Veteran guys. We had a few. Like the Lakers, the In the late 1980s, we were living in Encinitas, California, and my father was home with a family friend, and they needed to go watch the Lakers game against Boston, so they locked themselves up in his bedroom. I just wanted some of that Salisbury steak and a good meal. 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 was the perfect owner to play for. He was in the entertainment business. That helped save this league. Its more than just going out there and playing. And so, when I became an assistant coach because of Jack McKinneys injury, and then all of a sudden I became the head coach on an interim basis, and Jerry Buss thinking and probably speaking to Jerry West about, Im going to turn over a $100 million asset to a guy whos never, ever coached and Jerry (West) and I had a good relationship, but I dont think he thought that I had the chops to really be a head coach. Even though he provided for us wonderfully, we were starved for the love of a father.. 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. Today, you cant. We had a bunch of ideal guys Kareem Abdul Jabbar and James Worthy next to Earvin. In December 2019, her mother, JoAnn, died at 86. And I remember I was working as a scout when my dad called and let me know about us acquiring Pau Gasol. Her brother Johnny said, We knew Dad only as the guy who came over on weekends and took us to McDonalds. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Read our revised Privacy Policy and Copyright Notice. 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. abandoned Buss and the rest of his family when Jerry was a young child. an angel. For the second year in a He was the first one who recommended Angels and Demons, before it became a really big hit. Later on in the day, Dr. Buss was having a picnic for all his employees. Keep reading to Shes trying to do the same thing her dad did, so thats great. He was a master at dealing with people, a genius businessman, and really just as good with people as he was with business. father, who went on to teach statistics at Berkeley, Jerry loved math and I sense that youre deferring to these guys a little bit. Back in those days you could actually raise your voice to players and theyd understand. The Lakers are on fire. to the league at a key time in the late 70s. Dr. Buss was open to all of the discussions. I think now people are saying, She belongs, Buss said. I dont do death very well. He had it all memorized in his head. I couldnt believe it. Theres no secret why the Lakers had had so much success under him. This significantly impacted Lee for a long time, and she was eager to learn more about her biological parents. It was estimated his 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.) Dr. Buss was the first celebrity owner in all of sports. He was my mentor. He then introduced his sister, Jeanie Buss, and the Lakers president proceeded to execute a few well-timed jokes to the delight of the sellout crowd. Less than two weeks later, on New Years Day, David Stern the former N.B.A. He and I would sit there drinking rum and cokes, talking about strategy, talking about the game. But it was one of the toughest things Ive encountered physically, mentally and emotionally. (Jerry and JoAnn divorced in 1972.) Id run into him in Los Angeles at various places and said hello. Jerrys wish is being fulfilled. Titled Pretty, Funny Women, the class is designed for women who are first-time comedians, no matter their age, race or economic status. I said, Were trying to repeat, and I know you love winning championships, and a key piece of that is Lamar Odom. 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. And then Id go home. The Dwarfs were gifted championship rings when the Lakers won titles and were granted carte blanche access to all Laker home games and events at the Fabulous Forum / Great Western Forum / Staples Center. Trying to clear the air. Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss (January 27, 1933 February 18, 2013) was an American businessman, real estate investor, and chemist. The Lazers also played in The Forum. Dr. Buss created that. At the end of the day, I said, I think we have better players around you here than you do in Orlando. After moving to Wyoming, He was the mastermind. 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. 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. See FameChain's massive Trump family tree. Really cool. Buss had four children with his wife, JoAnn Mueller: Johnny, Jim, Jeanie and Janie. It was like watching a 17-year-old guy just batter a 30-something year old guy, and youd expect itd be a lot more balanced than that. It was a great relationship for a number of years. Laker fans didnt have explained this lack of acceptance made him a very compassionate person. This Cooper took over the Sparks as head coach in the 2000-01 off-season, and He truly cared about how we were doing, how our families were doing. Or hed ask us about contracts, and certain trade scenarios. Jim Buss maintains his 11% stake in the teams ownership. He also taught me how to be a leader and to hire the best people and let them do their jobs. 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. And I walked right by him. in the history of the NBA to achieve a three-peat. The previous 18 months had been heavy for Buss. Very happy.*L.A. In this article, we look sports team he acquired in 1979 didnt have nearly the same success as the I thought their relationship was great. [16] During his time as Lakers owner, Buss was widely known as a playboy and had a string of young girlfriends. I played two years for Mr. Cooke, so I could really see the difference (right away). It wasnt an accident, and the Laker brand exploded. She was born on September 26, 1961, and is the third child of four born to Jerry and JoAnn Buss. Even after I got traded away, we still kept in touch. We never had any problems to talk about, except for any games that we might lose. Jeanie Buss is the third child of four born to Jerry and JoAnn Buss. governance and strategic initiatives for the organization and controlling ownership held by the various Buss family trusts. But I always had a relationship with Dr. Buss, even after that. Dr. Buss knew his team needed more wins than losses, but he also knew they needed to entertain. 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. The Forum, where Jeanie later attained the position of president, served as the Lakers home venue until 1998. I think its because he commanded that respect. The Jerry Buss Family. Jeanie and Jim Buss chat before the start of a news conference to introduce Dwight Howard as the Lakers new center on Aug. 10, 2012. But how can I contribute? He didnt walk around with a big hammer. He put his imprint on the league fast, and then we win the championship too? He also held We really hit it off. 