Buss dealt with a myriad of health woes over the last couple of years and it was announced only recently that he had been battling cancer (esophageal). He turned 80 years of age on January 27th. He will forever be known as one of the greatest owners in professional sports.
"Jerry Buss helped set the league on the course it is on today," NBA Commissioner David Stern said. "Remember, he showed us it was about 'Showtime,' the notion that an arena can become the focal point for not just basketball, but entertainment. He made it the place to see and be seen."
David Wharton, LA Times
As I'm sure many of you already know, Buss and Sterling each played a hand in the other owning a professional basketball team in Los Angeles....
Sterling and Los Angeles Lakers majority owner Jerry Buss were indirectly responsible for each owning their respective NBA franchises. The first instance came in 1979, in which Buss used the money he made from selling a portion of his apartment buildings to Sterling (worth $2.7 million), which covered the remaining balance in purchasing the Lakers, the Kings hockey team, and the Los Angeles Forum from Jack Kent Cooke for $67 million. Two years later, Buss suggested to Sterling that he could purchase his own NBA franchise, and Sterling bought the struggling San Diego Clippers for $13.5 million.
Business Insider
A sad day for basketball fans.
] ... but truly a sad day. greatest owner of all time imo.
