Jeanie Buss (born September 26, 1961) is an American sports executive and governor of the Los Angeles Lakers of the NBA. She assumed leadership of the franchise in 2013 following the death of her father, Jerry Buss. After the Lakers’ 2025 majority ownership sale, she retained her role as governor. She is also co-owner of Women of Wrestling (WOW). Let’s explore Jeanie Buss bio, age, height, family, partner, kids, net worth, etc.
Quick Bio
- Full Name: Jeanie Marie Buss
- Date of Birth: September 26, 1961
- Age: 64 (as of January 2026)
- Birthplace: Santa Monica, California, United States
- Nationality: American
- Ethnicity: White
- Profession: Sports executive, business leader
- Position: Governor, Los Angeles Lakers
- Other Venture: Co-owner, Women of Wrestling (WOW)
- Years Active: 1980s – present
Early Life, Family & Education
Jeanie Buss was born in Santa Monica, California, to real estate investor Jerry Buss and JoAnn Buss.
Her father acquired the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979 as part of a broader sports and real estate portfolio. Buss grew up around professional sports ownership and business negotiations, which shaped her exposure to executive operations from an early age.
She attended the University of Southern California (USC), where she earned a degree in business with honors.
During her college years, she began participating in management responsibilities within her father’s sports holdings, gaining operational experience before formally entering executive leadership roles.
Parents & Siblings
Her father, Jerry Buss, owned the Lakers until his death in 2013. Ownership of the franchise transferred to a family trust shared among his children, including Jeanie, Jim, Johnny, Janie, Joey, and Jesse Buss.
Internal leadership authority eventually consolidated under Jeanie Buss as governor and principal executive representative of the team.
Education
Buss earned a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Southern California.
Her academic background in finance and management directly supported her later executive roles in professional sports ownership.
Career
Buss began her professional career in sports management at age 19 as general manager of the Los Angeles Strings, a professional tennis franchise owned by her father.
She later became general manager of the Los Angeles Blades roller hockey team and served as president of the Great Western Forum, the Lakers’ former home arena.
These early roles established her executive experience prior to assuming responsibilities within the Lakers organization.
Within the Lakers, Buss initially oversaw business operations, marketing, and financial strategy. Following Jerry Buss’s death in 2013, she was named controlling owner and governor.
In 2017, she restructured the franchise’s basketball operations leadership, consolidating authority and adjusting executive roles during a period of competitive rebuilding.
Under her governance, the Lakers won the 2020 NBA Championship. That title marked the first NBA championship secured by a female controlling owner in league history.
The organization subsequently entered a new ownership era in 2025 when a majority stake was sold at a valuation of approximately $10 billion.
As part of the agreement, Buss retained her role as governor and continues to represent the franchise at league-level governance meetings.
In addition to her NBA responsibilities, Buss co-owns Women of Wrestling (WOW), a professional women’s wrestling promotion focused on media distribution and television broadcasting.
The venture operates independently from NBA operations and reflects diversification of her sports-related investments.
Awards & Recognition
Buss has been associated with six NBA championships as an executive or controlling owner within the Lakers organization, including the 2020 championship as principal owner.
She became the first female controlling owner to lead an NBA team to a championship title.
She has also received industry recognition for sports leadership and won a Sports Emmy Award in 2023 for documentary production related to Lakers history.
Career Timeline
1980s: General manager, Los Angeles Strings (World TeamTennis).
1990s: Executive leadership roles within Lakers business operations.
2013: Became controlling owner and governor of the Lakers.
2017: Reorganized Lakers basketball operations leadership.
2020: Lakers won the NBA Championship under her governance.
2023: Received Sports Emmy Award for documentary production.
2025: Lakers majority stake sold at record valuation; retained position as governor.
Relationships, Partner & Kids
Buss was previously married to Steve Timmons in the early 1990s. She later became engaged to former Lakers head coach Phil Jackson; the engagement ended in 2016.
In 2023, she married comedian and actor Jay Mohr. As of January 2026, the couple remains married. No children have been publicly documented.
Physical Measurements
- Height: Approximately 5 ft 4 in (163 cm)
- Weight: Not officially confirmed
- Hair Color: Blonde
- Eye Color: Blue
Social Media
Instagram: @jeaniebuss
X (Twitter): @JeanieBuss
Net Worth
Estimated net worth: Approximately $1 billion. Her wealth is primarily derived from ownership equity in the Los Angeles Lakers and related sports ventures.
Trivia
- First female controlling owner to lead an NBA team to a championship.
- Associated with six Lakers NBA championship titles.
- Managed a professional sports team at age 19.
- Co-owns Women of Wrestling (WOW).
- Oversaw Lakers franchise valuation growth to approximately $10 billion.
- Served as president of the Great Western Forum.
- Received a Sports Emmy Award in 2023.
FAQs
How old is Jeanie Buss?
She is 64 years old as of January 2026.
Is Jeanie Buss married?
Yes. She married Jay Mohr in 2023.
How tall is Jeanie Buss?
She is approximately 5 ft 4 in (163 cm) tall.
What is Jeanie Buss known for?
She is known as the governor of the Los Angeles Lakers and a long-time NBA executive.
What is Jeanie Buss’s net worth?
Her public estimated net worth is around $1 billion as of January 2026, which is not yet confirmed.
