Jeanie Marie Buss (born September 26, 1961) is an American sports executive from Santa Monica, California. She served for over a decade as the controlling owner and president of the Los Angeles Lakers in the NBA.
In 2020, she became the first female controlling owner to lead an NBA team to a championship title.
Who is Jeanie Buss?
Jeanie Buss is an American sports executive best known for her long tenure running the Los Angeles Lakers. She is the daughter of legendary Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss, who purchased the franchise in 1979.
Her father named her to run the business side of the Lakers organization, while he prepared her brother Jim for basketball operations.
Over three decades, she worked her way from general manager of a tennis team to president of one of the most valuable sports franchises in the world.
She also co-owns and promotes Women of Wrestling (WOW), the U.S. women’s professional wrestling promotion she co-founded in 2000.
In June 2025, the Buss family sold a majority stake in the Lakers to billionaire Mark Walter at a historic $10 billion valuation. Buss remained on as team governor under the new ownership structure.
Early Life of Jeanie Buss
Jeanie Marie Buss was born on September 26, 1961, in Santa Monica, California. She was the third of four children born to Jerry Buss and JoAnn Mueller.
Her siblings include older brothers Johnny and Jim and younger sister Janie. Her father also had two sons, Joey and Jesse, from a separate relationship.
Buss’s parents divorced in 1972, which left Jeanie feeling emotionally unsettled during her youth. At age 14, she began attending World Team Tennis meetings with her father, getting her first taste of sports business.
By age 17, she moved in with her father at Pickfair, his 18-acre Beverly Hills estate. She became so familiar with the property that she regularly gave guided tours of it.
Jeanie Buss Age
Jeanie Buss is 64 years old as of June 10, 2026, having been born on September 26, 1961. Her zodiac sign is Libra. She remains active as the governor of the Los Angeles Lakers under the team’s new majority ownership led by Mark Walter.
Jeanie Buss Ethnicity and Nationality
Jeanie Buss is an American national, born and raised in California. Her father, Jerry Buss, was of Serbian-American background, while her mother, JoAnn Mueller, was of Scottish and Irish descent. This family background reflects a mix of Eastern European and Western European heritage.
Jeanie Buss Height and Weight
Jeanie Buss stands at 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m) tall. Her weight is approximately 128 lbs (58 kg), though this figure is not officially confirmed.
She has a well-maintained athletic build and has been a prominent public figure at courtside for decades. Her height and confident presence make her a recognizable figure at NBA events and public appearances.
Jeanie Buss Education
Jeanie Buss attended Palisades High School in Los Angeles before enrolling at the University of Southern California (USC). She earned her bachelor’s degree in business administration, graduating with honors.
Her academic achievements came alongside real-world experience. While still studying at USC, her father appointed her general manager of the Los Angeles Strings tennis team.
USC gave her the business foundation to match the sports industry exposure she was already getting at home.
Jeanie Buss Career
Jeanie Buss built one of the most extensive careers in sports management over more than four decades. Her path took her from a college-age general manager to the president of a billion-dollar franchise.
Early Career
Jeanie’s career began at age 19 when her father appointed her general manager of the Los Angeles Strings, the professional tennis team he owned in World Team Tennis. She held this position while still completing her degree at USC.
In 1993, she founded the Los Angeles Blades, a professional roller hockey team in the Roller Hockey International league. That same year, the league recognized her with its Executive of the Year award.
She later served as president of the Great Western Forum, the Lakers’ former home arena, for four years. By 1995, she also took on the role of Alternate Governor for the NBA Board of Governors.
Rising Through the Lakers Organization
In 1999, Jeanie was named Executive Vice President of Business Operations for the Los Angeles Lakers. She oversaw marketing, sponsorships, and the business side of the franchise during one of its most successful eras.
Her father’s plan deliberately divided responsibilities: Jeanie ran the business, while her brother Jim handled basketball operations. This arrangement held until Jerry Buss passed away in February 2013 from kidney failure.
The six Buss siblings inherited their father’s controlling stake in the Lakers through a family trust, with each sibling receiving an equal vote.
Taking Full Control
In February 2017, Jeanie made her boldest move as an executive. She fired general manager Mitch Kupchak and accepted her brother Jim’s resignation from his VP of Basketball Operations role.
She then appointed Magic Johnson as President of Basketball Operations and later named sports agent Rob Pelinka as general manager.
In 2020, the Lakers won the NBA Championship, and Jeanie became the first female controlling owner to lead her team to an NBA title. The victory came inside the NBA’s pandemic bubble in Orlando, Florida.
The $10 Billion Sale
In June 2025, the Buss family agreed to sell a majority stake in the Lakers to billionaire Mark Walter at a record $10 billion valuation — the highest ever for a U.S. professional sports franchise.
The sale closed in late 2025, with each of the six Buss siblings pocketing around $500 million after taxes, while retaining a roughly 15% ownership stake.
Buss remained in her role as team governor following the sale and confirmed she would continue overseeing operations for at least several more years.
