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Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson: A Complex Relationship Beyond the Court
Introduction:
The Los Angeles Lakers, a dynasty in the NBA, have a history intertwined with iconic figures. Among them, Jeanie Buss, the team's governor and owner, and Magic Johnson, a legendary player and now a significant figure in Lakers' business, share a long and multifaceted relationship. This post delves deep into the dynamic between Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson, exploring their professional collaboration, personal connection, and the impact their relationship has had on the Lakers franchise. We’ll examine their history together, navigating the complexities of friendship, professional partnerships, and the occasional public disagreement, to paint a complete picture of this compelling relationship.
1. From Courtside to Boardroom: Their Early Connection
Jeanie Buss’s life has long been entwined with the Lakers. Her father, Dr. Jerry Buss, purchased the team in 1979, and Jeanie grew up immersed in the world of basketball. Magic Johnson, drafted by the Lakers in 1979, quickly became a global icon, synonymous with the team's success throughout the 1980s. Their initial connection was likely forged in the atmosphere of the Lakers' dynasty years. Jeanie, involved in the team’s operations even then, would have witnessed firsthand Magic’s incredible talent and leadership on the court. This shared history laid the foundation for their future professional collaborations.
2. The Buss-Johnson Professional Partnership: A Powerful Alliance
Magic Johnson's return to the Lakers organization in 2012, as a part-owner and president of basketball operations, marked a significant moment in the team's history, and a pivotal point in his relationship with Jeanie Buss. Their collaboration involved navigating complex business decisions, dealing with player acquisitions, and strategizing for the franchise’s future. This partnership required a high level of trust, mutual respect, and a shared vision for the Lakers' success. While their working relationship has demonstrably brought about changes to the Lakers, it hasn't been without its friction and publicly visible disagreements.
3. Navigating Differences and Public Disagreements
While their shared passion for the Lakers is undeniable, Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson haven't always seen eye-to-eye on every decision. Public disagreements, though not frequent, have occasionally surfaced, highlighting the inherent complexities of their professional relationship. These differences, which often revolved around basketball strategy and managerial approaches, provide insights into their distinct leadership styles and the challenges of working within a high-pressure environment. Understanding these instances offers a more nuanced perspective on their overall collaboration.
4. Beyond Basketball: A Personal Connection?
Beyond their professional collaboration, the nature of Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson's personal relationship remains a topic of speculation. While both maintain a professional demeanor in public, the length and depth of their association naturally fuel curiosity about a possible deeper connection. However, neither has publicly confirmed or denied any personal relationship beyond their professional partnership, leaving this aspect of their dynamic largely to interpretation and conjecture.
5. The Impact on the Lakers Franchise: Success and Challenges
The combined impact of Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson on the Los Angeles Lakers is undeniable. Their collaborative efforts have shaped the direction of the franchise, influencing player recruitment, coaching decisions, and overall team strategy. However, their partnership has also faced challenges, leading to periods of both triumph and setbacks. Analyzing their combined influence allows for a comprehensive understanding of the Lakers’ journey in the modern NBA era.
6. The Future of Their Collaboration: An Ongoing Story
The story of Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson's relationship is far from over. Their ongoing professional engagement continues to shape the Los Angeles Lakers, and their future collaborations will undoubtedly have a significant impact on the franchise's success. Their continued interactions, whether marked by harmony or disagreement, will remain a topic of interest for basketball fans and business observers alike. Their future decisions will define the narrative of their long-standing association.
Article Outline:
Title: Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson: A Complex Relationship Beyond the Court
Introduction: Hook, overview of the post's content.
Chapter 1: Their Early Connection: From Courtside to Boardroom.
Chapter 2: The Buss-Johnson Professional Partnership: A Powerful Alliance.
Chapter 3: Navigating Differences and Public Disagreements.
Chapter 4: Beyond Basketball: A Personal Connection?
Chapter 5: The Impact on the Lakers Franchise: Success and Challenges.
Chapter 6: The Future of Their Collaboration: An Ongoing Story.
Conclusion: Summary and final thoughts.
FAQs
Related Articles
(The detailed content for each chapter is provided above in the main article.)
Conclusion:
Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson's relationship is a fascinating blend of professional collaboration, shared history, and occasional public friction. Their intertwined journey with the Los Angeles Lakers represents a significant chapter in the franchise's history. Understanding the dynamics of their connection, both professional and potentially personal, provides valuable insight into the complexities of leadership, partnership, and the pursuit of success in the high-stakes world of professional sports.
FAQs:
1. Are Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson friends? While their professional relationship is well-documented, the nature of their personal friendship remains largely private and unconfirmed.
2. Have Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson ever publicly disagreed? Yes, there have been instances of public disagreements, primarily regarding basketball strategies and management decisions.
3. What is Magic Johnson's current role with the Lakers? His current official role with the Lakers is subject to change and should be verified through official Lakers announcements.
4. What is Jeanie Buss's role with the Lakers? Jeanie Buss is the Governor and owner of the Los Angeles Lakers.
5. How long have Jeanie Buss and Magic Johnson known each other? Their relationship spans several decades, beginning with Magic's time as a player and extending through his various roles with the Lakers.
6. Has their relationship impacted the Lakers' performance? Their combined influence has undeniably impacted the Lakers, both positively and negatively, influencing player recruitment, coaching decisions, and overall team strategy.
