Netflix has a series in its catalog with this title A new comedyinspired by the relationship between Jeanie Buss and her brothers Jesse and Joey, who inherited the Los Angeles Lakers from their father, the legendary Jerry Buss. Actress Kate Hudson plays the president of a basketball club, a crazy heiress, model, party girl and former Playboy cover girl, who has serious disagreements with her brothers about how she should run the team. Television comedy has many parallels to reality.
The new show now comes with new ownership. Three weeks ago the NBA approved the change of ownership of the Los Angeles franchise, which passes into the hands of investor Mark Walter (65 years old) in exchange for around 10 billion dollars, in the largest sports operation in the United States. Walter is a businessman and sports enthusiast who also owns the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, the Andretti Global motorsports team, sponsors the Indianapolis 500, and is a shareholder in the London soccer club Chelsea along with chairman Todd Boehly.
One of Walter’s first decisions was to confirm Jeanie Buss, 64, as president and fire her other brothers Joey (41) and Jesse (37). The two brothers were key figures in building the team, managing the scouting and purchasing department. During their 20 years at the club they have helped identify and develop talent. Joey was vice president of research and Jesse was the team’s assistant general manager and director of scouting, which helped pick some great players in the draft.
Together with the two youngest members of the Buss family, the new ownership has also decided to renovate the department scouting, which meant more layoffs, he said Atletico. Jeanine, who extended her contract for five years, is the last vestige of a saga that has controlled the Lakers franchise for 46 years and in which they hold only a minority stake, about 5%, after the sale last June to Mark Walter.
“We are extremely honored to have been a part of this organization for the past 20 seasons,” said Joey and Jesse Buss ESPN. “Thank you to the Lakers fans for welcoming our family every step of the way.” The brothers leave a message for the new owner and sister: “I wish things had been different at the end of our time with the team. At times like these, we wish we could ask our father what he would think of all this.”
Gone are the days of Jerry Buss, the businessman took over the Los Angeles franchise after paying 67 million dollars in 1979 and transformed it into the most popular basketball team in the world. Over the last four decades the team with the iconic gold and purple uniform has won 11 championships, more than any other rival. Some of the greatest stars in the history of the NBA have passed through its ranks, such as Kareem Adbul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O’Neal, Kobe Bryant, the Spaniard Pau Gasol or Luka Doncic, currently. After Jerry Buss’ death in 2013, his sons took over the franchise.
The departure of the two brothers does not seem very friendly. “Jerry Buss’ idea was that Joey and I could run basketball operations one day,” Jesse told the magazine. ESPN. “Jeanie, however, remained in her position even though her brothers were fired.”
Jeanie will continue to lead the team show time with a fist of steel. Jesse and Joey aren’t the first Buss brothers to be dropped from the team. Previously he had already fired Johnny Buss (69 years old) and Jim Buss (66 years old), who he replaced with Magic Johnson.
Jesse Buss said this Thursday at Atletico that he wasn’t surprised to lose his job and that he had long felt a disconnect from his sister and the president of basketball operations, Rob Pelinka. “He fired everyone,” Jesse said in an interview. “I had a feeling something was going to happen,” he added.
