The NBA without the Buss family owning the Lakers sounds… weird.
Dr. Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers when Ronald Reagan was entering the White House and he proceeded to transform both the team and the league. There is the on-court success, where the Lakers have won 11 championships since Buss bought the franchise, while boasting a parade of “face of the game” level players: Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, and now LeBron James, with Luka Doncic.
Laker fans should be estatic. A few things I can tell you about Mark – he is driven by winning, excellence, and doing everything the right way. AND he will put in the resources needed to win! I can understand why Jeanie sold the team to Mark Walter because they are just alike -…
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 18, 2025
Beyond that, Dr. Buss changed how the sport was packaged as a product — this was entertainment. This was an event. It was the Laker girls and music pumped in the arena (not just an organist), it was Dancing Barry and celebrities sitting courtside. The modern fan sporting experience started with Buss’ vision.
Now, Lakers ownership is changing. Once approved this summer by the Board of Governors, it will be Mark Walter, the CEO of global investment firm Guggenheim Partners, who will have bought the franchise at a $10 billion valuation. Jeanie Buss is reportedly set to stay on as the team’s governor (she and the Buss family will retain 18% ownership, according to reports).
Sale about change
Is the sale of the Lakers good or bad for the franchise? Is it good or bad for the NBA?
Yes. The answers are nuanced. It’s also not the right question,
Is this the end of family ownership in the NBA?
Yes
This is the real takeaway from the sale. The days of an NBA team as a family-run operation — especially where the team is the primary source of income, as it was for the Buss children — are gone. Big-time professional sports are now an investment for the ultra-wealthy.
Fans look at the Lakers’ brand, the superstar players, how often they are on national…
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