JEANIE BUSS

Jeanie Buss grew up inside the Lakers organization. Her father, Jerry Buss, bought the team in 1979 for $67.5 million.

As a kid, she watched championships happen from the front row. It was never just a hobby — it was the family business.

She joined the Lakers formally in 1995 as executive vice president of business operations. She handled sponsorships, marketing, and the business side while her brothers Jim and Johnny handled basketball decisions.

That arrangement held for nearly two decades.

When Jerry Buss died in February 2013, Jeanie became controlling owner and governor. The basketball side, however, remained with Jim Buss — and the team struggled badly.

Four consecutive lottery seasons followed.

In 2017, Jeanie made her move. She forced out Jim Buss and general manager Mitch Kupchak.

She brought in Magic Johnson as president of basketball operations and Rob Pelinka as GM. The league had never seen an owner fire her own brothers quite so publicly.

Magic Johnson resigned in April 2019, announcing it on television without telling Jeanie first. It was one of the most chaotic executive exits in NBA history.

She kept her composure publicly. Two months later, the Lakers signed LeBron James and then traded for Anthony Davis in 2019.

In 2020, in the NBA bubble in Orlando, the Lakers won their 17th championship. Jeanie cried on the court.

It was the franchise's first title since 2010.

The Los Angeles Lakers are Jeanie Buss's life's work. The franchise was purchased by her father in 1979 and now valued at approximately $7 billion by Forbes.

She holds the controlling interest and serves as governor, the league's official team representative.

She also co-founded and co-hosts the podcast The Business of Sports, where she discusses franchise management and sports business. It is a quieter side of her public profile but reflects her genuine interest in sports economics.

She served as president of Palace Sports & Entertainment briefly in an advisory capacity and has been involved in various philanthropic efforts in Los Angeles, including youth basketball programs.

Owner-operator rather than a traditional investor. Buss does not allocate a portfolio — she manages one irreplaceable asset and makes high-stakes personnel decisions.

Her instinct is to be bold when the status quo is failing and patient when the right move is not yet clear.

Firing Jim Buss and taking full control of basketball operations in 2017, then assembling the LeBron James-Anthony Davis duo that won the 2020 NBA championship. The Lakers had gone 10 years without a title before she made those moves.

The Magic Johnson situation. Hiring him was the right call.

But the management structure around him was unclear enough that he felt compelled to resign on television without warning anyone. Better communication frameworks early might have kept a valuable relationship intact longer.

The franchise is the investment. Every decision — coaches, players, executives, the arena experience — feeds back into the asset's long-term value.

She has said publicly that winning is the best marketing. The 2020 championship validated that philosophy.

Daughter of Jerry Buss, the late Lakers owner. Siblings include Jim Buss (former EVP, forced out), Johnny Buss, and Janie Buss.

She was previously engaged to Phil Jackson, who coached the Lakers to five championships. They ended their engagement in 2016.

Attended the University of Southern California (USC). She has spoken about how she learned the sports business not in a classroom but by being inside the Lakers organization from childhood.

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