The Buss family were known as the majority owners of the Los Angeles Lakers until 2025. Purchased by the late Jerry Buss in the ’70s, his 66 percent stake in the basketball team was passed down to his children in a trust. His daughter Jeanie Buss became the Lakers’ governor and representative as the team became a dominating force in the NBA. And with any sports franchise’s success, the Buss family’s net worth grew along with the Lakers’ fortune.
Just months before selling the Lakers, Jeanie spoke with NPR about the Netflix series Running Point and opened up about her experiencing continuing a family business. (Running Point parodies Jeanie’s life and career).
“The majority of businesses in this country are family-owned businesses. And everybody has a family,” Jeanie pointed out. “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. You have to be held accountable for the product that you’ve sold them on, that you are expected to deliver.”
Below, learn how much the Buss family is worth now that they’ve reportedly sold the Lakers in a billion-dollar sale.
I just talked to my sister Jeanie Buss to tell her congratulations, and that I’m so happy for her and family. I told her that her dad Dr. Buss would be very proud of her for getting $10B for the Lakers, the largest sports franchise sale in history!
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 18, 2025
How Much Did Jerry Buss Buy the Lakers for?
According to multiple outlets, Jerry bought the Lakers from Jack Kent Cooke for $67.5 million in 1979. That amount equates to roughly $300 million in 2025.
What Is the Buss Family’s Net Worth?
Thanks to Jerry’s career and the Buss’ ownership of the Lakers, the family has a significant net worth. Jerry’s net worth stands at $700 million, according to Celebrity Net Worth, while Jeanie’s fortune is currently $1 billion, per Celebrity Net Worth.
What Are the Lakers Worth?
Apparently, the Lakers were worth $10 billion since the team sold for that much. In October 2024, Forbes estimated that the team’s worth was estimated to be $7.1 billion. The outlet reported that the Lakers’ revenue was more than $500 million, while its “operating income” was just shy of $200 million.
Who Bought the Lakers?
Multiple outlets broke the news in June 2025 that Mark Walter bought the Lakers for $10 billion.
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