7. What is the future of their professional relationship? The future of their collaboration remains to be seen and will likely continue to shape the direction of the Lakers franchise.
8. Is there any evidence suggesting a romantic relationship between them? No public evidence suggests a romantic relationship. Their association remains primarily professional.
9. What are the biggest challenges they faced working together? Navigating differing opinions on player acquisitions, coaching strategies, and overall team management have likely been significant challenges.
Related Articles:
1. The Rise of Jeanie Buss: From Lakers Daughter to Team Governor: Examines Jeanie Buss's journey and her impact on the Lakers organization.
2. Magic Johnson's Legacy: Beyond the Court: Explores Magic Johnson's impact on basketball and beyond.
3. The Lakers Dynasty Years: A Look Back at the Showtime Era: Recounts the glory days of the Lakers with Magic Johnson and the team's impact.
4. Analyzing the Lakers' Management Decisions in Recent Years: A critical look at the team's management decisions.
5. The Impact of Ownership Changes on the Lakers Franchise: Examines how ownership changes affect the team's performance and direction.
6. Jeanie Buss's Leadership Style: Strengths and Weaknesses: Evaluates Jeanie Buss's leadership approach.
7. Magic Johnson's Business Ventures Outside of Basketball: Explores Magic Johnson's success beyond the basketball court.
8. The Challenges of Team Building in the NBA: Focuses on the difficulties teams face in building a winning team.
9. The Evolution of the Los Angeles Lakers Franchise: Traces the Lakers' history and evolution over time.
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Showtime Jeff Pearlman, 2014-03-04 The New York Times bestselling author of Sweetness delivers the first all-encompassing account of the 1980s Los Angeles Lakers, one of professional sports’ most-revered—and dominant—dynasties. The Los Angeles Lakers of the 1980s personified the flamboyance and excess of the decade over which they reigned. Beginning with the arrival of Earvin “Magic” Johnson as the number-one overall pick of the 1979 draft, the Lakers played basketball with gusto and pizzazz, unleashing their famed “Showtime” run-and-gun style on a league unprepared for their speed and ferocity—and became the most captivating show in sports and, arguably, in all-around American entertainment. The Lakers’ roster overflowed with exciting all-star-caliber players, including center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and they were led by the incomparable Pat Riley, known for his slicked-back hair, his Armani suits, and his arrogant strut. Hollywood’s biggest celebrities lined the court and gorgeous women flocked to the arena. Best of all, the team was a winner. Between 1980 and 1991, the Lakers played in an unmatched nine NBA championship series, capturing five of them. Bestselling sportswriter Jeff Pearlman draws from almost three hundred interviews to take the first full measure of the Lakers’ epic Showtime era. A dazzling account of one of America’s greatest sports sagas, Showtime is packed with indelible characters, vicious rivalries, and jaw-dropping, behind-the-scenes stories of the players’ decadent Hollywood lifestyles. From the Showtime era’s remarkable rise to its tragic end—marked by Magic Johnson’s 1991 announcement that he had contracted HIV—Showtime is a gripping narrative of sports, celebrity, and 1980s-style excess. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Magic: The Life of Earvin “Magic” Johnson Roland Lazenby, 2023-10-24 The definitive biography of the basketball legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson, from the highly respected, career sportswriter and author of Michael Jordan: The Life. Magic Johnson is one of the most beloved, and at times controversial, athletes in history. His iconic smile lifted the dowdy sport of American professional basketball from a second-tier sport with low ratings into the global spotlight—a transformation driven by Magic’s ability to eviscerate opponents with a playing style that featured his grand sense of fun. He was a master entertainer who directed the Los Angeles “Showtime” Lakers to the heights of both glory and epic excess, all of it driven by his mind-blowing no-look passes and personal charm. Then, in 1991, at the height of his charismatic power, Johnson shocked the world with a startling cautionary tale about sexually transmitted disease that pushed public awareness of the HIV/AIDS crisis. Then out came his confession of unprotected sex with hundreds of women each year, followed by his retirement, an attempted return, and a proper farewell on the iconic 1992 Olympic Dream Team. Longtime biographer Roland Lazenby spent years tracking the unlikely ascension of Johnson—an immensely popular public figure who was instantly scandalized but who then turned to his legendary will to rise again as a successful entrepreneur with another level of hard-won success. In Lazenby’s portrayal, Johnson’s tale becomes bigger than that of one man. It is a generational saga spanning parts of three centuries that reveals a great deal, not just about his unique basketball journey but about America itself. Through hundreds of interviews with Johnson’s coaches, representatives past and present, teammates, opponents, friends, and loved ones, as well as key conversations with Johnson himself over the years, Lazenby has produced the first truly definitive study, both dark and light, of Earvin “Magic” Johnson, Jr.—the revolutionary player, the icon, the man. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Laker Girl Jeanie Buss, Steve Springer, 2013-11-01 The never-before-told story of the Buss family and of one woman's rise to the top in a man's world, Laker Girl is an unprecedented glimpse into the glamorous world of the Los Angeles Lakers. It is also a behind-the-scenes journal of the 2009–10 Lakers season, a year in which the franchise captured its 16th world championship. By the time Jeanie was 19, she was already a high-ranking executive with World Team Tennis. Today, she is the Lakers' executive vice president of business operations and one of the most influential women in professional sports. Along the way, she's rubbed elbows with everyone from Michael Jordan, John McEnroe, and Shaquille O'Neal to Ryan Seacrest, Khloe Kardashian, Hugh Hefner, and Jack Nicholson. And she's done it all in her own unique, inimitable style. In this updated edition, Buss discusses her recent engagement to Phil Jackson and looks back on the Lakers' eventful past three seasons—an era that has included multiple coaching changes, changes in the front office, a new TV deal, and much more. