Hes probably one of the best owners in the history of the NBA. And I offered Vlade Divac to everyone, a starting center. With 10 NBA championships under his belt, Jerry was the single most decorated owner in sports history. He knew wed thrive under that pressure. Very happy.*L.A. And he loved Italian food. Shortly thereafter, we got Pau Gasol, and the rest is history. 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). He had been in and out of the hospital for more than a year before his death. But he insisted he never wanted to push out his sister. At the end of the day, I said, I think we have better players around you here than you do in Orlando. It means more, and it means more because of this one man, and everything that came from it. Discover Jerry Buss's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Jerry always planned to pass down the Lakers to his children via a trust. All the while, he inspired fondness and loyalty amongst his family, players, employees and fans. HRH King Charles III. I was a nervous wreck the entire game, and we won the game, and I delivered the best that I could at the time. Jim played an important role in the teams scouting decisions and worked his way up the sports teams hierarchy. 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. After hearing that from him, I decided to just trust him, and just stayed the course. I remember the first game that we played in Michigan*, at the Silver Dome, and it was a home game for us. But they dont know what happened behind the scenes, and thats what we wanted to show, is what goes on after the game and the effect that winning has on people, on a family.. He was just one of those type of guys. 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? Wed celebrate, have the parade, have a party, and then hed go to Vegas. He was really a very nice guy who enjoyed the fun things in life. Finding great success in the real estate business, he pursued real estate investing full time. 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. But I have to do it.. He wanted everybody to be together, and he was right in the middle of us. Funeral arrangement under the care ofFox Funeral Home, Fox Funeral Home 1116 N 19th St, Beatrice, NE 68310, St. John Lutheran Church 701 N 6th St, Beatrice, NE 68310. Thats when I learned, in my life, you can tell a lot about someone with how they treat someone else that can do nothing for them. 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. He and I would sit there drinking rum and cokes, talking about strategy, talking about the game. Having him around, you always felt support. 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. 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. He loved plays, and he wanted the focus to be on the athletes and the court. Having played, and then him talking about little things inside of basketball, subtle things that you knew he wasnt just an owner up entertaining people during the games. It was a remarkable experience that Ill remember forever. Even after I got traded away, we still kept in touch. The Buss family praised Dr. Buss for his "amazing strength and will to live" during an 18-month long battle with cancer and vowed to carry on his "unparalleled legacy" at the helm of the LA Lakers. But I hadnt seen him yet. After the first time we lost to the Celtics in 2008, Dr. Buss and I talked and I said, Man I feel bad, we lost to the Celtics, I never want to bring that heartache to you and this organization ever again. He said, No, it sucks losing to them. I said, I promise to you well never lose to those (expletive) again. And then we wound up beating them two years later, and we thoroughly enjoyed that, by the way, after we beat them in Game 7. 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. Dr. Buss knew his team needed more wins than losses, but he also knew they needed to entertain. I played two years for Mr. Cooke, so I could really see the difference (right away). So that was an awkward couple of days. Very casual. He was the first to see this league as the entertainment value that it is. I thought he was kidding. 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. We talked about where he was at in his life the Lakers we covered everything. Mr. He has appeared in the GSN series High Stakes Poker and the NBC late-night series Poker After Dark. All those times we were together, I shared with him, I wanted to be more than just a basketball player. It was in that year when Jerry was able to pull off the most complicated and lucrative transaction in sports history - buying the Lakers. 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. In 1999-2000, we got to the Western Finals against Portland, which was absolutely exciting. Jerry (West) was so happy. In 1985, before we left (L.A. after Game 5), I told the dudes only take one set of clothes. He always wanted to make his family feel important, and he showed that in many different ways. He was thinking of Kobe. He had two more children with his girlfriend, Karen Demel: Joey and Jesse. We all held the trophy together. 1 overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. That iconic, focus-on-the-court lighting, started on Nov. 3, 1999. Given that the Winning Time season finale takes place in 1980, only Johnny and Jim appear in the episode. I know you may not believe that, but trust me, we do. 