The NBA requires that one person is the acting owner, the one person they can get on the phone and is accountable for anything that happens. That's why my dad started taking me to NBA board of governors meetings in 1995; you have to be approved as the owner.

Jeanie Buss

I can't say that I grew up saying, 'Someday I want to be vice president of the Lakers,' because that's not how it happened. I work for our family business, and that happens to be the Lakers.

Jeanie Buss

Work Family Business

For me, the burning desire has always been about building what my family had.

Jeanie Buss

Family Ways Way

Who wouldn't want to own the Lakers?

Jeanie Buss

Would Who Want

There's the gold standard, and then there's the purple-and-gold standard.

Jeanie Buss

Then Tan T

I don't want to see Kobe Bryant ever leave. If he was 100 years old and still playing, I'd be happy.

Jeanie Buss

Yin Years Year

That's what people don't understand, that in the NBA these are the best 450 players in the world, in the game of basketball, are in the NBA.

Jeanie Buss

World Understand UN

There certainly was a time when I started when people looked at me as the secretary to Dr. Buss. Being the boss' daughter amongst your peers, you gotta show up every day.

Jeanie Buss

Time Art Your

From the time I was in elementary school, I wanted to work in the family business.

Jeanie Buss

Work Time Men

Phil is of a generation that probably would have been happier never getting married. He just doesn't want to get married again; it's not that he doesn't want to marry me. It took me a while to understand that, and I'm fine with it now. We've been together for over 10 years. This relationship has been my longest and most successful.

Jeanie Buss

Success Relationship Years

We could not be more proud to have LeBron James as part of our Lakers family. He is an incredibly thoughtful and intelligent leader and clearly appreciates the power sports has to unite communities and inspire the world to be a better place.

Jeanie Buss

Sports Power Family

The team will always be bigger than any one owner, or any one player, or one coach. The team is always first.

Jeanie Buss

Will Ways Way

Any free agent that would be afraid to play with Kobe Bryant is probably a loser, and I'm glad they wouldn't come to the team.

Jeanie Buss

Age Ya Would

Did you know I once tweeted at Red Bull, 'Would you ever consider making a sugar-free, caffeine-free Red Bull?'

Jeanie Buss

You Would Tweet

People didn't even know where the Lakers' training center was, because we didn't have a flagpole to say, 'This is our home.' We were kind of hidden in the back of the L.A. Kings' practice facility.

Jeanie Buss

Home Where Were

I'm at the top of the food chain.

Jeanie Buss

Food Top T

Being able to make people laugh is a powerful tool.

Jeanie Buss

Power Tool Too

My dad empowered me and made me believe I could accomplish whatever I set my mind to.

Jeanie Buss

Power Whatever Were

I always tell Phil we're like the party poopers. If we ever get invited to a player party, between the two of us, we're like the downers. Like, 'Put down that beer!' Or, 'Should you really be eating those nachos?'

Jeanie Buss

Art You Ways

I think you can tell by the people who surround me the type of person that I am, and the people I rely on in my close circle are trusted, respected, experienced.

Jeanie Buss

Trust Respect Experience

One thing Dr. Buss asked me to do was to make sure the team continues to evolve and to put a new light on the team, and we've certainly tried to embrace that vision of his, evolving the brand while paying tribute to the past. That's what Laker fans expect and what we try to deliver.

Jeanie Buss

Yin While Vision

Even before my dad passed away, people tried to buy the Lakers. Sony tried in the 1980s. People have always wanted to buy the Lakers. They're not for sale.

Jeanie Buss

Yes, I was given a privileged position at a young age. But if I had not been willing to work hard and prepare myself for all the challenges I would face, I would not have held on to my position all these years, regardless of my family ties.

Jeanie Buss

The NBA requires that one person is the acting owner, the one person they can get on the phone and is accountable for anything that happens. That's why my dad started taking me to NBA board of governors meetings in 1995; you have to be approved as the owner.

Jeanie Buss

I can't tell you how many letters I get from grandmothers who say, 'It's the only thing I can talk to my 15-year-old grandson about.' The Lakers are more than just a basketball team to this city. They're part of this community.

Jeanie Buss

The teams that use tanking as a strategy are doing damage. If you're in tanking mode, that means you've got young players who you're teaching bad habits to. I think that's unforgivable.

Jeanie Buss

The Lakers have been part of the process of revitalizing downtown L.A. That's what my dad's passion was. He loved to win, but he loved this city. He wanted this city to be proud of its team.

Jeanie Buss

In my position, I can make changes. I can make changes across the entire organization. If John Ireland doesn't do his job, in his radio broadcast play-by-play, then we would make that change. If the Laker Girls drop down in caliber and couldn't do a dance number, then we'd make changes there.

Jeanie Buss

When it comes to major decisions in any area of the organization, I like to get the blessings of the shareholders - of which my siblings are the majority - and build a consensus even if it isn't something that all of them agree on.

Jeanie Buss

I think the Lakers are a legacy franchise. Players know when they come here, this is the ultimate platform.

Jeanie Buss

But I don't look forward to the day that Kobe Bryant's not in purple and gold.

Jeanie Buss

We understand the realities of the sports world. Take Shaq for example, he was traded from here and went on to several other teams after that. But once he was retired, he asked us to retire his jersey. He wanted to be remembered as a Laker.

Jeanie Buss

There's no crying in basketball!

Jeanie Buss

I'm a 55-year-old woman; I'm not, like, one of the Kardashians. I'm not that interesting.

Jeanie Buss

The Lakers have figured out how to win in every era.

Jeanie Buss

I think it's impossible to tell your coach and tell your players, 'Try not to win.' That goes against everything an organization is about.

Jeanie Buss

It's nice to be able to go back and reflect and see how much my dad meant to people.

Jeanie Buss

I have a great relationship with all my brothers. I've got three other ones. There's four boys and two girls. It's a family business.

Jeanie Buss

The way my dad set things up was for me to oversee the business side and for my brother to oversee the basketball side. I know my dad felt that was a good system, and that's the system we're trying to make work.

Jeanie Buss

I had a tough year, losing my dad. And I really needed to have some quiet time, and not be engaged the way I normally would be with the Lakers.

Jeanie Buss

A relationship isn't just about space; it's about emotion and heart and all those good things.

Jeanie Buss

I have a lot of role models.

Jeanie Buss

I wanted to get married. That's who I am.

Jeanie Buss

I just like working with my family; I like building something together.

Jeanie Buss

I took a stand-up comedy class because I'd always wanted to.

Jeanie Buss

I really wasn't expecting to fall so hard for Phil. As a matter of fact, when my dad said he was talking to Phil Jackson about him coming to L.A. to coach the Lakers, I tried to argue against it.

Jeanie Buss

I am here to say that there is no drawback to being a woman in business. But if you think it's a drawback, then it probably does work against you. It's like playing poker. People will look for your weak spot, and your weak spot is only what you allow it to be.

Jeanie Buss

What I love about our league is that players have an opportunity in their career to be a free agent and decide where they want to invest their time and their talent, in whatever team and whatever system. They deserve that right. They've earned that right.

Jeanie Buss

Kobe is worth every penny, and I'd never had any doubt that he'd contribute to this team.

Jeanie Buss

I think that when Magic decided that he didn't want to be with the organization any longer in an official capacity that took me off guard.

Jeanie Buss

Dr. Buss set the bar high for the Lakers.

Jeanie Buss