Jeanie Buss Bio: The Lakers Queen on LeBron, Legacy, and the $10B Era

The Queen of the Court: The Unstoppable Rise of Jeanie Buss

In the high-stakes world of the NBA, where power usually wears a suit and a tie, Jeanie Buss stands alone. As the controlling owner and governor of the Los Angeles Lakers, she isn’t just running a basketball team; she is stewarding a global religion.

But Jeanie’s story isn’t just one of inheritance. It’s a gritty, decades-long saga of a daughter proving her worth in a male-dominated industry, surviving a Shakespearean family feud, and ultimately reclaiming the “Showtime” glory her father, Dr. Jerry Buss, pioneered. Whether she’s navigating the “ill-fated” Russell Westbrook experiment or leading the Lakers to a 2020 championship, Jeanie remains the calm at the center of the Purple and Gold storm.

Fast Facts: The Jeanie Buss File

1. Growing Up in the “House of Magic”

Born in Santa Monica, California, Jeanie didn’t have a typical upbringing. While other kids were at the mall, 14-year-old Jeanie was sitting in on World Team Tennis meetings with her father. Her parents, Jerry Buss and JoAnn Mueller, divorced when she was young, a period she has described as feeling “emotionally abandoned.”

However, her bond with her father became her classroom. By 19, while still a student at the University of Southern California (USC), Jerry gave her a “gift” that would change her life: the General Manager role of the Los Angeles Strings tennis team.

“Basically, my dad bought me the team,” she once joked.

But it wasn’t a vacation. It was a trial by fire. She learned how to sell tickets, manage egos, and understand the “razmatazz” that makes Los Angeles sports unique.

2. The Education of a Mogul

Jeanie didn’t just rely on her last name. She earned her BBA with honors from USC, a school where she now serves as a Trustee. Her early career was a whirlwind of diverse sports ventures:

• The Los Angeles Strings: Rejuvenated professional tennis in LA.

• The Los Angeles Blades: Brought professional roller hockey to the city.

• President of the Great Western Forum: Managed the Lakers’ iconic former home.

These roles taught her the “business of the show.” By the time the Lakers moved to Staples Center (now Crypto.com Arena) in 1999, she was ready to take over as Executive Vice President of Business Operations.

3. The Phil Jackson Era: Love and Basketball

For 17 years, Jeanie was half of the NBA’s ultimate power couple. Her relationship with legendary coach Phil Jackson began in 1999. It was a “Camelot” story—the owner’s daughter and the “Zen Master” coach.

They were engaged for four years, but the geographic distance (with Phil in New York and Jeanie in LA) eventually led to their 2016 breakup. Jeanie’s tweet following the split remains one of her most famous:

“The love of my life is the Los Angeles Lakers. I love Phil & will always. It’s not fair to him or Lakers to not have my undivided attention.”

4. A Family Feud for the Ages

When Dr. Jerry Buss passed away in 2013, he left the team to his six children: Jeanie, Janie, Jim, Johnny, Joey, and Jesse. However, the “succession plan” was messy. Her brother, Jim Buss, took over basketball operations, while Jeanie handled the business.

As the team struggled on the court, tensions reached a breaking point. In 2017, Jeanie made a “daring move” that shocked the sports world. She fired her brother Jim and longtime GM Mitch Kupchak, replacing them with Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka. When Jim and Johnny attempted a legal “coup” to remove her, she fought back in court and won, securing her position as the “controlling owner for life.”

5. The LeBron James and Russell Westbrook Gamble

Jeanie has never been afraid to go “zero to 100.” Her leadership was validated in 2018 when she landed LeBron James, eventually leading to the 2020 NBA Championship—making her the first female owner to lead a team to a title.

However, the road hasn’t always been smooth. The Russell Westbrook trade in 2021 was widely criticized as a failure that strained the relationship between LeBron and the front office. Reports in late 2025 and 2026 revealed that Jeanie even briefly “mulled trading LeBron James” during the height of the fallout, highlighting the immense pressure of managing superstars.

6. Behind the Scenes: A New Marriage

In 2023, Jeanie found love again, marrying comedian Jay Mohr in an intimate Malibu ceremony. Their relationship is famously “unconventional.” In a 2025 interview, she revealed they live in the same building but on separate floors—Jeanie on the third and Jay on the first.

“I have my schedule, and he has his schedule,” she explained. Mohr jokingly added that he wants her to “sleep like a princess,” away from his snoring and “wrinkly sheets.”

7. Beyond the Lakers: Women of Wrestling (WOW)

Jeanie’s passion for female empowerment isn’t just a talking point. She is the owner and promoter of Women of Wrestling (WOW). Inspired by Billie Jean King and comic book heroines like Wonder Woman, she has turned WOW into a massive media platform through a distribution deal with Paramount Global. To Jeanie, these wrestlers aren’t just athletes; they are “superheroes” breaking the status quo.

Jeanie Buss: Legacy and Future (2026 & Beyond)

As we look at the current landscape, the Lakers have recently undergone a massive shift. In 2025, the family entered an agreement to sell a majority stake to billionaire Mark Walter at a staggering $10 billion valuation. While Jeanie remains the Governor, the move secures the Lakers’ financial future for generations.

What do you think of Jeanie’s “separate floors” marriage? Does it sound like the secret to a happy life, or just another power move? Let us know in the comments below!

Sources

1. Celebrity Net Worth – Jeanie Buss Profile (2025/2026).

2. Fox Sports: “Jeanie Buss Selling the Lakers Was the Right Call” (June 2025).

3. Wikipedia: Jeanie Buss Professional Career and Family Trust.

4. Complex: “Lakers Governor Jeanie Buss Reportedly Considered Trading LeBron” (Jan 2026).

5. 247 Sports: “In Depth with Graham Bensinger” Interview (Feb 2025).

6. Buss, Jeanie. “Laker Girl” (Triumph Books, 2010).

7. ESPN: “How Buss Family Infighting Drove $10B Sale” (Jan 2026).