Lakers Owner Jerry Buss Dies From Cancer

Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Jerry Buss, the man who was directly responsible for bringing “Showtime” to Los Angeles died today at the age of 80 due to cancer. Buss had bought the Lakers’ franchise in 1979 and was able to accomplish feats that many franchise owners today would dream of achieving.

Jerry Buss wasn’t just an owner to these players, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson and coaches in the likes of Pat Riley and Phil Jackson, Buss was simply a father figure to most of these professionals and it was one of the reasons why the Lakers had such an overwhelming amount of success throughout all these years.

Jerry Buss leaves the Lakers family with 10 championships under his belt. More importantly, he transformed the show of basketball from being just a normal sport to an ever-growing festivity and party-like atmosphere.

“I really tried to create a Laker image, a distinct identity,” Buss once said. “I think we’ve been successful. I mean, the Lakers are pretty damn Hollywood.”