Los Angeles Lakers Executive Profile: Who is Jeanie Buss?
By Malia Bates
A look at Los Angeles Lakers controlling owner and President, Jeanie Buss.
Jeanie Buss, the daughter of the late great Dr. Jerry Buss and the newest President of the Los Angeles Lakers is an important and beloved figure in the city of Los Angeles and has been for many years. In 2011, Forbes named Buss number six on The Most Powerful Women in Sports and noted that she was “one of few powerful women in sports management”.
Early Beginnings
Before working with the Lakers, Buss attended the University of Southern California where she received her degree in business with honors. During this time, her father purchased the Los Angeles Strings, a tennis franchise in TeamTennis.
At the age of 19, her father appointed Jeanie as the general manager of the team and this was her first experience with working professional sports. Years later, Jeanie also served as President of the Great Western Forum, which was then home to the Los Angeles Lakers before moving to the Staples Center in 1999. From that point on, she took on more executive roles within the Lakers organization.
Laker Girl: One woman’s rise to the top, in a man’s world
In 2010, Jeanie wrote, Laker Girl, which document her father’s humble beginnings to the glamorous life of working with one of the most prized franchises in all of sports. She describes interacting with the various Laker teams that have been apart of the franchise and the personalities of the players.
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Buss describes, “one of the perks of my job is I get to play Vanna White and hand out the NBA Championship rings.” She later noted that during the 2009 championship ring ceremony each current Laker player was paired with a Lakers legend and felt that at any moment a pickup game could have erupted.
Although Jeanie has grown up in a highly male dominant industry, she has not shied away from being the strong and powerful woman that she is today. In actuality, her father encouraged it, he encouraged her to tap into the “Wonder Woman” powers she’s always had.
Role Model
When Jeanie is not interacting with fans on her Twitter account she continues to be a role model for young women like myself. As someone whose future goal is to work in the sports industry, Jeanie is definitely one to look up to.
Next: 50 Greatest Players In Lakers Franchise History
Her tenacity to restore greatness to the Los Angeles Lakers and determination to put the team first with her decisions makes her the perfect executive for rebuilding the franchise.