Other Ventures
In 2000, Jeanie co-founded Women of Wrestling (WOW) alongside David McLane. The promotion later reached a TV distribution deal with ViacomCBS in 2021.
She also co-authored a memoir titled Laker Girl with Steve Springer, published in 2010 through Triumph Books.
Jeanie Buss Career Stats and Records
Jeanie Buss served as the controlling owner and president of the Los Angeles Lakers for over a decade, from 2013 through the 2025 ownership transition. During her tenure, the Lakers won the 2020 NBA Championship.
She was the first female controlling owner in NBA history to lead her team to a championship. In 2023, she also won a Sports Emmy Award as executive producer of the documentary series Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers.
The Lakers won the inaugural NBA Cup in 2023 under her watch as well.
Jeanie Buss Awards and Championships
Jeanie Buss has collected several major honors over her career in sports management. The Sporting News included her on its list of the “Top 20 Most Influential Women in Sports” in 2005.
In 2023, she received a Sports Emmy Award for her work as executive producer on Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers. That same year, the Lakers won the inaugural NBA Cup.
Her most significant achievement remains the 2020 NBA Championship, which she secured as the first female controlling owner in the league’s history to deliver a title.
Jeanie Buss Endorsements and Sponsorships
Jeanie Buss served as executive producer on the Netflix series Running Point, which premiered in 2025. The show is reportedly inspired by her life and her management of the Lakers, with Kate Hudson playing a character loosely based on Buss.
Her role at the Lakers also placed her at the center of major sponsorship deals. She helped secure the Bibigo jersey patch partnership unveiled in 2021, one of the most notable uniform deals in franchise history.
Jeanie Buss Husband
Jeanie Buss married comedian and actor Jay Mohr on September 3, 2023, in a private beach ceremony in Malibu, California. About 20 close friends and family attended the intimate event.
The couple began dating in 2017, though they kept their relationship largely private for the first few years. They officially confirmed their relationship publicly in 2021, and announced their engagement in December 2022.
Mohr is a former Saturday Night Live cast member known for his role in the film Jerry Maguire. The two have described an unconventional but committed arrangement, living in separate units of the same multi-unit building.
Before Jay Mohr, Jeanie was in a long-term relationship with NBA coaching legend Phil Jackson from 1999 to 2016. The two were engaged from 2013 until Jackson announced the end of the relationship in December 2016.
Her first marriage was to Olympic volleyball player Steve Timmons, from 1990 to 1993. The marriage did not produce any children.
Jeanie Buss Net Worth
Jeanie Buss’s estimated net worth is $1 billion as of 2026. Her wealth comes primarily from her stake in the Los Angeles Lakers, which her father’s estate passed to his six children in 2013.
The Buss family’s sale of a majority stake in the Lakers in 2025 at a $10 billion valuation significantly increased the value of her holdings. Each sibling reportedly received around $500 million after taxes from the transaction, while the family retained a minority share.
Her income has also come from decades of executive salaries, her co-ownership of Women of Wrestling, and various other business activities.
Jeanie Buss Social Media
Jeanie Buss is active on Instagram under the handle @jeaniebuss, where she shares updates about the Lakers, personal milestones, and public appearances.
She is also active on X (formerly Twitter) at @JeanieBuss, where she has built a following of over 430,000 accounts. She regularly posts about the team and engages with fans and media.
Her social media presence reflects both her professional role in basketball and her personal life with husband Jay Mohr.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Jeanie Buss’s net worth?
Jeanie Buss’s estimated net worth is $1 billion as of 2026. Her wealth grew substantially following the $10 billion sale of the Lakers’ majority stake in 2025.
How old is Jeanie Buss?
Jeanie Buss is 64 years old as of June 10, 2026. She was born on September 26, 1961, in Santa Monica, California.
What team does Jeanie Buss own?
Jeanie Buss serves as governor and minority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. She held the role of controlling owner and president from 2013 until the 2025 sale of the majority stake to Mark Walter.
What is Jeanie Buss’s height?
Jeanie Buss stands at 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m) tall.
Who is Jeanie Buss married to?
Jeanie Buss is married to comedian and actor Jay Mohr. The couple wed on September 3, 2023, in Malibu, California, after dating since 2017.
What awards has Jeanie Buss won?
Jeanie Buss won a 2023 Sports Emmy Award as executive producer of Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers. She also led the Lakers to the 2020 NBA Championship as the first female controlling owner in NBA history to win a title.
The Bottom Line
Jeanie Buss became the first female controlling owner to win an NBA championship when the Los Angeles Lakers claimed the 2020 title in the pandemic bubble in Orlando. She held that role for over a decade after her father, Jerry Buss, passed away in 2013.
Her 2017 decision to fire Mitch Kupchak and accept Jim Buss’s resignation showed her willingness to make difficult choices to protect the franchise. She then brought in Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka to rebuild basketball operations from the top.
In 2025, she led the Buss family through the record-breaking $10 billion sale to Mark Walter, the highest valuation ever for a U.S. professional sports franchise. She continues as team governor under the new ownership structure.
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