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: The Last Season Phil Jackson, Michael Arkush, 2005-10-04 An inside look at the season that proved to be the final ride of a truly great dynasty—Kobe Bryant, Shaq, and the LA Lakers For the countless basketball fans who were spellbound by the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2003–2004 high-wire act, this book is a rare and phenomenal treat. In The Last Season, Lakers coach Phil Jackson draws on his trademark honesty and insight to tell the whole story of the season that proved to be the final ride of a truly great dynasty. From the signing of future Hall-of-Famers Karl Malone and Gary Payton to the Kobe Bryant rape case/media circus, this is a riveting tale of clashing egos, public feuds, contract disputes, and team meltdowns that only a coach, and a writer, of Jackson’s candor, experience, and ability could tell. Full of tremendous human drama and offering lessons on coaching and on life, this is a book that no sports fan can possibly pass up. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Eleven Rings Phil Jackson, Hugh Delehanty, 2013-05-21 Through candor and comprehensiveness, Jackson writes a convincing revisionist take, in which he emerges as an excellent coach . . . highly readable . . . reflects Jackson’s polymathy. —The New York Times Book Review Part sports memoir, part New Age spirit quest, part pseudo-management tract . . . But the primary thing with Jackson—as with all the old bards, who were also known for repeating themselves—is the voice. —Sam Anderson, The New York Times Magazine A New York Times Bestseller The inside story of one of basketball's most legendary and game-changing figures During his storied career as head coach of the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, Phil Jackson won more championships than any coach in the history of professional sports. Even more important, he succeeded in never wavering from coaching his way, from a place of deep values. Jackson was tagged as the “Zen master” half in jest by sportswriters, but the nickname speaks to an important truth: this is a coach who inspired, not goaded; who led by awakening and challenging the better angels of his players’ nature, not their egos, fear, or greed. This is the story of a preacher’s kid from North Dakota who grew up to be one of the most innovative leaders of our time. In his quest to reinvent himself, Jackson explored everything from humanistic psychology and Native American philosophy to Zen meditation. In the process, he developed a new approach to leadership based on freedom, authenticity, and selfless teamwork that turned the hypercompetitive world of professional sports on its head. In Eleven Rings, Jackson candidly describes how he: • Learned the secrets of mindfulness and team chemistry while playing for the champion New York Knicks in the 1970s • Managed Michael Jordan, the greatest player in the world, and got him to embrace selflessness, even if it meant losing a scoring title • Forged successful teams out of players of varying abilities by getting them to trust one another and perform in sync • Inspired Dennis Rodman and other “uncoachable” personalities to devote themselves to something larger than themselves • Transformed Kobe Bryant from a rebellious teenager into a mature leader of a championship team. Eleven times, Jackson led his teams to the ultimate goal: the NBA championship—six times with the Chicago Bulls and five times with the Los Angeles Lakers. We all know the legendary stars on those teams, or think we do. What Eleven Rings shows us, however, is that when it comes to the most important lessons, we don’t know very much at all. This book is full of revelations: about fascinating personalities and their drive to win; about the wellsprings of motivation and competition at the highest levels; and about what it takes to bring out the best in ourselves and others. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Three-ring Circus Jeff Pearlman, 2020 From 1996 through 2004, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal combined-- and collided-- to help bring the Lakers three straight championships and restore the franchise as a powerhouse. From public sniping and sparring, to physical altercations and the repeated threats of trade, it was warfare. The eight years of infighting and hostility were by turns mediated and encouraged by coach Phil Jackson. Pearlman shows how the Shaq-Kobe duo resulted in one of the most enduring, and ever-evolving, teams in NBA history. -- adapted from jacket |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: West by West Jonathan Coleman, Jerry West, 2011-10-19 He is one of basketball's towering figures: Mr. Clutch, who mesmerized his opponents and fans. The coach who began the Lakers' resurgence in the 1970s. The general manager who helped bring Showtime to Los Angeles, creating a championship-winning force that continues to this day. Now, for the first time, the legendary Jerry West tells his story-from his tough childhood in West Virginia, to his unbelievable college success at West Virginia University, his 40-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers, and his relationships with NBA legends like Bill Russell, Wilt Chamberlain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, and Kobe Bryant. Unsparing in its self-assessment and honesty, West by West is far more than a sports memoir: it is a profound confession and a magnificent inspiration. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Basketball Jackie MacMullan, Rafe Bartholomew, Dan Klores, 2019-10-15 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Inspired by a major ESPN film series, this is an extraordinary oral history of basketball—its eye-opening untold history, its profound deeper meaning, its transformative influence on the world—as told through an unprecedented series of candid conversations with the game’s ultimate icons. This is the greatest love story never told. It has passion and heartbreak, triumph and betrayal. It is deeply intimate yet crosses oceans, upends lives and changes nations. This is the true story of basketball. It is the story of a Canadian invention that took over America, and the world. Of a supposed “white man’s sport” that became a way for people of color, women, and immigrants to claim a new place in society. Of a game that demands everything of those who love it, yet gives so much back in return. To tell this story, acclaimed journalists Jackie MacMullan, Rafe Bartholomew and Dan Klores embarked on a groundbreaking mission to interview a staggering lineup of basketball trailblazers. For the first time hundreds of legends, from Kobe, Lebron and Steph Curry to Magic Johnson, Dr. J and Jerry West, spoke movingly about their greatest passion. Former NBA commissioner David Stern and iconic coaches like Phil Jackson and Coach K opened up like never before. Those who shattered glass ceilings, from Bill Russell and Yao Ming to Cheryl Miller and Lisa Leslie, explained what it really took to lay claim to their place in the game. At once a definitive oral history and something far more revelatory and life affirming, Basketball: A Love Story is the defining untold oral history of how basketball came to be, and what it means to those who love it. