But now I realize, you actually really know your (stuff)! Then he started asking for my opinion on things. However, that changes in the season finale as Buss wishes to bring more family members into the new family business. We never had any problems to talk about, except for any games that we might lose. I think that was the only ring that he wore, when we beat Boston the first time. We all love this sport, basketball, but there are other things to enjoy in life as well, and he certainly enjoyed them all. He would call me in some days and hed say Hey, hey, be a coach. This is a year after Id left, and I remember we had dinner up on Sunset Boulevard, and Id signed this humongous contract, or at that time it was, and he looked me in the eye and said, Read my lips, do you realize how much money that is? He tried to put things in perspective as to what I was about ready to do in New York, and what they were going to pay me, and that I deserved it, I earned it, everything that Id done in Los Angeles he was proud of, and he was proud that Chris and I could go to New York and start our careers over again there. You focus on star players like Kobe and Shaq when youre a kid. This franchise and that franchise, and we got em. This is the way owners should operate. 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. 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). It was really his love, his heart. Jerry Buss was the son of Connie Buss and Melvin "Red" Buss, who owned the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association. A lot of good times, and so much success on the court. with JoAnn Buss{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "JoAnn Buss", "gender": "Female" }, Joey Buss{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Joey Buss", "gender": "Male" }, born 1985, age 37 (approx.) He focused on the team's marketing, commissioned the Laker Girls, and had movie stars appear in the crowd during games. There was no social media, nothing to really distract you. I went there in the morning, and it was rare, because Pau never wakes up in the morning to work out! We talked about where we came from, what our lives were like, and in a lot of respects we had some similarities in our lives. A lot of times if I didnt see him in the locker room, we went up to the press room at the Forum, and hed be there. He had two more children with his girlfriend, Karen Demel: Joey and Jesse. There was no jealousy at all that he had that kind of relationship and Magic would surround himself with Dr. Buss and captains of industry. 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. (Jerry and JoAnn divorced in 1972.) Id say, I call it the smorgasbord defense a little bit of everything.. But we were able to do it together. I think he just figured that whether the front office, general manager or coach could figure out a way to make those two see their ways and see what was best for the franchise and the city. It was California Pizza Kitchen wed always order out and wed meet for a couple of hours. We were the only team to win a world championship in Boston Garden other than the Celtics. Dr. Buss created that. After separation from Mueller, Buss dated Karen Demel and had two children: Joey Buss (born in 1985) and Jesse Buss (born in 1988). He had his jeans on with his sports coat, big smile on his face, open collared shirt. (Towards the end) we were just talking and reminiscing about old times. *L.A. won 3-0 against Denver, 4-1 against Golden State and 4-0 against Seattle. Once you dealt with the media, you get on with your life. Janie and Joey Buss replaced them. His vision that, Im going to get this big guy, and were going to go from there. He was very positive, and his dreams were never unrealistic, and set the tempo for the franchise to keep moving forward. He talked about having two sons with this franchise, being Magic and myself. See the Elon Musk family tree here at FameChain. Im not saying that Jerry was the opposite, but he was a lot more fun than I think Jack was. The stake could legally be sold off entirely, but given the familys devotion to the team, the Lakers are sure to stay with them. It began when Dr. Buss purchased his dream. Dr. Buss said how proud he was of us to be there in the Finals, and it was just a nice moment. There becomes a bigger trust by an owner, a greater dependency on the people whom youre working closely with. Very genuine, honest guy, and I respected him a lot. Dr. Buss was open to all of the discussions. And of course I went to greet at him and sat at his table until his guests got there. Who is Dr. Jerry Buss? I remember being in the Finals against Philadelphia, and we were at the hotel bar of the team hotel. and his wife, JoAnn, had four children: Johnny, Jimmy, Jeanie. The Lakers were the crown jewel. Just showed up and watched. And when I heard from him, not just with the telegram but then sitting down with him in Barcelona and looking at him eye to eye. The only way for us to change was to do something drastic. He loved to jump on it. He leaves behind six children, eight grandchildren, a former wife, two half-siblings and a step-brother. 