Jeanie Buss has run the Los Angeles Lakers for over a decade, but this week she’s making headlines for a different reason: a public fight with her own brothers and sister over who actually has the right to sell the family’s last piece of the team. Here’s what people are searching for about her life, her career, and the story unfolding right now.
Background
Jeanie Marie Buss was born on September 26, 1961, in Santa Monica, California. She is the daughter of Jerry Buss, the businessman who bought the Lakers in 1979 and turned them into one of the most valuable franchises in professional sports. Jeanie grew up around the team, working her way through different jobs in the organization long before she took charge of it.
Today, she holds the titles of team president and governor of the Lakers, meaning she is the person who represents the franchise at NBA Board of Governors meetings and signs off on the biggest decisions the team makes. She’s also known outside basketball as a co-owner and promoter of Women of Wrestling, a professional wrestling promotion built specifically around female athletes.
People search her name for a mix of reasons: her position as one of the few women who controls a major U.S. sports franchise, her family’s long and sometimes messy history running the Lakers, and her personal life, which has included a marriage to actor and comedian Jay Mohr and a long relationship with former Lakers coach Phil Jackson.
Latest Update
As of August 18, 2026, here is what’s currently known.
A public dispute broke out this week inside the Buss family over the sale of their remaining ownership stake in the Lakers. According to reporting from ESPN and other outlets, Jeanie’s siblings said the Buss family had agreed to sell its final 17.8 percent stake in the team to former Disney CEO Bob Iger and investor Josh Kushner, who recently completed a separate deal to buy Mark Walter’s majority share of the franchise.
Jeanie Buss’s attorney, Adam Streisand, sent a letter to her siblings’ lawyers stating that she has not agreed to sell her share of the team, and that any vote suggesting otherwise “would be and is void.” Streisand’s letter argues that under a 2017 court order, Jeanie remains the controlling shareholder of the Lakers and that no sale can happen without her consent, since she, her brother Joey, and her sister Janie are co-trustees of the family trust that holds the shares.
So as of this writing, no sale has been finalized. What is confirmed is that a serious legal and family disagreement is playing out over who has the authority to sell, and Jeanie Buss’s camp says she has not signed off on giving up her stake or her role as governor of the team.
Full Profile
Family and Early Life
Jeanie was the third of four children born to Jerry Buss and his first wife, Joann. She grew up alongside older brothers Johnny and Jim Buss and a younger sister, Janie. Her parents divorced in 1972, when Jeanie was still a child.
Career Path
Jeanie worked inside the Lakers organization for years before her father’s death in 2013, when she took over as team president and the franchise’s representative on the NBA Board of Governors. In 2020, she became the first female controlling owner to lead a team to an NBA championship, bringing her personal championship count as an owner and executive to six. She also co-owns and helps run Women of Wrestling, a women’s pro wrestling league.
Age
Jeanie Buss is 64 years old as of August 2026. She was born September 26, 1961, and will turn 65 later this year.
Religion
Jeanie Buss’s religious beliefs, if any, are not publicly documented in a verifiable source. This detail should be treated as unconfirmed rather than assumed.
Spouse/Partner
Jeanie Buss married volleyball player Steve Timmons in 1990; they divorced in 1993. She had a long-term relationship with former Lakers head coach Phil Jackson from around 1999 to 2016. In 2023, she married actor and comedian Jay Mohr.
Net Worth
Estimates from Celebrity Net Worth placed Jeanie Buss’s net worth at roughly $700 million as of 2025, largely tied to her ownership stake and role with the Lakers, a franchise valued at around $6.5 billion. This figure is a third-party estimate, not an audited or officially disclosed number, and it may shift depending on how the ongoing ownership dispute is resolved.
Parents
Her father was Jerry Buss, the real estate investor and businessman who purchased the Lakers in 1979 and owned them until his death in 2013. Her mother is Joann Buss, Jerry’s first wife.
Height
Jeanie Buss’s height is not confirmed in any verifiable, credible source. It should be treated as unconfirmed information.
Education
Jeanie Buss earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the University of Southern California.
Hometown/State of Origin
She was born and grew up in Santa Monica, California, and has spent nearly her entire life and career in the Los Angeles area.
Official Social Media
You can follow Jeanie Buss’s verified account here: @JeanieBuss on X (Twitter).
| Category | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Jeanie Marie Buss |
| Born | September 26, 1961, Santa Monica, California |
| Age | 64 (as of August 2026) |
| Occupation | President and Governor, Los Angeles Lakers; Co-owner, Women of Wrestling |
| Education | University of Southern California (BBA) |
| Spouse(s) | Steve Timmons (m. 1990, div. 1993); Jay Mohr (m. 2023) |
| Notable Partner | Phil Jackson (c. 1999–2016) |
| Parents | Jerry Buss and Joann Buss |
| Estimated Net Worth | ~$700 million (2025 estimate, unaudited) |
| Height | Unconfirmed |
| Religion | Unconfirmed |
Reader Questions (FAQ)
Is Jeanie Buss still the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers?
Yes, as of August 18, 2026, Jeanie Buss remains the controlling owner and governor of the Lakers. A dispute is underway over whether her siblings can sell the family’s remaining stake to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, but no sale has been finalized.
Did the Buss family sell the Lakers?
Not fully confirmed. Reports say Jeanie’s siblings agreed to sell the family’s last 17.8 percent stake, but Jeanie’s attorney says she never consented and that the sale cannot legally proceed without her approval as co-trustee.
How old is Jeanie Buss?
Jeanie Buss was born on September 26, 1961, making her 64 years old as of August 2026. She will turn 65 later this year.
Who is Jeanie Buss married to?
Jeanie Buss is married to actor and comedian Jay Mohr, whom she wed in 2023. She was previously married to volleyball player Steve Timmons from 1990 to 1993, and had a long relationship with former Lakers coach Phil Jackson.
What is Jeanie Buss’s net worth?
Celebrity Net Worth estimated her fortune at around $700 million as of 2025, based largely on her Lakers ownership stake. This is a third-party estimate and not an official, audited figure.
Who are Jeanie Buss’s parents and siblings?
Her father was Lakers owner Jerry Buss, who died in 2013, and her mother is Joann Buss. She has two older brothers, Johnny and Jim, and a younger sister, Janie.
Why is Jeanie Buss trending right now?
She’s trending because of a public legal dispute with her siblings over the sale of the Buss family’s final ownership stake in the Lakers to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, which broke into the news on August 17 and 18, 2026.
Wrap-Up
Jeanie Buss built her career the slow way, starting inside the Lakers organization long before she ever ran it, and she’s spent the last decade proving that a female sports executive can win at the highest level of a league built almost entirely around men. Six championships as an owner and executive is not a small résumé, and it’s part of why her name carries weight beyond just being “Jerry Buss’s daughter.”
What’s happening this week adds a new, more personal chapter to that story. Family businesses often get complicated once money and control are on the line, and the Buss family’s fight over selling their last piece of the Lakers is a clear example of that. Whether Jeanie keeps her role as governor of the team, or whether her siblings ultimately succeed in forcing a sale, still isn’t settled, and anyone repeating either outcome as fact right now is getting ahead of the actual, confirmed facts.
For now, the safest thing to say is this: Jeanie Buss has not agreed to sell, her lawyer is actively contesting the reported deal, and the final outcome will likely depend on how the trust dispute plays out in the coming weeks. This page will reflect updates as verified information becomes available.
John Wood is the founder and lead editor of Biography Region. He researches and writes accurate, engaging biographies of celebrities, entrepreneurs, influencers, and public figures, delivering well-sourced, reader-focused content that informs and inspires.