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). Before the championships from 2000-02, as an adolescent, it was very frustrating watching the Lakers lose in the playoffs. But now I realize, you actually really know your (stuff)! Then he started asking for my opinion on things. Thats how generous, and how giving and how much I dont want to say a fan he was a true, true owner of the game. Success starts at the top. 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. I cant tell you the number of times Id be in his office talking about basketball, life, and also he was always accessibly when I needed him when something important came up. And after a few bad games, hed send his driver to me after the game and say, Hey Ill be picking you up tomorrow at 6 p.m., and wed go sit down and have dinner. He was always right. I was a little uptight, and didnt really know what to expect, so my first impression just totally relaxed me. 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. He currently resides in the Greater Los Angeles Metropolitan Area. Id never been in a Porsche before. During the Finals in Philly in 2001, we would get cheesesteaks before the games. You dont realize these things until you get my age, that you have these kinds of people, that theyre not just your boss. I went there in the morning, and it was rare, because Pau never wakes up in the morning to work out! (818) 892-7093 / I gave him Jerrys number. And when we were all kids and we were together growing up, wed always watch the games. academy of western music; mucinex loss of taste and smell; william fuld ouija board worth. 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. It was really important when I gave that speech not just to honor his memory and his legacy, but to also make sure we honor him in a way that we carry his legacy moving forward. He was going to build a championship team no matter what it takes. Jordan Greer is an NBA content producer for The Sporting News. He said, I think the desire to be an owner left when my dad passed away. 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. After a family feud, Jim resigned from the Buss Family Trusts and the Board of directors but is still seemingly a part-owner of the franchise. It started with Dr. Buss, and we were all upset about 1984. Coach him! He was in great spirits, it was great talking, he still had his sense of humor. Then he was doing Italy for the whole summer. But I always had a relationship with Dr. Buss, even after that. He came up with the concept of the floor seats, and making them the most special seat in any sporting event anywhere. He really looked at it as entertainment. Rattling off 10 championships before his passing in 2013. He was a little bit more military stylistic of leadership than Jerry was. I dont think theres any thrill in it. Jeanie Buss, Magic Johnson, Jerry Buss, and Phil Jackson Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Lakers Center (1975-89) 6X Champion, 2X Finals MVP, 6X MVP, 19X All-Star, Hall of Fame He always treated me very. (Towards the end) we were just talking and reminiscing about old times. He was an incredibly visionary. Jerry Buss has six children, one of whom is Jeanie Buss. He just really capped it off and said what we all were thinking. Ex-husband of JoAnn Mueller He knew the patterns of how often the boats and trains would come, and it was then a challenge to the whole family to make sure it happened and to execute on it properly. Any age group, any ethnic group. Everybodys been calling, but this is the call Ive been waiting on. 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. Not only did Dr. Buss want a dance team to entertain on the court during halftime and quarter breaks, but he also wanted to show that there were talented young ladies who are great brand ambassadors. These were special parts of the relationships between our teammates and management and everything. What a unique talent he was. We used to call him Magic Buss, or Earvin Buss. His father, Lydus, left the family when Jerry was an infant. That showed me what he was all about to me, he was the best owner. I was thankful he gave me an opportunity to get involved, and more importantly, get involved with someone like him where I learned a lot. I think his success led him to the heights where people, fans loved him, and they were like him. 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. One of his favorite comments always used to be, Aint nothin like winning! So thats one of my vivid memories. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Dennis Schroder leads depleted Lakers to crucial win over Thunder, LeBron-less Lakers cant keep pace with Ja Morant, Grizzlies, LeBron James to miss Lakers game Tuesday and possibly more, We keep progressing: Lakers takeaways after beating Dallas, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, The chance of a lifetime: Five friends ski the tallest mountain in Los Angeles, Best coffee city in the world? 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. And he did. with Karen Demel You look at them like father figures. My dad could see talent, and he knew how to approach and get the best out of each person. I remember him saying, You know how cool it would be for the Buss family to own the Lakers for 100 years? In any industry, when your boss says youre doing a good job, thats what you want to hear. 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. And then at the end of that, they said someone talked to Magic (Johnson), and Magic approved the trade. 