San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec




San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913

The Daily Aztec

Jerry Buss, Lakers owner dies

Amidst the worst season in recent memory, the Los Angeles Lakers were dealt their most tragic blow yet on Monday morning when longtime owner Jerry Buss passed away.  Buss, who bought the Lakers in 1979, transformed the team into an iconic franchise, winning 10 NBA championships and turning Los Angeles into the Lakers’ town.

He was hospitalized for the majority of the last 18 months during cancer treatment and was unable to attend any games this season.  He was 80 years old.

Buss bought the Lakers for $67.5 million, but his ingenuity for mixing winning basketball with the glamour of show business turned the team into a billion-dollar franchise, according to Forbes Magazine.  Not bad for a child of the Great Depression.

The Lakers showcased some of the best talent to ever touch a basketball during Buss’ tenure as owner, thanks to his reputation for paying top dollar for top talent.  Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O’Neil and Kobe Bryant are just a few of the players who wore purple and gold under Buss’ reign.

If you were Buss, who would you get to coach such an abundance of superstars?  How about high-profile coaches such as Hall of Famers Phil Jackson and Pat Riley, two of the most renowned names in pro basketball.

His ability to entertain is legendary in Los Angeles.  Hollywood stars are a staple at Staples Center; some paying thousands of dollars per game for season tickets, and every game features high-octane dancing courtesy of the famous Laker Girls.

“He has put the Lakers right up there with the New York Yankees as the top brands in sports,” Johnson told The L.A. Times Magazine.

Buss was raised by his single mother in Kemmerer, Wyo. and would sometimes have to wait for food in Depression-era bread lines. He earned a scholarship to the University of Wyoming and later attained his Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Southern California. Buss was inducted into the NBA Hall of Fame in 2010.

He began investing in small properties in Los Angeles in the 60s and was rewarded with the profits of a major real estate boom.

Buss purchased the Lakers about five years later.  Once he signed Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson, they were known as the most entertaining team in the NBA and claimed the nickname “Showtime” Lakers, which has gone on to be one of the most recognizable teams in NBA history.

Buss wanted champions, not just winners, and he will be remembered as a champion.

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San Diego State University’s Independent Student Newspaper Since 1913
Jerry Buss, Lakers owner dies