Dont talk about the owner. And thats what Dr. Buss did. The Buss siblings had a meeting the week after Dr Jerry Buss death, to discuss how the Lakers would work going forward. 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. Kurt Rambis doing his usual mischief, (having fun) with Dr. Buss. Shes trying to do the same thing her dad did, so thats great. And families who must make decisions about large amounts of money are bound to encounter conflict now and then. US based Meghan and Harry.. FameChain has their amazing trees. Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss, who presided over a team that won 10 NBA titles and showcased some of the biggest names in professional basketball, died Monday. 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). We just stayed the course. His first son did not want to carry on his love for basketball, his love for sports the way he wanted.. We always talked about why I did the business I did and how it was going to work. His passions, what brought him to the mindset of wanting to own a team and what he wants from a team, and then just L.A.; it was an all-new environment for me, and he wanted to make sure I knew about it and understand as much as I possibly could. Before owning one of the most iconic teams in the NBA, Jerry Buss grew up in Wyoming in the years after the Great Depression. Dr. Buss said how proud he was of us to be there in the Finals, and it was just a nice moment. He wanted it to be entertainment mixed in with a great team, and he was fortunate enough that he had a great team. Discover Jerry Buss's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. A teacher doesnt turn off the student with a tone of voice. 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. His name will already be remembered, but to have it right there (on the shorts) is pretty big. Gerald Hatten "Jerry" Buss was born on Jan. 27, 1933, in Salt Lake City. What are we arguing about? Then due to (certain circumstances), Jerry wanted us to be co-coaches. Thats why when hed make a decision, hed take the time to explain to me the thought process behind it, so Id always know where that decision was coming from and why he believed in particular. At that point, we seemed unbeatable. Even that youd think, well how can a guy (that processed things so fast) not make a mistake? Id never been in a Porsche before. It was a really intimate moment. 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. Buss purchased the team, reported to be worth around $1 billion, in 1979. Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty. It was a way to motivate us to be efficient. Dr. Buss liked to go the horse races at Hollywood Park, and he was great at picking winners. He had thought about it. Not only evidenced by his 10 NBA Championships but also from his sports marketing successes such as creating a regional sports network, establishing the first-ever NBA dance squad, "The Laker Girls," and, of course, designing the VIP row featuring the "Jack Nicholson" seats. However, Johnny stated that he did not wish to be a part of the family business. I was like, Listen, I havent talked to anybody from the Lakers organization, no one has called me, I dont know if its true. He said, Well, we think its true, weve talked to Jerry West. I said, Well you know what, I dont know who the manager is of this team. It was a very unique way of conducting business. 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. He said, I think the desire to be an owner left when my dad passed away. If it wasnt for Dr. Buss, thered be no Jerry Jones. He was 80 years old. He would call me in some days and hed say Hey, hey, be a coach. 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. Thats one thing different about Dr. Buss different from owners back in the day he was a celebrity too. Nights after the game, hed tease me, because wed go to have dinner at Dan Tanas or somewhere like that, and Id say, I have to go home, we have practice in the morning. And hed say, Thats why I love you. (After winning a title), if we didnt bring Lamar back, that would have been hard. 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. MORE:How to watch Lakers documentary on Hulu. How he figured out our monetary system, the Coast Guard, customs, the first inspector general of the Army ridiculous. The Lazers also played in The Forum. I never had a relationship like this, and nor did he. Geni requires JavaScript! From my standpoint, when I got in, Magic had been in the league for a few years and they were really close. Therefore, viewers must be curious to find out whether Buss sons ended up working with the LA Lakers. And little did we know wed be teammates months later extremely serendipitous. We drafted Ronny, were ready to sign him, but first we sent him in for a physical exam. Wed talk about business. If you got up five miles over the speed limit, hed say, What are you doing? After separation from Mueller, Buss dated Karen Demel and had two children: Joey Buss (born in 1985) and Jesse Buss (born in 1988). This was like brothers. Fans could see celebrities sitting along the sidelines, live bands playing music and the famous "Laker Girls" doing their dance routines. I was a rookie. When he said that on the podium at the Forum, we were just trying to celebrate the previous title, but he knew what he was doing. We won that as a group. Fast facts to know about Lakers owner before release of Hulu documentary, Buss said in a 2010 interview with ESPNLosAngeles.com. I think that was the only ring that he wore, when we beat Boston the first time. won 3-0 against Denver, 4-1 against Golden State and 4-0 against Seattle. The first hour was always just talking and telling stories and visiting. I expect too much from the players, and the way I interact with players is terrible, its not who I am and I dont want to do it. Everybody today should be thanking him. There was no question about that. The latest installment of BEYOND THE GLORY goes beyond the glitz and glamour of the Lakers' owner and takes an in-depth look at the personal lives and struggles of one of sports' most well . Daniel's 5th outing as Bond gets bums back on seats in the cinema. We just started talking about the crazy journey that weve been on. That was so special. Luckily that first year the players, in spite of my lack of experience, we won the championship and the rest is history. 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. Im not saying that Jerry was the opposite, but he was a lot more fun than I think Jack was. So I want you to play confident. Then at times, if I was struggling a bit later in the season, wed do it again. Id run into him in Los Angeles at various places and said hello. He came up with the concept of the floor seats, and making them the most special seat in any sporting event anywhere. In 1979, Buss bought the Lakers, the NHL's Kings and The Forum, where the Lakers and Kings played their games, from Cooke in exchange for $67.5 million, the Chrysler Building and other properties. The whole way, hed keep track on his watch, and we had to get there on the dot at 12:00. She was given up for adoption because, as her adoption papers stated, her parents didn't have the time,. He leaves behind six children, eight grandchildren, a former wife, two half-siblings and a step-brother. Jerrys 66 percent ownership of the team passed to each of his six children via a trust, equating to 11 percent per child. He would talk about how he could go anywhere in the city and people loved the Lakers. Really cool. 