Jerry Buss passes away at age 80
According to the Los Angeles Times, highly-respected owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, Dr. Jerry Buss has died at the age of 80 from a cancer-related illness, at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center.
Dr. Buss, who amassed his fortune through real estate, purchased the Lakers and Los Angeles Kings franchises in 1979 from then owner, and fellow successful businessman, Jack Kent Cooke.
The Los Angeles Lakers won ten NBA Championships with Dr. Buss as owner with stellar players including Kareem Abdul Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Kirk Rambis, Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant. He was also savvy enough to hire legendary, winning coaches like Pat Riley (current team president for the Miami Heat) and Phil Jackson.
Dr. Buss most notably brings to mind the ushering in of the Showtime Era of the NBA when the Lakers played at The Forum in Inglewood, CA.
He was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
Dr. Buss is survived by his six children, including daughter, Jeanie, who serves as Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the Lakers, and son, Jim, who was handed the reigns from his father and serves as Executive Vice President of the team.