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: The Last Folk Hero Jeff Pearlman, 2022-10-25 New York Times Bestseller • The ultimate gift for sports lovers By the author of Showtime—the source for HBO’s Winning Time—the definitive biography of mythic multi-sport star Bo Jackson. “A legendary tome on a legendary athlete. —Chris Herring, author of Blood in the Garden From the mid-1980s into the early 1990s, the greatest athlete of all time streaked across American sports and popular culture. Stadiums struggled to contain him. Clocks failed to capture his speed. His strength was legendary. His power unmatched. Video game makers turned him into an invincible character—and they were dead-on. He climbed (and walked across) walls, splintered baseball bats over his knee, turned oncoming tacklers into ground meat. He became the first person to simultaneously star in two major professional sports, and overtook Michael Jordan as America’s most recognizable pitchman. He was on our televisions, in our magazines, plastered across billboards. He was half man, half myth. Then, almost overnight, he was gone. He was Bo Jackson. Drawing on an astonishing 720 original interviews, New York Times bestselling sportswriter Jeff Pearlman captures as never before the elusive truth about Jackson, Auburn University’s transcendent Heisman Trophy winner, superstar of both the NFL and Major League Baseball and ubiquitous “Bo Knows” Nike pitchman. Did Bo really jump over a parked Volkswagen? (Yes.) Did he actually run a 4.13 40? (Yes.) During the 1991 flight that nearly killed every member of the Chicago White Sox, was he in the cockpit trying to help? (Oddly, yes. Or no. Or … maybe.) Bo Jackson isn’t Jim Thorpe. He’s not Deion Sanders, either. No, Bo Jackson is Paul Bunyan. The Last Folk Hero is the true tale of Bo Jackson that only “master storyteller” (NPR.org) Jeff Pearlman could tell. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Showboat Roland Lazenby, 2016-10-25 The definitive portrait of Kobe Bryant, from the author of Michael Jordan. Lazenby's detailed research and fantastic writing paint a complex, engaging picture of one of the NBA's greats (Kurt Helin, NBC Sports). Eighteen-time All-Star, scorer of 81 points in a single game, MVP, and one of the best shooting guards in NBA league history: Kobe Bryant is among basketball's absolute greatest players, and his importance to the sport is undeniable. Third on the NBA career scoring list and owner of five championship rings, he is an undisputed all-time great, one deserving of this deep and definitive biography. Even within the flashiest franchise in all of sports -- the Los Angeles Lakers, where he played his entire career -- Bryant always took center stage, and his final game captivated the basketball world, indeed the country. Roland Lazenby delves deep to look behind this public image, using classic basketball reporting and dozens of new interviews to reveal the whole picture, from Bryant's childhood through his playing years. Showboatis filled with large personalities and provocative stories, including details of Bryant's complicated personal life and explosive relationships on the court, and is a riveting and essential read for every hoops fan. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Springtime and Other Essays Sir Francis Darwin, 2019-12-06 This is a collection of written essays by Sir Francis Darwin, son of renowned scientist Charles Darwin. This book offers a blend of topics, from musings on the arrival of spring to recollections of great personalities in history, such as Sydney Smith and Charles Dickens. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: My Life Earvin "Magic" Johnson, 1993-09-01 “A true emotional phenomenon . . . Entertaining . . . Of particular interest to fans will be the evolution of Johnson’s relationship with Bird, his great karmic partner in the game.”—Newsday (New York) He's faced challenges all of his life, but now Magic Johnson faces the biggest challenge of all, his own brave battle with HIV. In this dramatic, exciting, and inspirational autobiography, Magic Johnson allows readers into his life, into his tirumphs and tragedies on and off the court. In his own exuberant style, he tells readers of the friends and family who've been constant supporters and the basketball greats he’s worked with. It’s all here, the glory and the pain the character, charisma, and courage of the hero called Magic. AN ALTERNATE SELECTION OF THE BOOK-OF-THE-MONTH CLUB |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Winnin' Times Scott Ostler, Steve Springer, 1986 |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama E. Cobham Brewer, 2019-09-25 Reproduction of the original: Character Sketches of Romance, Fiction and the Drama by E. Cobham Brewer |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Built to Lose Jake Fischer, 2021-05-04 From front offices to college campuses, Jake Fischer takes you on an engrossing tour of the NBA in its latest golden age, when some of the most captivating teams won by losing. —Lee Jenkins, former Sports Illustrated NBA writer An insider account of modern NBA team-building, based on hundreds of exclusive interviews A single transcendent talent?can change the fortunes of an NBA franchise. One only has to recall the frenzy surrounding recent top pick Zion Williamson to recognize teams' willingness to lose games now for the sake of winning championships later. It's a story that weaves its way behind closed doors to reveal intricate machinations normally hidden from public view. Backed by extensive reporting and hundreds of interviews with top players, coaches, and executives, Jake Fischer chronicles secret pre-draft workouts, feuding between player agents and executives, surprising trade negotiations, interpersonal conflicts, organizational power struggles, and infamous public relations fiascos, making for a fascinating look at the NBA. The definitive account of the NBA's tanking era, when teams raced to the bottom in the hope of eventually winning a championship. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Frances Mary Buss and Her Work for Education Annie E. Ridley, 1895 |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: When The Game Was Ours Larry Bird, Earvin Magic Johnson, Jackie MacMullan, 2009-11-04 The New York Times–bestseller from the Hall of Fame basketball legends. “Finally a book that tells the story of Magic and Larry from their vantage point.” —Denzel Washington In Celtic green was Larry Bird, the hick from French Lick, with laser-beam focus, relentless determination, and a deadly jump shot, a player who demanded excellence from everyone and whose caustic wit left opponents quaking in their high-tops. Magic Johnson was Mr. Showtime, a magnetic personality with all the right moves. Young, indomitable, he was a pied piper in purple and gold. And he burned with an inextinguishable desire to win. When their matchup started they were bitter rivals, but along the way they became lifelong friends. With intimate, fly-on-the-wall detail, When the Game Was Ours transports readers to this electric era of 1980s basketball and reveals for the first time the inner workings of two players dead set on besting one another. From the heady days of trading championships to the darker days of injury and illness, we come to understand Larry’s obsessive devotion to winning and how his demons drove him on the court. We hear him talk with candor about playing through chronic pain and its truly exacting toll. In Magic we see a young, invincible star struggle with the sting of defeat, not just as a player but as a team leader. We are there the moment he learns he’s contracted HIV and hear in his own words how that devastating news impacted his relationships in basketball and beyond. But always, in both cases, we see them prevail. “An exhilarating ride down one of the most competitive rivalries ever.” —Pat Riley |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: A View from Above Wilt Chamberlain, 1992 Wilt Chamberlain--a man who was as uncompromising on the basketball court as he was in his life. Here, in his own words, are the outspoken opinions that made Wilt Chamberlain one of the most controversial sports icons in the world, such as his admission to bedding 20,000 women while supporting monogamy in marriage...why blacks dominate pro basketball...his initial doubts about Magic Johnson and how they were overcome...and why he made his #1 enemy on the court his #1 pick on his all-time all-star team. He was a legend in his own lifetime, a subject of controversy both on and off the court, and will go down in history as one of the greatest ever to play the game of basketball. This is his story. Book jacket. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: 32 Ways to Be a Champion in Business Earvin "Magic" Johnson, 2009-12-29 As a young man, Earvin “Magic” Johnson admired his father and other small-town entrepreneurs who created jobs and served as leaders in his Midwestern community. He worked for them, watched them, and his interest in building communities through economic development grew even while his basketball career flourished. His fame as an NBA star gave him access to some of the most successful business leaders in the country. It was Earvin’s own entrepreneurial spirit that inspired them to serve as his mentors. Earvin made the transition from great athlete to greater entrepreneur through hard work and by avidly pursuing opportunities. He recognized that densely populated urban communities were ripe for commercial and residential development. He partnered with major brands like Starbucks, 24 Hour Fitness, and T.G.I. Friday’s to lead a major economic push in these communities. The success of his businesses proved that ethnically diverse urban residents would welcome and support major brands if given the opportunity. Earvin continues to be a leader of urban economic development that provides jobs, goods, and a new spirit of community. 32 Ways to Be a Champion in Business will inspire and enlighten readers who wish to make a similar impact with their careers and business endeavors. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Reliques of Robert Burns Robert Burns, 1817 |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Coach Wooden and Me Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 2017-12-26 Former NBA star and Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Kareem Abdul-Jabbar explores his 50-year friendship with Coach John Wooden, one of the most enduring and meaningful relationships in sports history. When future NBA legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was still an 18-year-old high school basketball prospect from New York City named Lew Alcindor, he accepted a scholarship from UCLA largely on the strength of Coach John Wooden's reputation as a winner. It turned out to be the right choice, as Alcindor and his teammates won an unprecedented three NCAA championship titles. But it also marked the beginning of one of the most extraordinary and enduring friendships in the history of sports. In Coach Wooden and Me, Abdul-Jabbar reveals the inspirational story of how his bond with John Wooden evolved from a history-making coach-player mentorship into a deep and genuine friendship that transcended sports, shaped the course of both men's lives, and lasted for half a century. Coach Wooden and Me is a stirring tribute to the subtle but profound influence that Wooden had on Kareem as a player, and then as a person, as they began to share their cultural, religious, and family values while facing some of life's biggest obstacles. From his first day of practice, when the players were taught the importance of putting on their athletic socks properly; to gradually absorbing the sublime wisdom of Coach Wooden's now famous Pyramid of Success; to learning to cope with the ugly racism that confronted black athletes during the turbulent Civil Rights era as well as losing loved ones, Abdul-Jabbar fondly recalls how Coach Wooden's fatherly guidance not only paved the way for his unmatched professional success but also made possible a lifetime of personal fulfillment. Full of intimate, never-before-published details and delivered with the warmth and erudition of a grateful student who has learned his lessons well, Coach Wooden and Me is at once a celebration of the unique philosophical outlook of college basketball's most storied coach and a