Lakers owner Buss dies at age 80
Los Angeles Lakers owner Buss dies at age 80
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
- Basketball Hall of Famer died at a hospital Monday morning
- Buss had been in poor health, suffering from an unspecified type of cancer
- The Los Angeles Lakers won 10 NBA titles under his ownership
- NBA Commissioner David Stern, former Laker Shaquille O'Neal recall his friendship, vision
Buss died at 5:55 a.m.,
said the spokeswoman, Nicole White. He had been in poor health,
suffering from an unspecified type of cancer.
The Lakers won 10 NBA
titles under Buss' ownership. Those championship teams featured such
all-time greats as Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Shaquille O'Neal
and Kobe Bryant.
"The NBA has lost a
visionary owner whose influence on our league is incalculable and will
be felt for decades to come. More importantly, we have lost a dear and
valued friend," NBA Commissioner David Stern said in a statement.
"He was a dear friend,
keen mentor and brilliant businessman," said O'Neal, who played eight
seasons for the Lakers. "He'll always be remembered for his dedication
in bringing the best to the purple and gold and I'm proud to have been
part of his honorable legacy."
The franchise will remain in the hands of the Buss family, the team said in a statement.
Buss is survived by four sons and two daughters, among others.
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