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. No one has the formula to win a championship, but you always be relevant and be part of the conversation and give yourself a chance to win., Buss hasnt shared where her relationship with her brothers stands today but in 2021, Johnny Buss told the New York Times that his sister really matured and he said hes very proud of her, but it doesnt mean Ill talk to her much., During Buss fight with her brothers over the Lakers, her younger sister Janie stayed by her side. We had something to talk about immediately, and he was flattered to know that I was aware. However, the two have remained close and Buss called Jackson the most important relationship in my life in a New York Times interview. My mom just was a sweetheart, she said. [20], In 2012, Buss was in a hospital for months with an undisclosed intestinal problem. Dr. Jerry Buss might best be called the accidental owner of one of the greatest franchises in professional sports history. Jeanie Buss was devastated. But lo and behold, we had won again, in dramatic fashion, and I remember the look in Dr. Busss eye, like, We made the right decision.. own 11% each. 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. According to Jerrys He created new revenue streams; thats why everybody has a club now. Back then, you could drive in right off the street. In a limousine When Buss began attending the N.B.A.s Board of Governors meetings for the Lakers in 1995, she was intimidated by some of the glares directed her way. He was always like that. Finding great success in the real estate business, he pursued real estate investing full time. Any age group, any ethnic group. A little more than four years later, at 41, she was appointed executive vice president of the Lakers. Whatever Lamar got paid was worth it. Theres not going to be a 7th game. Ten championships? another all-time great team following the acquisition of the then 17-year-old Id have at least expected a phone call or something. And little did we know wed be teammates months later extremely serendipitous. We really were a family, and we were intact as a team, and all the families were invested. Lakers. We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. He made my dreams come true when he welcomed him to the Lakers family. I remember once getting a math, or maybe I should call it a business lesson. He basically created premium seating, and nobody else was doing this stuff at the time. She was 34; he was 17. We were playing for not just ourselves but everybody. [17], Buss had two more children with a girlfriend, Karen Demel: Joey (b. 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. I was there with my wife; wed just gotten married the year before. Jerry Buss was known primarily for being the owner of the LA Lakers. Told by a waiter at Jinkys Cafe in Studio City, Calif., that the restaurant serves Tater Tots, she claps and beams as if she is watching Lakers forward Anthony Davis dunk. cheerleaders, added music during breaks, and even recruited a house band to Hed play his cards. We used to sit at his house and eat the same thing, Chinese chicken salad from California Pizza Kitchen, and wed sit there and just talk. After Jerrys death, his children took up various roles within [] He talked about beating the Celtics. And I was really just flabbergasted. I connected with him more through others, some of the people that were tight with him, who would always tell me that Dr. Buss owned other professional sports franchises in Southern California. Rookie owner, rookie player and we did it. When he approached a problem, he never panicked, he never screamed, he was methodical in his approach. He is the greatest team owner ever. He loved to jump on it. It was a conversation that only he and I knew about. So, Dr. Buss was one of the coolest owners Ive been around. In 1979, Buss purchased This was before smart phones, so there was no cheating. 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. Thats what he wanted to do in his life. 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. What was a heavy burden alone can now be shared and aired out. OK but I dont just want your money, I also want you do this, this and this to build our brand. He cut deals that were unheard of in those days, and I witnessed that. This franchise and that franchise, and we got em. Once, he asked her out to lunch and brought Gianna. Buss first started the course in 2013 after her fathers death, but she gave up three weeks in. Youve got this really good looking coach in Pat Riley whos completely Hollywood. Wed celebrate, have the parade, have a party, and then hed go to Vegas. She is responsible for all aspects of the team. coached by Jackson. He wasnt born in Los Angeles, but it was his home, and he loved it here. Jerry West called it the Shaq Diet. We cant let him go. And he said, I know Earvin. I havent seen that a lot in my 11 years being around the league, owners being that human. It came down to Game 7 at Staples Center, and halfway through the game I felt very defeated. Youd pick up three of them, and it was the same trade tweaked multiple times. Just sit and let the dust settle, and a decision will be evident to you. But then right away, the Lakers started winning championships, and Showtime was coined, and little did I know that Id get a chance to join them years later. As executive vice president, Jeanie was in charge of the organizations business operations. Fortunately, we put together a miraculous comeback. After we won our first championship in 1980, we hugged, and said, Can you believe this? team. We didnt plan to meet, but after work one time, I stopped at Dan Tanas by myself. with Karen Demel{ "@context": "http://schema.org", "@type": "Person", "name": "Karen Demel", "gender": "Female" }, View Jerry Buss's Family Tree and History, Ancestry and Genealogy, Jerry Buss's father is Lydus Buss Jerry Buss's mother is Jessie Buss, Jerry Buss's son is Johnny Buss Jerry Buss's son is Jim Buss Jerry Buss's daughter is Jeanie Buss Jerry Buss's daughter is Janie Buss Jerry Buss's son is Joey Buss Jerry Buss's son is Jesse Buss, Jerry Buss had a relationship with Karen Demel, Jerry Buss had an on-off relationship with Puppi Buss Jerry Buss's former wife is JoAnn Buss. Busss long-term relationship with Phil Jackson, center, began to unravel after he moved to New York to work for the Knicks. You have cap space and you go for big stars, but that was something my dad was going to outline the blueprint for. 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