HOOPSWORLD Remembers Jerry Buss
Los Angeles Lakers owner Jerry Buss passed away this morning at age 80. Buss had been battling cancer in recent months, but the cause of his death was kidney failure.
“The NBA has lost a visionary owner whose influence on our league is incalculable and will be felt for decades to come,” NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a statement. “More importantly, we have lost a dear and valued friend. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.”
HOOPSWORLD’s writers remember Buss and the impact he had on the league:
“Dr. Buss set the tone on consistently winning at a high level in the NBA. There haven’t been many down years in Lakers nation over the past thirty years and the fact there is so much hoopla surrounding the current team, who are just four games under .500, shows how high Dr. Buss set the standard of building a quality winner – year in and year out. He will truly be missed. Nothing but respect. RIP, champ.” – Lang Greene
“As fans, we often root hardest for the players; buying jersey’s with their names on the back. Coaches and GM’s get plenty of attention as well – as they are the day-to-day managers and architects of teams we cheer for. However, it is the owner that has the final say, and arguably the biggest impact on the franchises we root for. And out in L.A., Laker fans had one of the greatest owners in the history of professional sports. They have memories, parades and championship banners as proof. R.I.P Jerry Buss.” – Tommy Beer
“Few NBA owners have approached the game with the seriousness and with the consistently excellent results that Dr. Buss had year in and year out in his approach to making the Los Angeles Lakers the NBA’s premier team for much of his tenure. He will be remembered as one of the best owners of all time, not just in the NBA, but in the entire world of professional sports.” – Bill Ingram
“The NBA has always been blessed with some brilliant minds in ownership positions, but before Dr. Jerry Buss, the league had never had a celebrity owner. He didn’t want to just be the man pulling strings behind the curtain. Buss made himself the mayor of the Forum and later the Staples Center. But unlike some of today’s owners, Buss never made fans feel like the Lakers were his team. The Lakers always belonged to the fans, and he seemed happy to embrace the team alongside the public. It was that enthusiasm for the team and the sport that kept the Lakers relevant since he purchased them in 1979. Buss’ greatest accomplishment, however, came in the form of charity. A former chemist, Buss donated millions to USC’s Chemistry Department and started a scholarship endowment for graduate students.” – Alex Raskin
“Jerry Buss was the calm, knowing presence who always kept the Lakers on track and never panicked when times were tough. His team was almost always in contention, a tribute to Buss’ vision. He will be missed.” – Eric Pincus
“Jerry Buss set the standard for developing and owning a team in all sports, not just basketball. He is impossible to replace and his impact on the game will be felt forever. Along with helping the NBA progress he should be remembered for his unmatched dedication to winning. The Lakers have had some of the league’s biggest stars, but Jerry is and always will be the Lakers’ biggest icon.” – Yannis Koutroupis
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