview with ESPNLosAngeles.com. We just stayed the course. Mr. Or hed ask us about contracts, and certain trade scenarios. He spent two years convincing Cooke to sell him the team, in May of 1979. He really looked at it as entertainment. She surprised us doing a great job running the Forum. My dad just figured hed last another 10 years and that Joey and Jesse would start taking over the basketball side and Jimmy would start retiring and that would be it. Coincidentally, I went to work out the next morning, and I was looking for gyms out there. The purchase price, $67.5 million, made it the largest transaction in sports history at that time. Buss was an inaugural member of the USC College Board of Councilors. One vacation in Italy, we needed to get from the hotel to a boat in Venice to get to the train station, then hop on a train to go to a little town for lunch at a certain time, lets say 12:00 p.m.; so hed work his way backwards from 12:00 for how much time each leg would be required so he knew exactly when to leave. Id never been in a Porsche before. The 10-part documentary series, which is set to premiere with two episodes on Monday, Aug. 15, will detail the rise of the Lakers after Buss' purchase of the franchise. Dr. Buss used to come down to the locker room after every game, starting in the 1981-82 season. He was like a rebel, but in a good sense. 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. With me, he was always classy. They wanted him to be happy with them. We had growth within our own team, like Andrew Bynum, to go with Kobe and Lamar. Her father, Jerry Buss, had died in February 2013 at age 80, . He didnt look at it as, someday this is going to blow up and be this incredibly valued team. He was 80 years old. When I wanted to get into the theatre business, he was the one who connected me with everybody. The Lakers were the crown jewel. I remember him saying, You know how cool it would be for the Buss family to own the Lakers for 100 years? 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. Dr. Buss actually started in his first season, 1979-80, with a combination of USC and UCLA pom girls, and the USC band. In contrast, Buss sons are primarily absent from the narrative for the most part. As business people, our job is to drive a profit, but you do that also by taking care of your customers. 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. In 2012, Buss was in a hospital for months with an undisclosed intestinal problem. My dad could see talent, and he knew how to approach and get the best out of each person. He was in great spirits, it was great talking, he still had his sense of humor. I got a call from Tim Harris on the morning that Dr. Buss passed away. We really were a family, and we were intact as a team, and all the families were invested. Kind of re-thinking the economics of ticket sales. When Dr. Buss first bought the team, he looked at what we were charging for floor seats, and knew based on anecdotal data of talking to people that with a young Magic Johnson and this team, he could charge more. Everyone is tight. We were the only team to win a world championship in Boston Garden other than the Celtics. Later it was Miller Genuine Draft. He didnt walk around with a big hammer. He was a very well-rounded person. with JoAnn Buss Jim Buss born 1959, age 63 (approx.) 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? Jerry Buss, the playboy owner of the Los Angeles Lakers who died last month, has left his sprawling Hawaii digs and hot wheels to his much younger girlfriend. We kept in touch that way. On May 29, 2007, Buss was issued a citation for driving under the influence after two California Highway Patrol officers saw him driving his gold Mercedes-Benz on the wrong side of the road in the coastal community of Carlsbad in northern San Diego County, with a 23-year-old woman passenger. Back then, you could drive in right off the street. 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 was thinking of Kobe. 12/22/2014 5:31 PM PT. 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. 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. Read more. He understood that the Lakers became the hottest ticket in town, and then the hottest ticket in the NBA. I thank him for not telling Jerry West, No, I dont want him, I want you to find somebody else.. I remember being in the Finals against Philadelphia, and we were at the hotel bar of the team hotel. Especially after I retired, we spent time together. 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