The Basketball Hall of Fame mourns the loss of Jerry Buss, the longtime Los Angeles Lakers owner who was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2010. Dr. Buss purchased the Lakers in 1979 and made an immediate impact over the next three decades winning 10 NBA titles behind many of the games greatest players including Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, James Worthy, Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant. He placed the team's leadership behind two of the most successful coaches in NBA history in Pat Riley and Phil Jackson. Buss also helped lead the LA Sparks to two WNBA titles.
"Dr. Buss was a true visionary in the game of basketball and developed a benchmark for owners in the NBA," said John L. Doleva, President and CEO of the Basketball Hall of Fame. "We were proud to honor his legacy as a member of the Class of 2010 and he will forever be honored for his contributions to the sport as a member of the Hall of Fame in Springfield."
