Jerry Buss‘ family will no longer be the majority owners of the NBA’s Los Angeles Lakers, multiple outlets reported in June 2025. Though neither the team nor the Buss family initially confirmed it, the sale quickly made headlines since they had a decades-long relationship with the basketball team. As NBA fans reflect on the conclusion of the Buss-Lakers’ professional relationship, some are wondering how much money Jerry himself paid when he bought the team.
Below, learn more about Jerry, his family and his past ownership of the Lakers.
Who Is Jerry Buss?
Jerry — whose real name was Gerald Hatten Buss — was the owner of the Lakers. He died in 2013 at the age of 80. The late businessman owned other sports franchises in California and was also an investor, chemist and philanthropist. After he died, Buss’ majority stake in the Lakers was passed onto his children in a trust. His daughter Jeanie became the Lakers’ governor and team representative.
Earlier this year, Jeanie appeared in a rare interview with NPR to promote the Netflix series Running Point, which parodied her career. While reflecting on her leadership of the Lakers, she pointed out, “The majority of businesses in this country are family-owned businesses. And everybody has a family. If you’re in business with them, (disagreements) happen. But at the end of the day, what brings you together is the team or the business, and you want to build something successful.”
“When you are on the business side of a team, you have obligations to your partners, meaning your banks, your sponsors, your fans,” Jeanie continued. “You have to be held accountable for the product that you’ve sold them on, that you are expected to deliver.”
Buss Family’s Net Worth
Jerry had a net worth of $700 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth. During his life, he owned 66 percent of the Lakers. It’s unclear how the 2025 billion-dollar Lakers sale could affect the Buss family’s fortune, but it’s likely that the brood will get wealthier in time.
How Much Did Jerry Buss Buy the Lakers for?
In 1979, Jerry purchased the Lakers from Jack Kent Cooke for $67.5 million, according to multiple outlets. That amount is equivalent to around $300 million in 2025.
Who Bought the Lakers From the Buss Family?
The Buss family sold the Lakers in 2025 to Mark Walter for $10 billion, according to multiple outlets.
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