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. Dr. Buss is walking around, hes in the (various) rooms, hes hanging out, talking to people, shaking hands. It was cool knowing that he appreciated those little things, that effort. Smiled and laughed, drank champagne and went to the White House. It wasnt out of fear, it was out of respect, that players wanted to play hard for him. *In the 2004 Finals, Detroit beat L.A. 4-1. It was an extension of the brand, a way to reach Los Angeles. But do note that it is not possible to be certain of a person's genealogy without a family's cooperation (and/or DNA testing). Ten titles. I was happy to see the way that Dr. Buss and the franchise stuck by Earvin. At a young age, Jerry would stand on bread lines to get food for himself and his single mother. It was an important economic trend, another thing that he identified, and brought the NBA into more prominence. We just started talking about the crazy journey that weve been on. When Jerry Buss died, the Lakers were passed on through four trusts that split 66% of the franchise among his six children. And while his relationship with his siblings is strained, he shares with them a reverence for their father. On the 18th February 2013, Dr. Jerry Buss passed away. And at the time, Cooke owned an NFL team in Washington, and he saw Jerry Buss as a worthy person to carry on with the Lakers and the Los Angeles Kings and the Forum. It was a great relationship for a number of years. He really, really, really enjoyed the game of soccer. A true genius from a business standpoint, Dr. Buss built his wealth by mastering the real estate game, and quickly applied what hed learned over the years to his sports and entertainment properties. He was not nearly as animated in the other championships as he was in that one, for obvious reasons. He talked about having two sons with this franchise, being Magic and myself. Ex-partner of Private The bigger, the bolder, the better. I was fascinated about how cards accrued value, and Id always ask questions to my dad about it. Its one thing from your colleagues, its another when its your boss. It was an honor to be able to be asked to say some words. *L.A. won 3-0 against Denver, 4-1 against Golden State and 4-0 against Seattle. Were just talking basketball for hours, until 2 a.m., and Im telling him about how I love being a talent evaluator. Dr. Buss, its because the lights are so high up in the ceiling, and in order to make the court bright enough for broadcast, its really bright. He says, I understand, but can you keep an eye on that? So in 2004, the NBA came in with the All-Star game, and they brought in rigging with lights to create that sort of Broadway musical focus on the court. We made it a mission to play them again in 1985, to prove to ourselves and the world that we could beat them. So in 1985, Im playing for Dr. Jerry Buss, and hes a legend. The Lakers were the crown jewel. 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. And families who must make decisions about large amounts of money are bound to encounter conflict now and then. Jim was later appointed as the Head of Basketball Operations but was removed in 2017 by Jeanie. Magics family is like this, and here we are winning all these games. Buss Family Trust is a 66% controlling ownership of the Lakers passed to Jerry Buss' six children via a trust, with each child receiving an equal vote (11% for each child). When I retired, I had a chance to watch some games with him. It was a very unique way of conducting business. Jerry was confident that it was going to happen, said Jerrys longtime friend and spokesman Bob Steiner to The Sun Sentinel. 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. 2023 Cinemaholic Inc. All rights reserved. We took a little bit longer to know each other, but he was great for me and for my family. He was just a very good man. We were just talking friend to friend. Buss purchased the team, reported to be worth around $1 billion, in 1979. Jerry played an important role as owner of the Lakers, ensuring that basketball become more than a sport, but also a spectacle. The stake could legally be sold off entirely, but given the familys devotion to the team, the Lakers are sure to stay with them. I dont think other teams really wanted to deal with us to begin with, and then (that happened). Hed always end the discussion with something like, Mitch, thats my opinion but youre the expert and Ill trust your judgment. Now, the one thing that was unique about him, if it ever involved numbers, I never saw him ever write anything down or calculate anything in shorthand or with a calculator or anything like that. It was a conversation that only he and I knew about. He just shook the trophy in that tiny little locker room in Boston. We were the only team to win a world championship in Boston Garden other than the Celtics. I had no idea it was Dr. Buss. I think when you have success, its just different. Worthy, Riley, Magic, Cooper, and Buss Celebrate the 1987 Title. And Jerry West pulled off the biggest free agent signing there ever was when he brought Shaquille ONeal in 1996. It was one of my finest moments. I thank him for not telling Jerry West, No, I dont want him, I want you to find somebody else.. He treated people with respect. I saw how he would be able to rebuild a team quickly to get back to contender status. Its just him! But how can I contribute? There was no social media, nothing to really distract you. MORE:How to watch Lakers documentary on Hulu. Buss was an inaugural member of the USC College Board of Councilors. About where he was really through ( his agent Arn Tellum ) and the Bryant family, players employees... 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jerry buss grandchildren