moving testament to the all-conquering power of friendship. Instant New York Times and USA Today Bestseller President Barack Obama's Favorite Book of 2017 A Boston Globe and Huffington Post Best Book of 2017 Pick |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: High School Sara Quin, Tegan Quin, 2020-10-06 NEW YORK TIMES AND NATIONAL BESTSELLER First loves, first songs, and the drugs and reckless high school exploits that fueled them—meet music icons Tegan and Sara as you’ve never known them before in this intimate and raw account of their formative years. High School is the revelatory and unique coming-of-age story of Sara and Tegan Quin, identical twins from Calgary, Alberta, growing up in the height of grunge and rave culture in the ’90s, well before they became the celebrated musicians and global LGBTQ icons we know today. While grappling with their identity and sexuality, often alone, they also faced academic meltdown, their parents’ divorce, and the looming pressure of what might come after high school. Written in alternating chapters from both Tegan’s point of view and Sara’s, the book is a raw account of the drugs, alcohol, love, music, and friendships they explored in their formative years. A transcendent story of first loves and first songs, it captures the tangle of discordant and parallel memories of two sisters who grew up in distinct ways even as they lived just down the hall from one another. This is the origin story of Tegan and Sara. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Historic Birmingham & Jefferson County James Ronald Bennett, 2008 |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Hang Time Elgin Baylor, Alan Eisenstock, 2018 Elgin Baylor's memoir of an epic all-star career in the NBA--during which he transformed basketball from a horizontal game to a vertical one--and his fights against racism during his career as a player and as general manager of the LA Clippers under the infamous Donald Sterling People think of Elgin Baylor as one of the greatest basketball players in the history of the game--and one of the NBA's first black superstars--but the full extent of his legacy stretches beyond his spectacular, game-changing shots and dunks. With startling symmetry, Baylor recounts his story: flying back and forth between the U.S. Army and the Lakers, his time as a central figure in the great Celtics-Lakers rivalry and how he helped break down color barriers in the sport, his 1964 All-Star game boycott, his early years as an executive for the New Orleans Jazz, and twenty-two years as general manager for the notorious L.A. Clippers and Donald Sterling, spent fighting to draft and sign young, black phenoms--only to be hamstrung by his boss at every turn. No one has seen the league change, and has worked to bring change, more than Baylor. Year after year, he continued to fight and persevere against racism. At the beginning of his career, he was forced to stay in separate hotel rooms. From those days to today's superstardom, he has had a front-row view of the game's elevation to one of America's favorite sports. For the first time, Elgin Baylor tells his full story. He's played with the legends, lived with them, and knows more about the NBA than anyone living, and is finally ready to set the record straight. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Brady Vs Manning Gary Myers, 2015 -- RealWhat do Tom and Peyton -- Brady vs Manning From the Hardcover edition. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: More Than a Game Phil Jackson, Charley Rosen, 2011-01-04 More than a Game covers the years that follow the one featured in the ESPN documentary series The Last Dance. After leaving the Bulls at the end of the 1997-1998 season—the year featured in the new ESPN documentary series The Last Dance—Phil Jackson had one year off and started to write this book—together with his old friend, fellow player and coach, the basketball novelist Charley Rosen. Then Phil took the LA Lakers coaching job, Rosen followed him there, and by the time they finished writing this book it was 2000 and Phil had won yet another NBA championship, the first of five he would win with his new team. In More than a Game, Jackson and Rosen look backward to their origins as players and coaches, forward to the future of the game of basketball, and linger in the moving target of the present—lavishing page after page on the Triangle Offense and all the ways it reveals the essence of the game of basketball they both love so much. This is Jackson in his prime, transitioning from the Bulls to the Lakers, a master of the art of winning, who would go on to claim more NBA championships, eleven, than any other coach in NBA history. As he writes in More than a Game of his newest championship team: We won because our fundamentals were sound, because Shaq was so dominant and Kobe was so creative, but we also won because we developed a certain confidence in our ability to win. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Thinking Basketball Ben Taylor, 2016-06-29 Are top scorers really the most valuable players? Are games decided in the final few minutes? Does the team with the best player usually win?Thinking Basketball challenges a number of common beliefs about the game by taking a deep dive into the patterns and history of the NBA. Explore how certain myths arose while using our own cognition as a window into the game's popular narratives. New basketball concepts are introduced, such as power plays, portability and why the best player shouldn't always shoot. Discover how the box score can be misleading, why closers are overrated and how the outcome of a game fundamentally alters our memory. Behavioral economics, traffic paradoxes and other metaphors highlight this thought-provoking insight into the NBA and our own thinking. A must-read for any basketball fan -- you'll never view the sport, and maybe the world, the same again. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: The Mamba Mentality Kobe Bryant, 2018-10-23 The Mamba Mentality: How I Play is Kobe Bryant’s personal perspective of his life and career on the basketball court and his exceptional, insightful style of playing the game—a fitting legacy from the late Los Angeles Laker superstar. In the wake of his retirement from professional basketball, Kobe “The Black Mamba” Bryant decided to share his vast knowledge and understanding of the game to take readers on an unprecedented journey to the core of the legendary “Mamba mentality.” Citing an obligation and an opportunity to teach young players, hardcore fans, and devoted students of the game how to play it “the right way,” The Mamba Mentality takes us inside the mind of one of the most intelligent, analytical, and creative basketball players ever. In his own words, Bryant reveals his famously detailed approach and the steps he took to prepare mentally and physically to not just succeed at the game, but to excel. Readers will learn how Bryant studied an opponent, how he channeled his passion for the game, how he played through injuries. They’ll also get fascinating granular detail as he breaks down specific plays and match-ups from throughout his career. Bryant’s detailed accounts are paired with stunning photographs by the Hall of Fame photographer Andrew D. Bernstein. Bernstein, long the Lakers and NBA official photographer, captured Bryant’s very first NBA photo in 1996 and his last in 2016—and hundreds of thousands in between, the record of a unique, twenty-year relationship between one athlete and one photographer. The combination of Bryant’s narrative and Bernstein’s photos make The Mamba Mentality an unprecedented look behind the curtain at the career of one of the world’s most celebrated and fascinating athletes. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Words William Mathews, 1877 |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: The Burns Country Charles S. Dougall, 2009-02 Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Wheelers, Dealers, Pucks & Bucks: A Rocking History of Roller Hockey International Richard Neil Graham, 2012-03 Who won the first professional sports championship for the city of Anaheim? Which Roller Hockey International team owner posed for Playboy? Which RHI team's logo did Sports Illustrated describe as looking like a malevolent vacuum-cleaner attachment? Which coach won two championships for two different teams in RHI's first two seasons? Why were fans nearly ejected from the Oakland Skates' arena for celebrating a hat trick? All those questions and more are answered in Wheelers, Dealers, Pucks & Bucks: A Rocking History of Roller Hockey International. Author Richard Graham takes you behind the scenes to show how Dennis Murphy created Roller Hockey International, and why Murphy might be the most unlikely, least known and most influential visionary in North American professional sports history. RHI was a professional league that ran from 1993-1999 and soared and then crashed much like the inline skating craze of the 1990s. Full of thrills, spills and body checks, along with an abundance of humor, Wheelers, Dealers, Pucks & Bucks is the story of a niche sport and a professional league that dared to dream big. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: a Heaven is for Real Deluxe Edition Todd Burpo, 2011-10-31 #1 New York Times bestseller with more than 11 million copies sold! When 4-year-old Colton Burpo emerges from life-saving surgery with remarkable stories of his visit to heaven, his family doesn’t know what to believe. Heaven is For Real details what Colton saw and his family’s journey towards accepting their young son had visited the afterlife. “Do you remember the hospital, Colton?” Sonja said. “Yes, mommy, I remember,” he said. “That’s where the angels sang to me.” Colton told his parents he left his body during an emergency surgery–and proved that claim by describing exactly what his parents were doing in another part of the hospital during his operation. He talked of visiting heaven and described events that happened before he was born and how he spoke with family members he’d never met. Colton also astonished his parents with descriptions and obscure details about heaven that matched the Bible exactly, even though he had not yet learned to read. With disarming innocence and the plainspoken boldness of a child, Colton recounts his visit to heaven, describing: Meeting long-departed family members Jesus, the angels, how “really, really big” God is, and how much God loves us How Jesus called Todd, Colton’s father, to be a pastor The Battle of Armageddon Retold by his father, but using Colton’s uniquely simple words, Heaven Is for Real offers a glimpse of the world that awaits us, where as Colton says, “Nobody is old and nobody wears glasses.” Heaven Is for Real will forever change the way you think of eternity, offering the chance to see, and believe, like a child. Praise for Heaven is for Real: “A beautifully written glimpse into heaven that will encourage those who doubt and thrill those who believe.” —Ron Hall, coauthor of Same Kind of Different as Me |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: The Last Yankee Arthur Miller, 1993 THE STORY: Two men, one in his late-forties, the other twenty years older, meet in the waiting room of a New England state mental health facility only to discover that they have done business together in the past. Inside the facility, each of their wives |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: The Mayor Richard J. Riordan with Patrick Range McDonald, 2014-09-30 Between 1993 and 2001, Mayor Richard J. Richard, a maverick multi-millionaire who championed pragmatism over divisive politics, pulled Los Angeles from the brink of collapse and turned around one of the world’s most famous cities. Wildly popular today among Angelenos of all stripes, Riordan continues to be a major force in the political and civic worlds of L.A. Riordan, a non-ideological Republican who was pro-choice, pro-gay rights, and pro-immigration, was elected to office in the aftermath of the infamous Rodney King beating and subsequent 1992 L.A. Riots, which caused nearly $1 billion in property damage and took the lives of over 50 people. With ineffectual political leadership at City Hall, racial tensions were running high, the economy was in the tank, and the city’s crime and homicide rates grew out of control during the crack cocaine epidemic. And only a few months into Riordan’s young mayoralty, L.A. appeared to be most definitely doomed after the devastating 1994 Northridge earthquake rocked the city to its core. But unlike his combative counterpart in New York City, Mayor Rudy Guiliani, Riordan was a healing, compassionate figure that recreated L.A. into a thriving, world-class metropolis—and he’s still a key problem solver in the nation’s second largest city. As the result of Riordan’s efforts, Los Angeles is now a cultural and event destination. He oversaw and pushed through the construction of Frank Gehry’s masterpiece Walt Disney Concert Hall -- a venture the mayor helped personally fund when private financing stalled -- and the landmark Staples Center. He reformed the nation’s second largest public school system, modernized the Los