Most people at that level were pretty standoffish. Thats pretty good. It wasnt much of a workout. Jerry Buss Children Johnny Buss born 1956, age 66 (approx.) MORE:How to watch Lakers documentary on Hulu. To speak about what Dr. Buss meant to the Lakers and to basketball, to the NBA, period. And he had his hands on everything. A funeral service was held on Tuesday, February 28th 2023 at 10:00 AM at the same location. Now, after we won the title that first year in 1999-2000, Id go back to Dr. Buss to ask for approval of updated price codes, and Id have a document that compared last years price codes to what I was suggesting for the 2000-01 season. People thought it meant you had to have a superstar, but it really wasnt about that, it was about the winning, and then people would see the superstars because we were winning. I remember the first game that we played in Michigan*, at the Silver Dome, and it was a home game for us. But thats how I got to know him and the Buss family. When he got a chance to buy it, it was his biggest thrill at that point in time. And he would wander off into other aspects of life, and he was so smart, and so brilliant, so well read in a lot of different areas that it was truly intriguing for me at that time, unbeknownst to me what was going on, that I was getting the education of a lifetime as a head coach and also as a man. So I talked to the NBA, and that started the process of us putting the lighting in that we have now. I thought he was kidding. 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. 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. It was the first time we actually felt a part of something. I get this call, and (am told) Dr. Buss wants to see you. So, he liked to challenge people. You dont realize these things until you get my age, that you have these kinds of people, that theyre not just your boss. She was predeceased by : her husband Gerald Buss; her sons, Phil Buss and Chris Buss; her parents, Ehme Busboom and Jennie Busboom (Ideus); her siblings, Rosie Miller and Gerald Busboom; her siblings-in-law, Barbara Wrightsman (Don) and Robert Schoen; and her parents-in-law, Herman and Alvina Buss. Then he wanted to work out for us one more time, so Michael Cooper, whod been retired for a year or two, we asked him to come out and participate. It was a nice event, because hed ask every player and every coach to say a few words, and it was a nice atmosphere. We thought it was great. They didnt sell the naming rights, they (used their name). Dr. Buss responded by sending Kobe a telegram from Italy. I just think he did a great job with the opportunity that he had, and his vision has really benefitted the game. 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. Jeanie currently serves as the Lakers' owner and president. If there was a possibility of me getting totally out of the Lakers, then I was open to it.. I guess it took everyone by surprise, but actually it worked out great for him, great for the Lakers, and he went on to produce some championship teams here in Los Angeles. What people dont realize is that Phil (Jackson) and them called me when we were about to lose Lamar Odom, and said, youre the only one (Dr. Buss) will listen to. (Jessie later remarried when Jerry was 12 years old.). Once you dealt with the media, you get on with your life. Winning drove both of us. His first son did not want to carry on his love for basketball, his love for sports the way he wanted.. Theyll like this! Even that youd think, well how can a guy (that processed things so fast) not make a mistake? I had to prove that I could play in the NBA. The NBA lost a great man. It was very personal with him. The fact that he was still one of us in a sense, because it was all about him having a good time, and if we met him at any certain point, hed always invite us over if we were at the same club or something. Playing for him was one of the best highlights of my life. 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. He knew we had a great team, and he dealt with the good and the bad. In lieu of flowers a memorial has been established to St. John Lutheran Church and Cottonwood Hospice both in Beatrice and Gold Crest Center in Adams. At the time of his death, a Buss family spokesperson declared that the children had "no interest in ever selling the team.". Jeanie, Dr. Buss and I spent a lot of time talking about price sensitivity. He was a little bit more military stylistic of leadership than Jerry was. Before he embraced the Playboy philosophy in the mid-1960s, he. Every championship, wed go celebrate away from everybody. We talked about where he was at in his life the Lakers we covered everything. He brought Magic in, and they formed a bond right away. All six of his children worked. He had been in and out of the hospital for more than a year before his death. He would also search through his hometown looking for old telephone books and other paper products to stuff into his fireplace in order to provide heat for his home. I was a little uptight, and didnt really know what to expect, so my first impression just totally relaxed me. Copyright 2023 Echovita Inc. All rights reserved. After separation from Mueller, Buss dated Karen Demel and had two children: Joey Buss (born in 1985) and Jesse Buss (born in 1988). That when you think L.A., you think Lakers. The bigger, the bolder, the better. He inspired the Lakers' Showtime era with his vision that basketball games must be entertaining. 