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. 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. From his home in Northridge, Johnny Buss asked his young sons to give him a moment so he could make a phone call. Coincidentally, I went to work out the next morning, and I was looking for gyms out there. In 1996-97, after I came back to the Lakers for Kobes rookie year, we didnt see Dr. Buss quite as much. He put his imprint on the league fast, and then we win the championship too? All of these great people spoke about him. The couple has four children together two elder sons, Johnny Buss (born in 1956), James "Jim" Buss (born in 1959), and two younger daughters in Jeanie Buss (born in 1961) and Janie Buss (born in 1963). I thought we had a great professional relationship, and over the years I got to know him and be friends with him. Hes probably one of the best owners in the history of the NBA. Buss died of cancer on Feb. 18, 2013. You understood the genius of this man, because youre dealing with a guy whos just on a different plane. And hed say, I want you to come to Vegas in a week. Everywhere we went, everybody would holler our names. This is not to say there wont be disagreements. It's always been about putting it back into the team.. While I was in the Spurs locker room, I was like, OK, thats cool, on the outside. And he got it right every single time. 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. Charlie is 5 years old and Chayton is 6, so that idea was as much wishful thinking as a sincere request. He also taught me how to be a leader and to hire the best people and let them do their jobs. 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. We had some tumultuous losses. So that was an awkward couple of days. Magic was like his third son after Jimmy and Johnny before Jesse and Joey were born. I was there with my wife; wed just gotten married the year before. His vision inspired us and gave us the OK to be, sometimes, and thats pretty cool. Dr. Buss knew his team needed more wins than losses, but he also knew they needed to entertain. It was kind of cool to be a player and celebrate in the locker room with him in 1985 as a youngster. Jeanie was always going to be slated as running the business side for as long as she lived, Johnny said. And that was pretty special to hear. With his franchise point guard at the helm, Dr. Buss saw to the creation of Showtime, an all-time great sports dynasty that saw the Lakers go to the NBA Finals nine times in 12 years, amassing five championships with their owner front and center. Eventually, all three teams moved into a more modern arena in downtown Los Angeles, the Staples Center, which opened in 1999. 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. Having him around, you always felt support. I walked in and (Dr. Buss) called me over to his table and I sat next to him. In the summer of 2007, Kobe Bryant requested a trade from the Lakers. One of the great things about my dad is that no matter how successful he was, and no matter how much in the public spotlight he was, he always valued his family. Ill never forget Jerry Buss. Coach him! Obviously, Kobe was able to do that with the help of the franchise. He loved being around the guys. Never talked down to people. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. 1 overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. My dad could see talent, and he knew how to approach and get the best out of each person. We used to meet almost every month at his house and have lunch, and the lunch was always the same. That helped motivate you to want to keep doing that. Thats when I got to meet Magics family. Jerry always planned to pass down the Lakers to his children via a trust. Buss, who was 80 when he died of. Buss earned a scholarship to the University of Wyoming, graduating with a B.S. And especially on airplanes, hed always ask me what I was reading, because he was an avid reader. But I always had a relationship with Dr. Buss, even after that. California Trust Notification Requirements, Probate Without a Will / Intestate Succession, 9018 Balboa Blvd., #620, Northridge, CA 91325, Lakers expected to remain a Buss family-owned team,, Man Leaves $1 Million Estate to Actors Hed Never Met, Doctors Can Assist in Communication with Health Care Proxy. I dont wear designer clothes. You could say he and Steinbrenner were the first to grow probably bigger than the franchise. He hired good people and he let them do their jobs, he trusted them. This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged. Just a great feeling to play for an organization that had a leader like Dr. Buss. It was amazing. 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. He would listen to things. Dr. Buss was open to all of the discussions. Id just moved up to live with him in Playa Vista in 2006, and late one night after a game he was drinking wine. I always (respected) how Dr. Buss interacted with people around the stadium. In January 2008, Buss donated $7.5 million to USC's Department of Chemistry to fund two endowed chairs and an endowed scholarship fund for chemistry graduate students; the two chairs were to be named after his mentors at USC, professors Sidney Benson and David Dows. Dr. Buss saw the Lakers becoming something, more of an entertainment value than just a sports value, and the league has adopted, to a large degree, that same mentality. Let the women be the show, get the attention. Kurt Rambis and I were two guys where he talked to us in adulation, and at the same time, fully appreciated what we brought to the table every single night. He was there to support us. Dr. Buss literally went through every moment vicariously with us. 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. And Jerry West pulled off the biggest free agent signing there ever was when he brought Shaquille ONeal in 1996. He loved the players. That meant a lot to us at that particular time, because it was a very difficult time, uncertain. 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. Hed recommend books for me to read. Many Los Angeles Lakers fans mourned the passing of the team's primary owner, Jerry Buss, on Monday. 43 years later, the combined purchase of both teams would be a fraction of the Lakers' current . Recently he has become a father figure to Demel's. This franchise and that franchise, and we got em. 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.