>> Joining us is the controlling
owner and president of the los
Angeles Lakers, please welcome
Jeanie buss to our studio.
>> Hey!
Jeanie, so great to see you.
Thank you for taking the time to
join us.
>> Thanks for having me.
>> As a die-hard laker guy, I
want to congratulate you on
being the first female owner of
the NBA championship team.
>> That is incredible.
>> In a very dark year, there
was so much going on.
I like that you got the ring,
representing right there, yeah.
>> The bling that everybody
should have.
>> That's right.
>> That had to make it extra
special.
I mean, the fact that during
that time, a tough time, that
was such a shining light.
>> It meant a lot, given the
fact that we were shut down.
We were playing in a bubble.
And, you know, people needed
something to give them hope,
give them optimism.
And I think it was really
exciting for the city of L.A.
>> Absolutely.
>> Seeing it there, Jeanie,
talking about everybody coming
for you, what did this victory
mean to you as a woman?
>> You know, I think -- there's
so many challenges.
It's so hard to win.
But to be the first woman and
accepting that trophy -- I know
what it meant when I was
younger, to see a woman in
power.
And so I hope I inspire the next
generation.
And I hope to see another woman
hoist the trophy and be a
winner.
>> Absolutely.
Your father, who was such an
incredible guy, Dr. Buss.
Must be so incredibly proud.
And did he have -- I'm curious,
I don't think I've asked you,
did he have these sort of
discussions with you when you
were younger?
Like, I would like to see this?
Did that --
>> Absolutely.
He was grooming me from a young
age, you know, to teach me how
to run the business.
What he valued in terms of
having a team that your city
could be proud of.
Having a star player that people
could rally around.
Like Magic Johnson or kobe
Bryant or Lebron James now.
You know, it was -- we kind of
war gamed all through my life
different scenarios, different
business ideas.
And he was a great teacher.
>> Were you reluctant at all?
>> Yeah, I mean, I just liked,
you know, working in the family
business.
And being a part of whatever he
needed me to do.
You know, one year he sent me to
Russia to negotiate with the
Moscow circus, to try to bring
them over to play.
>> Tough room.
>> It was a tough room.
But I was like, whatever
challenge he put at me, I took.
And I loved it.
>> He saw your greatness there.
>> What was the dynamic off the
court with your father, Dr.
Buss, and magic?
>> Oh, you know, that's -- that
was really kind of the catalyst
of us wanting to make this
docuseries was really
highlighting this relationship
that Jerry buss had with magic
Johnson.
You never really saw that in
sports before.
It was unprecedented.
To have a player, you know, a
20-year-old player hanging out
with the 50-year-old owner.
You know, from two different
walks of life, yet they were
soul mates for the court.
Really inspired each other.
As rookie owner and rookie
player, they won a championship
the first year.
>> A foundation of four years to
come.
You're an executive producer on
this series.
What was the motivation behind
making this docuseries?
>> You know, just -- it really,
you know -- we knew that laker
fans would love hearing the
story.
But there's a whole new
generation of fans that don't
know who Jerry buss is.
They might have heard his name.
But my dad brought so much
innovation to sports and
entertainment.
You know, when he bought the
team, he created the laker
girls.
And no team in the NBA ever had
a dance team before.
Now every team in the league
does.
It was things like that.
He started a regional sports
network.
When the thinking back in the
day was, you never showed your
home games on TV in your market
because no one would buy
tickets.
>> Right.
>> They'd stay home and watch it
on TV.
But he saw it as expanding the
audience.
And that more people would be
able to attend the home games if
they could watch it on TV,
because we were sold out every
game.
So, you know, the way he thought
about business, the way he
created the celebrity atmosphere
at the games, you know.
The floor seats, you know, you
had Jack Nicholson, of course.
>> Oh!
A who's who.
>> Strategically, he sat next to
the visiting team in order to
distract them.
>> Right.
>> You know?
So, you know, he's just great.
He's the biggest laker fan and
we're so grateful to have him.
But you know, it -- my dad said
that when you have a friend that
comes out to visit you in L.,
they want to do three things.
They want to go to the beach.
They want to go to universal
studios.
>> Whoo-hoo!
>> They want to see real-live
celebrity.
Where else can you take them but
to a laker game that you're
going to make sure they see a
celebrity?
>> So smart.
It's fascinating.
Dr. Buss was a doctor of
chemistry.
I remember having this
conversation.
He wasn't a basketball guy
growing up.
Then he got into real estate.
Then he came into the sport and
changed it forever.
>> Yeah, yeah.
>> It just goes to show, if
you're a smart person and you
become passionate about
something.
>> Right.
>> The series pays tribute to a
lot of legacies on the courts,
including kobe Bryant, who you
pointed out or tweeted, I
believe, that he's the greatest
laker ever, right?
>> In my opinion, he's the
greatest laker ever.
I mean, you can debate that.
But I'm wearing the mambacita
shirt.
>> I love that.
And the bracelet.
>> And the bracelet for Gigi and
kobe.
>> Love it.
>> You know, I think for what
kobe stood for, what he meant to
our fans, how he overcame
adversity, you know.
Winning the three-peat with
Shaq.
Then Shaq leaves.
Then, you know, bringing the
team back with pau Gasol and
winning two more championships.
He really, you know, showed by
example what can happen with
hard work and the ma'am may
mentality.
>> 20 years right there,
exactly.
>> Lebron, of course, just
signed a big deal.
Interesting all the talk that he
wants to play with his son,
bronny.
This would be incredible.
What could that mean for the
organization?
>> You know, there's a lot of
things that you have to go
through.
Another team.
>> Right.
>> No, no, no.
>> I know.
>> Right.
>> He's not allowed to comment
on it.
People could say she's
tampering, we shouldn't even
ask.
>> I know, right?
>> You're right, you're going to
get me in trouble.
>> I had your back!
>> Lebron's talking about it so
it's neat to hear his dream.
So clearly what a cool thing for
the organization.
>> I think it would be
inspirational for people to see
something like that.
>> Yes.
>> Tickets are getting more
expensive.
>> We're going to all of them.
We love the love that everybody
has for your family.
The murals that are all over.
This one of your dad, Jeanie,
your dad's hair, my all-time
favorite.
I wanted a little more in this
mural.
What I love, he empowered a
woman to take over for him.
So everybody that can say he's
larger than life and all of
that, yet his appreciation of
women is quite something.
Look where you are right now.
>> That's exactly true.
To have somebody that believes
in you.
And he never, ever made me feel
that my gender would hold me
back.
He empowered me, believed in me,
until I believed in myself.
>> I remember your dad said one
time, when you get the answer
you want, walk away.
Don't stay.
>> That's good.
>> Don't stay, walk away.
>> My dad really, really loved
you.
>> Aww!
>> Yeah, you guys spent some
good time.
You were boxing.
>> That's right.
>> Did you box with him?
>> No, he was a fan.
We used to have shows,
performances.
He was a great guy.
I'd love to pick his brain.
So smart.
>> I love it.
Jeannie wus I'm so glad I got to
meet you.
Can we go out with a closeup of
the ring?
>> More are coming.
>> Legacy there.
The true story of the legacy,
right now on hulu, it's a