Jerry Buss — owner of the Los Angeles Lakers — died early this morning at the age of 80, this according to multiple reports.
Buss had been hospitalized for the past few months due to a previously undisclosed intestinal problem … though it was revealed yesterday he’d been battling cancer the entire time.
After starting his career as a chemist, Buss soon found his true calling in the real estate biz … snapping up properties all over L.A. before moving on to the sporting world.
In 1979, Buss made history when he purchased the Lakers, the L.A. Kings and The Forum for $67.5 million — at that time, the largest transaction in sports.
Under his ownership, Buss watched dozens of all-time greats — including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant — win the Lakers 10 NBA Championships. He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010.
Buss was also an avid poker player … and appeared on several TV shows, including “High Stakes Poker” and “Poker After Dark.”
He is survived by his six children.