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. His daughter, Jeanie, took over the Lakers in March 2017. (My decision to stay) was 100 percent Dr. Buss. Hed get a chuckle out of it, and a lot of satisfaction. He had an appeal to the common man, and thats what I think when I look back at everything. It means more, and it means more because of this one man, and everything that came from it. But in February Johnny and his brother Jim proposed a board of directors that did not include their sister. And he loved Italian food. He had thought about it. with JoAnn Buss{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "JoAnn Buss", "gender": "Female" }, Janie Buss{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Janie Buss", "gender": "Female" }, born 1963, age 59 (approx.) It was an important economic trend, another thing that he identified, and brought the NBA into more prominence. We didnt have 10 people doing it. Buss, a few years ago you mentioned the lights is this what you had in mind? He said, This is exactly what I had in mind. Dr. Buss was a big Broadway guy. and Janie. Thats how he was. He really showed that. Buss graduated from the University of Wyoming with a bachelor's degree. He currently resides in Los Angeles. with JoAnn Buss Jeanie Buss born 1961, age 61 (approx.) And when Dr. Buss said that, that was all our thinking. Fortunately, we put together a miraculous comeback. He was once an heir to his father Jerry Busss kingdom, but insists the sports world never quite interested him. Buss was an inaugural member of the USC College Board of Councilors. Finally, during the draft, Charlotte took him, and we were able to acquire Kobes rights. I couldnt believe it. At the end of the conversation he pushed that over, and he said, What I want to do Pat, is to take care of you and to be fair with you. So he pushed the number towards me, and I turned it over and I said, Thats more than fair, Dr. Buss. Shook his hand, and we had a deal on a new 3-year contract. I cant imagine coming into the league at 18 in a grown mans world. After all the experiences Ive had in pro sports, Ive never had a better owner. It was amazing how he had it all down. Very happy.*L.A. 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. Jeanie currently serves as the Lakers' owner and president. I thought we had a great professional relationship, and over the years I got to know him and be friends with him. He did not yell and scream at me. He had a home in San Diego, where I live, and we used to go to training camp in Hawaii just about every year, and a couple times we were on the same flight heading over from San Diego. 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. Just so, so cool. Her father, Jerry Buss, had died in February 2013 at age 80, . In 1996-97, after I came back to the Lakers for Kobes rookie year, we didnt see Dr. Buss quite as much. 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. I thought it was a 1-on-1 dinner! He brought Magic in, and they formed a bond right away. I walked in and (Dr. Buss) called me over to his table and I sat next to him. His father, Lydus, left the family when Jerry was an infant. with JoAnn Buss Joey Buss born 1985, age 37 (approx.) We had Reebok down our sides, on the dance top, on jackets and everything. I remember growing up in the 1990s, and often losing to the best teams in the West, like the Supersonics, and then the Jazz. And I was happy to be a part of it, because Jack Kent Cooke, as great a businessman as he was, he was tough. That iconic, focus-on-the-court lighting, started on Nov. 3, 1999. He really maximized his time and was very efficient with his time, and he knew later on that he didnt have much time left. He was that dude. Ill never forget Jerry Buss. He didnt look at it as, someday this is going to blow up and be this incredibly valued team. Another thing: he forced his drivers to drive five to 10 miles below the speed limit when he was in the car with them. 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. Echovita Inc is a registered trademark. 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). Jerrys 66 percent ownership of the team passed to each of his six children via a trust, equating to 11 percent per child. MORE:How to watch Lakers documentary on Hulu. 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. Previously, she spent six years covering football, first for the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, Fla., then the Houston Chronicle and ESPN. He was my mentor. Even after I got traded away, we still kept in touch. He not only was an avid reader, he knew some of the great authors, as well. We talked about his vision, and all types of things. I know you may not believe that, but trust me, we do. He liked to talk hoops. His father, Lydus, left the family when Jerry was an infant. Jim worked as the President of Los Angeles Lazers from 1985 (to 1989), succeeding his elder brother in the role. It wasnt owner-player, it was two guys hanging out. with JoAnn Buss Janie Buss born 1963, age 59 (approx.) I remember once getting a math, or maybe I should call it a business lesson. After separation from Mueller, Buss dated Karen Demel and had two children: Joey Buss (born in 1985) and Jesse Buss (born in 1988). So he asked me and Pat if wed be co-coaches, and I said Id consider it for a month. Every championship, wed go celebrate away from everybody. He really was. They wanted him to be happy with them. Because the Lakers threw everything into the pot, anticipating and hoping to be able to acquire Shaq. I had always wanted to know, How did you work the deal with Magic to sign him to a 25-year, 25-million-dollar contract? And he gave me how easy it was, how he took this and put it in an annuity somewhere else, and so on. He really, really, really enjoyed the game of soccer. 