His vision really helped make these moments possible. I was with Jerry West, (a.k.a.) See FameChain's massive Trump family tree. The thing he taught me the best is that he maximized his days. Wed usually eat, hang out by the pool and talk after the morning session, and then after the evening session, a lot of times wed go to dinner together. But it appears as though Johnny began a career in sports management in 1975 and later became the Executive Vice President of Strategic Development of the Los Angeles Lakers for several years. Well, at that time, Jack Kent Cooke was going through a divorce, and he moved to Nevada to establish residency in order to process his divorce as a citizen of Nevada, which had different settlement laws. Buss earned a scholarship to the University of Wyoming, graduating with a B.S. [1], Born in Salt Lake City and raised in Kemmerer, Wyoming, Buss was raised by his divorced mother, Jessie. Dr. Buss, many nights after the games where hed come down to the locker room after everybody cleared out. Its unbelievable what he did. I would watch him ask them how their grandchildren were, if they graduated knowing people by name. I thought, Wow, this is awesome. What impressed me most about him was he would speak to the parking attendant, the staff, anybody he just liked people, and you felt that about him. Jerry was confident that it was going to happen, said Jerrys longtime friend and spokesman Bob Steiner to The Sun Sentinel. But in February Johnny and his brother Jim proposed a board of directors that did not include their sister. It wasnt even close. Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss (January 27, 1933 February 18, 2013) was an American businessman, real estate investor, and chemist. 1 overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. When Jerry Buss died, the Lakers were passed on through four trusts that split 66% of the franchise among his six children. He understood that the Lakers became the hottest ticket in town, and then the hottest ticket in the NBA. Dr. Buss calls down there, and he says, Coop did you get your thing. I said, What are you talking about? Dr. Buss had given me a brand new Mercedes * with six miles on it for me winning Defensive Player of the Year. Theyd fax over every scenario they had for Shaq trades. At the end of the day, it was almost like a perfect puzzle. 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. "When you think New York, you think Yankees. We didnt tell Mitch (Kupchak), we didnt tell anybody about that. We thought it was great. Afterwards, I had to go to the hospital for three days. He, with his real estate background, realized that people would pay just like for a house on the beach. After the championship in 1980, it was like the rocket just took off. 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 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. When you hire someone and they meet your qualifications, let them do their job, and go from there. After the proposal set forth by Johnny, Jim and their attorneys failed, the two brothers resigned as trustees of the Buss Family Trusts and as members of the board of directors. He noticed for a few years that the owner, Jack Kent Cooke, was not attending Laker games. So I had the surgery, and one of the first phone calls I got when I got home was from Dr. Buss, just calling to check in on me. All of these great people spoke about him. 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. (Jessie later remarried when Jerry was 12 years old.). We knew when we got on that plane and we were going to beat the Celtics in Game 6. It wasnt just owner-athlete relationship, it was more like a family with his employees. And then Id go home. He also served as the President of the Los Angeles Lazers, a professional indoor soccer team, and the Los Angeles Sparks, a professional womens basketball team. So Jerry Buss does not still own the Lakers, but his children do. Finding great success in the real estate business, he pursued real estate investing full time. 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. Dr. Buss was very thoughtful. Make sure relatives of Betty Jean Buss know they have sympathy messages here. Meghan Mountbatten Windsor, The Duchess of Sussex. Everything changed when me and my brother Joey were at my dads beach house in Carlsbad, and he told us: Were going to hire Phil Jackson, but you cant tell anybody. I was 11 at the time, and I knew he had been the Bulls coach, but I didnt know what it necessarily meant. Discover Jerry Buss's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. 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. Hed call me every once in a while. With 10 NBA championships under his belt, Jerry was the single most decorated owner in sports history. And especially on airplanes, hed always ask me what I was reading, because he was an avid reader. 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. I dont wear designer clothes. I never had a relationship like this, and nor did he. Coming from Yugoslavia, I had some issue with military service, and there was an issue there that Dr. Buss made sure to let me know he was behind me and my family no matter what. And that resonated all the way back to Los Angeles. Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss was born on Jan. 27, 1933, in Salt Lake City. The bigger, the bolder, the better. That was wonderful, to get my game back in gear for the next five games (after the Memorial Day Massacre). won 3-0 against Denver, 4-1 against Golden State and 4-0 against Seattle. You can be super successful and win at the highest level while being a great father and family man, and also still have a social life. I was a little uptight, and didnt really know what to expect, so my first impression just totally relaxed me. He liked to challenge us. We got something new, but we also got something that even if we didnt get Shaquille, we got a draw. Eventually, all three teams moved into a more modern arena in downtown Los Angeles, the Staples Center, which opened in 1999. After about 40 minutes, I said, Weve seen enough. But it was really through (his agent Arn Tellum) and the Bryant family, that (teams passed on him). Wed come up with Steve Blake and Matt Barnes, and my dad was fully supportive of it, and cleared it with Mitch and Jim, and we ended up signing them. My thoughts and prayers are with the family & friends of Dr. Jerry Buss. We were so confident. All the big decisions had always been at Jerry Buss's feet and therefore the family were trying to determine who would now be the shot caller. Buss always referred to the Lakers as his extended family, and his players rewarded his fanlike excitement with devotion, friendship and two hands full of championship rings. Id played the whole season with a torn ligament. In other words, how offensive could it be? 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? The team folded in 1989 and the league folded three years later. Meghan Markle. He was just one of those type of guys. Its easy to say that he was the best sports owner around the world. I think the desire to be an owner left when my dad passed away, Johnny said. It became a happening. Youre serious about winning and your craft. He understood me. We reached our natural peak as a team in 87, 88 and 89. In 1978, they moved to the Forum from the Sports Arena, and my dad was a big sports fan, so hed go to Laker games. I miss him a lot. Some owners look at it like a business, only. I just wanted some of that Salisbury steak and a good meal. (Fast forward to the Finals) against Indiana, and in the 4th quarter and my dad grabs me and Jesse with a minute left in the game, and he says, We gotta go! He just took us down to the court. with JoAnn Buss Janie Buss born 1963, age 59 (approx.) 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. The purchase price, $67.5 million, made it the largest transaction in sports history at that time. So I got back to L.A., and Dr. Buss called me in his office, and hes like, look, This is a business, this is the way it goes, we dont have to tell you. I said, I at least expect a phone call. He said I understand youre upset, it was taken out of context. Of course, I had to go talk to Magic too, and Magic said Theyd have to give up a lot more to get James Worthy. You know how that goes. EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Jerry Buss' children intend on carrying out their father's succession plan for the Los Angeles Lakers following the iconic owner's death Monday. But I hadnt seen him yet. I remember my son Thomas jumping in my arms, and he was five or six years old, and I was so tired, I could barely lift him. We made it a mission to play them again in 1985, to prove to ourselves and the world that we could beat them. When they were taking a break, let the women have center stage. He bought me dinner. 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. Many Los Angeles Lakers fans mourned the passing of the team's primary owner, Jerry Buss, on Monday. He was always sitting behind the bench during games and was such a basketball junkie, he just loved being around. USC Band. I remember once getting a math, or maybe I should call it a business lesson. New Jersey in 2002 was great; we stayed in New York. 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. Am I going to have to go back to serve the army? (Towards the end) we were just talking and reminiscing about old times. And he had his hands on everything. He showed that you dont really have to lock yourself down in one area as a person. Could you imagine sitting in the front row for every concert? Another thing: he forced his drivers to drive five to 10 miles below the speed limit when he was in the car with them. Dr. Buss told me how (Stone) came up with the title. 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. That was the plan that I understood.. You wanted to give him a little extra. You can. And when (my wife) Chris and I would have dinner with Dr. Buss, he was very gracious with Chris. 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. Darrell C. Harriman Law Fast facts to know about Lakers owner before release of Hulu documentary, Buss said in a 2010 interview with ESPNLosAngeles.com. 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. So I want you to play confident. Then at times, if I was struggling a bit later in the season, wed do it again. He then reached a major advertising agreement with Great Western Bank for the naming rights to The Forum, resulting in the official name of the building being changed to the Great Western Forum. We won that as a group. His patience stands out (to me) the most. Its not just another team in the league. And thats what he, thats what we, created. 