The Lakers are one of the most storied franchises in all of sports, and Jerry Buss should receive much of the credit for that. The Los Angeles owner was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame last week, and will be enshrined with the Class of 2010. Buss has earned this privilege for his years of service turning the Lakers into the premiere NBA franchise, and for his role in shaping the modern-day NBA.
Dr. Buss bought the Lakers in 1979 and has owned the team through nine championships and fifteen NBA Finals appearances, which all started in Buss’ first year as owner. While the on-court product has been championship quality during Buss’ tenure, the entire Lakers experience has been crafted by Dr. Buss and his staff. The glitz and glamor of Hollywood was brought to the Lakers with Dr. Buss, and now one of the most common sites around Staples Center during Lakers home games is a class of A-list celebrities. Under Buss, Lakers games became an event, much more than just a basketball game.
While the list of Laker legends is continuously growing, this is a well-earned and well-deserved accolade for Dr. Buss. As one of the most successful owners in sports history, it is only appropriate that he finally take his place in the basketball Hall of Fame.
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