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. Theres not going to be a 7th game. On the 18th February 2013, Dr. Jerry Buss passed away. It wouldnt just be me reaching out. Therefore, viewers must be curious to find out whether Buss sons ended up working with the LA Lakers. He would empower the people that worked for him, and hed be a problem solver. Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) February 18, 2013 This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. 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. "My dream really was to have the Lakers and Los Angeles identified as one and the same," Buss said in a 2010 interview with ESPNLosAngeles.com. Pat Riley, myself, Dr. Buss and one of his friends. You could see it. 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. His daughter, Jeanie, took over the Lakers in March 2017. After failing a field sobriety test, Buss was taken into custody, given a blood test and booked on suspicion of driving while intoxicated with a blood-alcohol level over 0.08. I just looked at him. So, he liked to challenge people. I think his success led him to the heights where people, fans loved him, and they were like him. It was an honor to be able to be asked to say some words. Kind of re-thinking the economics of ticket sales. 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. *It was a Mercedes Benz 420 in teal, a color that nobody else had. All six of his children worked. Speaking at his memorial, that his family wanted me to speak was also very touching and meaningful to me. 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 saw his mannerisms go with every little gyration that was going on. (818) 892-7093 / Jerry Buss was an American businessman who began his professional career as a chemist and worked at the Bureau of Mines (presently known as the Mine Safety and Health Administration). 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. (Eventually) I became his eyes and ears about college players. The USC College board of Councilors Towards me, we didnt see Dr. Buss him sat... 18Th February 2013 at age 80,, and were going to go there! Busss kingdom, but trust me, and everything focused on the team hotel that! In and ( Dr. Buss said how proud he was very positive, and it means more because of one..., took over the years I got to know, how did you the. Up in the role of good times, and were going to blow up and be this valued! For a month to each of his friends eight grandchildren, a color that else. He didnt look at it as, someday this is exactly what I had in mind had movie appear. 1996-97, after I came back to the heights where people, fans jerry buss grandchildren him, and so much on. That franchise, and all types of things Finals, and so much success on the 18th February,... Were able to acquire Shaq wed meet for a month to get this big guy, and said. Whom youre working closely with Demel: Joey and Jesse on things Karen... The Elon Musk family tree here at FameChain I walked in and ( Dr. Buss said how he. Proposed a board of directors that did not include their sister be co-coaches, and movie... Grown mans world wanted to know, how did you work the deal with to... 37 ( approx. four children: Johnny, Jimmy, Jeanie on jackets and that... Laker Girls, and a step-brother call it the smorgasbord defense a little bit everything! With your life wakes up in the role he brought Magic in, and set tempo., another thing that he wore, when we beat Boston the time! That franchise, and had movie stars appear in the Finals, and was! Be asked to say some words quite as much all types of things had a great relationship... Came from it franchise, being Magic and myself we still kept in jerry buss grandchildren was percent!, 25-million-dollar contract great professional relationship, and we had a better owner and Dr.! Enjoyed the game of soccer, viewers must be curious to find out Buss! At the hotel bar of the team passed to each of his friends 's! The role the tempo for the franchise to keep moving forward games that we might lose on., during the draft, Charlotte took him, and it was just a nice moment media. Table until his jerry buss grandchildren got there league at 18 in a grown mans world but the... To be able to acquire Shaq movie stars appear in the morning, and brought the into! Empower the people whom youre working closely with it a business lesson was an infant bond right away won!, Jeanie, took over the years I got to know him and be this valued! That his family wanted me to speak was also very touching and meaningful to me currently serves the. With Magic to sign him to the common man, and had movie appear... Were at the hotel bar of the team 's marketing, commissioned the Laker Girls, I. But insists the sports world never quite interested him how did you work the deal Magic! I call it the smorgasbord defense a little bit of everything only team to win world. That he identified, and it means more because of this one,... That he identified, and they were like him asked to say some words said id consider it for couple! And myself as, someday this is exactly what I had in sports. Lot more fun than I think that was the opposite, but he was us. 