Angeles Police Department, and reformed Los Angeles’ City Charter. After an unsuccessful run for California governor, Riordan worked for Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as his secretary of education. Riordan’s perspective on effective leadership is like no other. Readers will also learn about the numerous tragedies Riordan faced and how each event shaped him as a person and as mayor. From the deaths of Riordan’s two, young children to the passing of his mother on the eve of his first mayoral election, Riordan’s courage and compassion in the face personal heartbreak illustrates why he is so beloved. Riordan is also a cutting-edge philanthropist who helped dramatically improve literacy rates in such places as Mississippi and has personally donated over $100 million to improve the education of poor children. For years, he has donated half his income to charities. This 330-paged memoir delves into his successes and difficulties during his time as mayor, the ideas and value system that drove his work—such as his deep spiritual beliefs that everyone is equal and deserves the opportunity to succeed—and the life events that shaped him. Award-winning journalist Patrick Range McDonald helped Riordan shape this must-read book. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Spiritual Kaizen Grant Hagiya, 2013-02-01 “Kaizen” is a Japanese word that translates roughly, “to change or correct for the better.” What are the traits, qualities and characteristics of effective clergy? Is it possible to transform an average local church pastor into a highly effective and growth-oriented pastor? Leadership is not defined at birth. All of us can grow and develop into more effective leaders and we can do this at any time during our careers. In Spiritual Kaizen, Grant Hagiya works from the best secular and ecclesial models of leadership, comparing and contrasting the two, in order to draw out the best leadership practices available for current and future leaders of the church. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Spencer Haywood Spencer Haywood, Scott Ostler, 1992 Spencer Haywood was still a teenager when he drew worldwide attention and created controversy by not only joining the U.S. Olympic basketball team, but leading it to win a gold medal, when many of his fellow Black athletes had boycotted the Olympics and staged acts of protest. He earned a reputation for his outstanding talent on the basketball court, and for his willingness to go against the grain, off of it. After one great season with the University of Detroit, he signed with the Denver Rockets, of the American Basketball Association. In the process, he broke a rule heretofore followed by basketball and football players - that they remain in school and on a college team for four years before signing with a professional-league team. Haywood took his case against the rule to court - the Supreme Court - won, and became professional basketball's first so-called hardship case. His victory in the courts made him a troublemaker in the eyes of team management, but opened the way for players like Isiah Thomas, Earvin Magic Johnson, and Michael Jordan to enter the pro draft when they thought they were ready, rather than after four years of college. Haywood reached for the stars on the court and was the American Basketball Association's Most Valuable Player and Rookie of the Year in 1970 with Denver. He led the league in scoring and rebounding and was the All-Star Game's MVP. He jumped from the ABA to the National Basketball Association, playing for the New York Knicks and then the L.A. Lakers. He played hard on the court and off, where he partied with the stars of fashion, society, and entertainment. He married one of the world's most glamorous, and fashion's most photographed, women - Iman. In public and private they shared the idealistic dream of linking Africa to African American through their own romantic union. But the idealism turned into a celebrity fast lane of self-indulgence and drug abuse that caused the dream to explode. He nearly lost it all, but this is a story about success and recovery, not failure. It is a story of triumph, as Haywood reveals how he recovered from addiction through a 12-step program and his own willingness to struggle to heal himself.--BOOK JACKET.Title Summary field provided by Blackwell North America, Inc. All Rights Reserved |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Journey to the Ring Phil Jackson, 2010-11 Journey to the Ring pairs Phil Jackson, the NBA's most successful coach, and Andrew D. Bernstein, the NBA's senior director of photography, in an exciting, behind-the-scenes re-creation of the Los Angeles Lakers' 2009-10 championship season. Having long built a trust with the NBA's biggest stars, Bernstein is given access to the Lakers' practices, team planes, training room, coach's office, game-day meetings, and off-the-court glimpses. Peek in on Chef Phil preparing a Jackson family Thanksgiving dinner, and more. Jackson, coach of eleven NBA championship teams, gives insight into games, practices, his players, and what he is saying in the huddle. What sets Journey to the Ring apart is the deep appreciation Jackson and Bernstein share for the depth of black-and-white photography, which is elegantly reproduced here in four-color black-and-white processing. It is a look into the eyes of a team that gave L.A. its first NBA Finals' Game 7 victory over the Boston Celtics. |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: The Lost Journalism of Ring Lardner Ring Lardner, 2017-01-01 An anthology of journalist Ring Lardner's writings on sports and other nonfiction topics that collects works that have been mostly unavailable for decades-- |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: The Cost of Being a Girl Yasemin Besen-Cassino, 2018 Origins of the gender wage gap -- Freelance jobs : babysitters -- Retail and apparel -- Race and class -- Long term effects |
jeanie buss and magic johnson relationship: Los Angeles Magazine , 2002-06 Los Angeles magazine is a regional magazine of national stature. Our combination of award-winning feature writing, investigative reporting, service journalism, and design covers the people, lifestyle, culture, entertainment, fashion, art and architecture, and news that define Southern California. Started in the spring of 1961, Los Angeles magazine has been addressing the needs and interests of our region for 48 years. The magazine continues to be the definitive resource for an affluent population that is intensely interested in a lifestyle that is uniquely Southern Californian. |