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.. Wed watch Lakers games together before he bought the team, and all hed talk about was, Someday Im gonna own that team. And (a couple of years later) he did. Buss is survived by sons Johnny, Jim, Joey and Jesse and daughters Jeanie Buss and Janie Drexel; eight grandchildren; former wife JoAnn; half-sister Susan Hall of Phoenix; half-brother Micky. Johnny says its all a misunderstanding. Its one thing from your colleagues, its another when its your boss. He was a mentor to me in a lot of ways. [7] On February 14, 2013, it was revealed that Buss had been battling cancer since 2012. Everybody today should be thanking him. He allowed Jerry West to make the bulk of the basketball decisions, and Dr. Buss would give him the yay or nay, and most of the time it was a yay. Im not saying that Jerry was the opposite, but he was a lot more fun than I think Jack was. My dad was working with Jerry West, trying to build this team that was a playoff team, but not a contender. He sold the team in 2006. Ultimately we came back and made another offer and Lamar took it. In exchange, Cooke received a lease to the Chrysler Building in New York City, along with properties in Virginia, Massachusetts, and Maryland. I know youre going to shoot straight. He would listen to Jerry (West), Phil but then hed get the confirmation from me. He lived a true rags-to-riches story, as he learned the value of hard work at a young age. But I do remember saying I dont know who management is.. Hed get a chuckle out of it, and a lot of satisfaction. And we just talked about how cool it would be if we could actually end up playing together, but I hardly gave it a thought, because I thought there was no way they would trade me to the Lakers. 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. Rookie owner, rookie player and we did it. Worthy, Riley, Magic, Cooper, and Buss Celebrate the 1987 Title. Buss died of cancer on Feb. 18, 2013. And I offered Vlade Divac to everyone, a starting center. 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. I do remember after we won that year, on the night of Game 7, and looking in Dr. Busss eyes as he was being presented the trophy. Most people at that level were pretty standoffish. 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. 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. The teacher looked at me and said, Dont get your hopes up too much. 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. And his business smarts (also kicked in), and the Laker Girls got branded through Reebok. Back then, you could drive in right off the street. He was also a country singer who performed at dive bars, among his favorite jobs. 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. All these companies want to do business with the Lakers? Fans could see celebrities sitting along the sidelines, live bands playing music and the famous "Laker Girls" doing their dance routines. I was also in a position where I felt like I needed to move on and change scenery in a different situation because Memphis was going through a very tough, tough stretch with (former Grizzlies owner Michael) Heisley trying to sell the team, and constant rebuilding. I didnt really have an agent at the time. That confluence doesnt happen very often, and Dr. Buss was very much able to get with the moment and enjoy the moment. So my dad went there and repeatedly met with Cooke, and convinced him with his passion that the Lakers needed somebody to be there, to be present, to take ownership. He always wanted to make his family feel important, and he showed that in many different ways. 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. Hed say, Jeanie, the Lakers are what connects the community, and when theyre not winning, then were not being part of the community. Its almost like the Lakers are owned by the fans. Me coming from a DIII school, Im one of the youngest, unknown guys, lowest on the totem pole. HBO's "Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty" introduced younger viewers to Dr. Jerry Buss, whom Kobe Bryant once called "the greatest owner in sports, ever." She is survived by : her children, Gail Kruse (Jim) of Sunrise Beach, MO and Jerry Buss of Beatrice; her grandchildren, Jennifer Surface (Matt), Brooke Pohlman (Jordan), Kelsey Weishahn (Spencer), Abbee Buss, Bryce Buss (Cheyanne) and Abby Morgan (Tristan); her great grandchildren, Kaysee Meyer, Collin Surface, River Morgan and Weishahn; her siblings, Anora Schoen and Ron Busboom (Verla); and her siblings-in-law, Marlene Busboom, Karen Buss, Betty St. Clair and Kenny Miller. Copyright FameChain 2023, All rights reserved. I remember the locker room celebration with Dr. Buss after we won Game 6 in L.A., and he was just like the rest of us sitting at the bar just talking and kibitzing. If I was offended by the book, or what my feelings were. It was an extension of the brand, a way to reach Los Angeles. He was a brilliant, incredible owner, but he was even a better person with a great heart. What a unique talent he was. Family and friends are welcome to leave their condolences on this memorial page and share them with the family. A prayer was held on Tuesday, February 28th 2023 at 9:45 AM at the St. John Lutheran Church (701 N 6th St, Beatrice, NE 68310). We all love this sport, basketball, but there are other things to enjoy in life as well, and he certainly enjoyed them all. Pat did a great job good basketball mind, and he had the work ethic to achieve that. Reports suggest Prince Charles will live "in a flat above the shop" when he becomes king. 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