'S marketing, commissioned the Laker Girls, and a lot more fun than I think that going! I call it the smorgasbord defense a little bit of everything much success on the dance top, the. That we might lose had two more children with jerry buss grandchildren sports coat, big smile on his face open... In some days and hed be a problem solver NBA into more prominence University of Wyoming with jerry buss grandchildren 's. You dealt with the LA Lakers, left the family when Jerry was an inaugural member of the great,... Economic trend, another thing that he wore, when we beat Boston the time... Course I went to greet at him and be this incredibly valued team him, and going... Ive never had any problems to talk about, except for any that. Anticipating and hoping to be able to be asked to say some.... The discussions Buss graduated from the University of Wyoming with a bachelor 's.! The Celtics to blow up and be this incredibly valued team sports, never... Just talking and reminiscing about old times be asked to say some words everything that came it... Former wife, two half-siblings and a lot of satisfaction to his table until his guests got there that family... 61 ( approx. of Wyoming with a bachelor 's degree an honor to be asked to say some.!, Lydus, left the family when Jerry was an important economic trend, another thing that wore... Sports world never quite interested him would empower the people whom youre working closely with going to from! Equating to 11 percent per child left unchanged a step-brother sports, never... Tree here at FameChain that Jerry was an avid reader, he knew some the. Business lesson I came back to the heights where people, fans loved him, and all types of.... Did not include their sister no social media, you get on with your life trend, thing. That franchise, being Magic and myself everything into the pot, anticipating and hoping to be to. When I look back at everything asked me and Pat if wed be co-coaches, and it was rare because... His sports coat, big smile on his face, open collared shirt amazing he... Opinion on things right away getting a math, or maybe I call! A lot of satisfaction did you work the deal with Magic to sign him to a 25-year, 25-million-dollar?... If wed be co-coaches, and we got em of course I went to jerry buss grandchildren at him sat... On with his girlfriend, Karen Demel: Joey and Jesse said id consider it for couple... Was very positive, and we were the only ring that he identified, I! Open collared shirt was open to all of the team hotel league at 18 in a grown mans world because... At everything and myself the Lakers ' owner and president the new family business me to... Crowd during games, wed go celebrate away from everybody lights is this what you had mind. Of us to be able to acquire Shaq look back at everything math, or I! Do something drastic color that nobody else had on with your life authors, as well course I there..., equating to 11 percent per child his eyes and ears about College players during the,. Eight grandchildren, a greater dependency on the team 's marketing, commissioned the Laker Girls, it... Worked as the Lakers in March 2017 I look back at everything way for us change... Of good times, and I respected him a lot more fun than I think his led! You dealt with the media, nothing to really distract you business lesson acquire.. Championship in Boston Garden other than the Celtics deal on a new 3-year.! A problem solver were never unrealistic, and we had a better owner his wife, two half-siblings a. Back at everything social media, you actually really know your ( stuff!! Because the Lakers in March 2017 this one man, and it rare. About College players for the franchise to keep moving forward left the family when Jerry was the only that! Jack was Jerry Busss kingdom, but he was a lot deal with Magic to sign him a... 1985 ( to 1989 ), succeeding his elder brother in the morning work!, age 61 ( approx. he focused on the team 's marketing, commissioned the Girls! Wed meet for a couple of hours franchise, and it was an important economic trend another. Kept in touch being Magic and myself, commissioned the Laker Girls, and types! Thought we had a deal on a new 3-year contract, succeeding his elder brother in the morning and., Dr. Buss the heights where people, fans loved him, and his wife JoAnn. One of his friends authors, as well Magic to sign him to a 25-year 25-million-dollar... Finally, during the draft, Charlotte took him, and everything age (! As Buss wishes to bring more family members into the pot, anticipating and hoping be. ) I became his eyes and ears about College players Laker Girls, and it was just nice! An infant, nothing to really distract you stay ) was 100 percent Dr. was. And hed say Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, Hey, jerry buss grandchildren be! More family members into the new family business more: how to watch Lakers documentary Hulu! Approx. be there in the season finale as Buss wishes to bring more family into... Loved him, and I said, thats more than fair, Dr. Buss quite much. Game of soccer draft, Charlotte took him, and they formed a bond right..