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. It wasnt like he had the money sitting right there, so he was going to give up everything, and put it on a potentially losing business. He has appeared in the GSN series High Stakes Poker and the NBC late-night series Poker After Dark. We had gone through the playoffs only losing one game, against Philly. The sale of the team would require a majority vote among the six children. Previously, she spent six years covering football, first for the Florida Times-Union in Jacksonville, Fla., then the Houston Chronicle and ESPN. We had a genuine relationship and respect for one another, because I was there with him at the time he bought his dream, and it was mine too. When the deal was complete that Dr. Buss bought the Lakers, we had lunch, and we hung out for the whole weekend. He was a very, very, very generous man. At the end of the day, it was almost like a perfect puzzle. His best finishes included third in the 1991 World Series of Poker seven-card stud event and second place in the 2003 World Poker Tour Freeroll invitational. That would be incredible.. Ultimately we came back and made another offer and Lamar took it. Jeanie (Buss) was just 19 years old, or 18 years old. It was a very unique way of conducting business. From his home in Northridge, Johnny Buss asked his young sons to give him a moment so he could make a phone call. He was also a country singer who performed at dive bars, among his favorite jobs. So I became obsessed with it, and how that process worked. Later on in the day, Dr. Buss was having a picnic for all his employees. And Earvin made the best of it. And families who must make decisions about large amounts of money are bound to encounter conflict now and then. And thats how I recollect my relationship with him. Thats the kind of guy you want to partner with. The entrepreneur, the Doctor. USC Band. So he went to Jerry West, and said, weve got to get somebody to come and get us back to winning. Really low key and very friendly. Jerry was able to make the purchase with the help of a legal team of 50 lawyers and accountants. We were the only team to win a world championship in Boston Garden other than the Celtics. Magic Johnson had to retire early, sooner than we thought, and the team stayed competitive through the early and mid 90s, but my dad really, really wanted to get back to the winning ways. We used to call him Magic Buss, or Earvin Buss. Its not good for me. 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. Theyre respectful, theyre loyal and theyre good to other people as human beings. We all love this sport, basketball, but there are other things to enjoy in life as well, and he certainly enjoyed them all. We had growth within our own team, like Andrew Bynum, to go with Kobe and Lamar. That confluence doesnt happen very often, and Dr. Buss was very much able to get with the moment and enjoy the moment. Success starts at the top. Since Joey and Jesse were little, wed go to the card shop and buy basketball cards, and (Dr. Buss) would love to quiz them on the players. It's always been about putting it back into the team.. He was a very special man to me. with JoAnn Buss Joey Buss born 1985, age 37 (approx.) Buss said that. kids--Joey, now 14, and Jesse, 10--with one of his girlfriends, Karen Demel. And drafting Magic was huge. Dr. Buss said how proud he was of us to be there in the Finals, and it was just a nice moment. 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. with JoAnn Buss Janie Buss born 1963, age 59 (approx.) Ex-husband of JoAnn Mueller He moved to Los Angeles and attended the University of Southern California (USC), where he earned an M.S. In a limousine outside the office that day in . Have you ever seen anybody win the lottery? The love of his life was the Lakers and his kids. He wanted people to come to the Forum and be entertained, not just by the basketball team and the talent on the court, but leave the arena thinking, That was really fun, I had a great time.. We took a little bit longer to know each other, but he was great for me and for my family. That was a big part of growing up for all of us. But he took the time (with me) a couple of times a year. Once that game got going, he was into it. 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. It was amazing how he had it all down. I became a real big Kobe fan because of that, and wed go to the card store, and Id try so hard to get as many Kobe Lower Merion cards, and rookie cards as I could find. He was always right. The team folded in 1989 and the league folded three years later. Who is Dr. Jerry Buss? I was happy to see the way that Dr. Buss and the franchise stuck by Earvin. That was one of his favorite things he started doing later on, because before, he was doing Hawaii for a month. Space-X continues to reach for the stars. But he wouldnt want us to watch as fans, hed be asking what we thought about specific players, how we thought certain free agents might fit on the team. He was like a rebel, but in a good sense. We always knew he was the boss, dont get me wrong, and we knew if he wasnt pleased with how we were playing, but he was such a good guy that you really wanted to give that little extra. Dr. Buss actually started in his first season, 1979-80, with a combination of USC and UCLA pom girls, and the USC band. So its strange to have a guy whos your mentor, father figure and best friend all rolled into one And then when Jeanie called me (to share the news that he had passed away (one of the) toughest days in my life. He had an appeal to the common man, and thats what I think when I look back at everything. And the level of intensity at practice rose instantly with his appearance in the gym. Ten championships? I think the desire to be an owner left when my dad passed away, Johnny said. But when we did speak and get a chance to talk to each other, I thought it was real genuine. (Towards the end) we were just talking and reminiscing about old times. Jim played an important role in the teams scouting decisions and worked his way up the sports teams hierarchy. When Jack Kent Cooke sold the Lakers, the Kings, the Forum and a 13,000-acre ranch in Kern County, Jerry Buss met him at an office in Palos Verdes. 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. Id played the whole season with a torn ligament. When asked if selling his shares was part of his aim, Johnny said, Absolutely.. 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). I love it. He was very appreciative, very happy. He had a cigarette that he was holding down below his waist, and he would pull on it a little bit, and put it back down. 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. On February 14, 2013, it was revealed that Jerry had been battling cancer since the year before and four days later, he passed away at age 80. He understood that the Lakers became the hottest ticket in town, and then the hottest ticket in the NBA. When Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers back in 1979, he turned a perennial second-place franchise into a pillar of excellence. site map However, Johnny stated that he did not wish to be a part of the family business. Our first year! And then we went to the hotel and we danced all night. His father, Lydus, left the family when Jerry was an infant. We had some pretty decent teams at the time, I just didnt think we were ready to take that next level. So I was just wandering around, and I walked right by this one man who was wearing jeans and maybe an old sports jacket. 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. It was a whirlwind (amidst the sadness), and all of a sudden here we are at the Nokia Theatre, with check in, banners outside where people could write messages, former Lakers and NBA players a beautiful stage and so on. 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. Wed celebrate, have the parade, have a party, and then hed go to Vegas. 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. After the championship in 1980, it was like the rocket just took off. Then due to (certain circumstances), Jerry wanted us to be co-coaches. I went there in the morning, and it was rare, because Pau never wakes up in the morning to work out! In the summer of 1986, I had no idea that I was about to be traded to San Antonio. Especially after I retired, we spent time together. Here are the tributes to Betty Jean Buss. And his business smarts (also kicked in), and the Laker Girls got branded through Reebok. My dad could see talent, and he knew how to approach and get the best out of each person. The one (free agent) that was really the star on top of the Christmas tree was Shaquille ONeal. Dr. Buss was incredible as an owner. He put his imprint on the league fast, and then we win the championship too? Dr. Buss was the perfect owner to play for. I played two years for Mr. Cooke, so I could really see the difference (right away). The Lakers were very successful under Buss' ownership, winning ten NBA championships with such players as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. Born in Santa Monica, California, [1] Buss was the third of four children to Joann and Jerry Buss, and one of two daughters; she grew up with older brothers Johnny and Jim and younger sister Janie. We actually ended up making an offer, and then taking the offer off the table, because it still was not acceptable. Never talked down to people. And he said, I have one suggestion for you, Tim: Its really bright in here. I said, It is. All the while, he inspired fondness and loyalty amongst his family, players, employees and fans. The thing he taught me the best is that he maximized his days. Id say, I call it the smorgasbord defense a little bit of everything.. I thought it was a 1-on-1 dinner! He basically created premium seating, and nobody else was doing this stuff at the time. I was a rookie. 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. Thats how I try to live. And then we went and celebrated together again. Im super thankful how Kobe wanted me on board, how Dr. Buss also was in favor and supportive of getting me and doing what it took to get me to the Lakers. 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. 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. There was prime real estate, and it was about location, location, location. Im glad it turned out that way. Son of Lydus Henry Buss and Jessie Mae Buss 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. By age 46, Jerry and his business partner, Frank Mariani, turned that million into a real-estate empire in multiple states that was worth an estimated $350million. In the 1990s, basketball was a little different, and it took a team to win the title; it wasnt put the best players on the court, it was all about teamwork and chemistry, and we were building towards that. We just started talking about the crazy journey that weve been on. In 1979 Jerry purchased Pickfair Mansion in Beverly Hills from the estate of Mary Pickford. I wouldnt ever want to try that. We kept in touch that way. 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. 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. Before the championships from 2000-02, as an adolescent, it was very frustrating watching the Lakers lose in the playoffs. They all mean a lot, but some mean a little bit more than others. And when we were all kids and we were together growing up, wed always watch the games. Trying to clear the air. 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 . but Jerry's family is . 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. We were playing for not just ourselves but everybody. He then earned a doctorate in chemistry from the University of Southern California. Where is Jerry Buss Daughter Jeanie Buss Now. 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. 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. That was wonderful, to get my game back in gear for the next five games (after the Memorial Day Massacre). It feels small, but its not. Coincidentally, I went to work out the next morning, and I was looking for gyms out there. Pat and I were really good friends, and he was trying to work his way back into basketball, involved with Chick on the radio. I was emotionally and mentally exhausted. I dont remember a whole lot about the podium when Dr. Buss accepted the championship, but I do remember that Kareem stuck a towel in Pat Rileys mouth so he wouldnt say wed win it again next year. Lot of time talking about price sensitivity x27 ; s family is to know him the! Way that Dr. Buss was having a picnic for all his employees the opportunity that he been. Smarts ( also kicked in ), and it was his biggest thrill at point... Media, you think L.A., you get on with your life know what expect... That we have now. ) estate, and didnt really know what to expect, so my impression. 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