Jeanie Buss is one of the most searched names in American sports right now, and for good reason. As the Los Angeles Lakers change hands again in a record-setting $12.5 billion sale, fans want to know exactly who she is, whether she is staying with the team, and what her Wikipedia page actually says about her life and career. This guide answers all of that in one place, with the latest confirmed update as of today.
Background: Who Is Jeanie Buss and Why Is She Trending?
Jeanie Marie Buss was born on September 26, 1961, in Santa Monica, California, and is the daughter of the late Los Angeles Lakers owner Dr. Jerry Buss. She is an American sports executive who serves as governor and minority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association, and co-owner and promoter of the U.S. women’s professional wrestling promotion Women of Wrestling (WOW). She spent decades working her way up through the Lakers organization, starting with the team’s former home arena.
Buss served four years as president of the Great Western Forum, then the home arena of the Lakers, and throughout her stint there her role with the Lakers increased; she has served as the Alternate Governor on the NBA Board of Governors since 1995. People are searching her name today because the Lakers — a franchise her family controlled for 46 years — are once again changing owners, and fans want to know what happens to her.
🗓️ Key Date: August 12, 2026 — News broke that Lakers majority owner Mark Walter agreed to sell the franchise to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner at a $12.5 billion valuation, raising fresh questions about Jeanie Buss’s role.
Latest Update
As of August 14, 2026, here is what’s currently known.
Jeanie Buss is expected to remain the Los Angeles Lakers’ governor despite the franchise being sold for a second time in just over a year. Incoming Lakers owners Bob Iger and Josh Kushner plan to uphold the arrangement keeping Buss as team governor, Iger told the California Post, following their $12.5 billion purchase of the franchise from Mark Walter. That commitment traces back to Walter’s original acquisition of the Lakers from the Buss family, a deal that carried a then-record $10 billion valuation, under which the league announced Buss would retain her role as governor for a minimum of five years.
Iger affirmed their intent to honor Buss’s agreement to stay on for five years, though he also noted that “if things change, they’ll change.” The NBA must still approve the sale, and Buss is expected to represent the Lakers at the upcoming Board of Governors meeting, with her experience seen as a valuable resource for the incoming ownership group during the transition.
Separately, Buss is also in the news this week for a project outside basketball. Women of Wrestling (WOW), which she co-owns and promotes, announced a major Season 5 expansion including the league’s first live broadcast and an expanded on-camera presence for Buss. Variety reports that Season 5 of WOW will broadcast live from Downtown Los Angeles, with Buss taking on an increased on-screen role this season.
💡 Quick Take: No confirmed reports as of August 14, 2026 state that Jeanie Buss has left, been removed from, or is stepping down from her position with the Lakers. Reports consistently indicate the new owners intend to keep her on as governor.
Full Profile
Family and Early Life
Jeanie Buss was born Jeanie Marie Buss on September 26, 1961, in Santa Monica, California. She grew up around basketball after her father purchased the Lakers in 1979 and was groomed from a young age to eventually take on a leadership role in the family business.
Career Path
Buss served four years as president of the Great Western Forum, then the home arena of the Lakers, and her role with the team increased throughout that stint; she has been Alternate Governor on the NBA Board of Governors since 1995. After her father’s death in 2013, she rose to become controlling owner and president of the Lakers. In 2025, the Buss family sold majority control of the team to Mark Walter, and in August 2026 that ownership changed hands again to a group led by Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, with Buss expected to continue on as governor.
Age
Jeanie Buss is 64 years old as of August 2026, having been born on September 26, 1961.
Religion
Jeanie Buss has not publicly detailed her religious affiliation, and no verified information on this is confirmed in her Wikipedia entry or public interviews.
Spouse/Partner
Buss has been married twice: to volleyball player Steve Timmons from 1990 to 1993, and to actor and media personality Jay Mohr since 2023. She was also in a long-term relationship with former Lakers head coach Phil Jackson from 1999 to 2016.
Net Worth
Estimates of Jeanie Buss’s net worth vary by source, generally ranging from roughly $500 million to $1 billion or more, depending on how her family’s remaining minority stake in the Lakers is valued. Her financial position changed significantly in 2025 when the Buss family sold majority control of the Lakers to Mark Walter at a $10 billion valuation, generating hundreds of millions of dollars in after-tax proceeds for each of Jerry Buss’s six children while leaving the family with a minority stake of roughly 17% in the franchise. With the Lakers now valued at $12.5 billion under the pending Iger-Kushner deal, that remaining family stake would be worth substantially more on paper.
⚠️ Note on Net Worth Figures: Because the Buss family’s exact ownership percentage and the final terms of the pending sale are not fully public, net worth figures for Jeanie Buss circulating online should be treated as estimates, not confirmed totals.
Parents
Her father, Jerry Buss, was of Serbian-American background, while her mother, JoAnn Mueller, was of Scottish and Irish descent. Jerry Buss purchased the Lakers in 1979 and built the franchise into one of the most successful teams in NBA history before his death in 2013.
Height
Jeanie Buss is reported to stand at approximately 5 feet 7 inches (1.70 m) tall, though this figure is drawn from unofficial biographical sources rather than a confirmed record.
Education
Jeanie Buss earned a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) from the University of Southern California.
Hometown / State of Origin
Jeanie Buss was born and raised in Santa Monica, California, and has spent the majority of her life and career in the greater Los Angeles area.
Official Social Media
Jeanie Buss shares Lakers updates and personal milestones on her verified social accounts.
Follow Jeanie Buss on X (Twitter) →
Quick Facts Table
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Jeanie Marie Buss |
| Date of Birth | September 26, 1961 |
| Age (as of Aug 2026) | 64 |
| Birthplace | Santa Monica, California, U.S. |
| Occupation | Governor & minority owner, Los Angeles Lakers; co-owner/promoter, WOW |
| Education | University of Southern California (BBA) |
| Spouse | Jay Mohr (m. 2023); previously Steve Timmons (m. 1990–div. 1993) |
| Father | Jerry Buss (Lakers owner, 1979–2013) |
| Mother | JoAnn Mueller |
| Estimated Net Worth | ~$500 million – $1+ billion (estimates vary) |
Timeline: Lakers Ownership and Jeanie Buss’s Role
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| 1979 | Jerry Buss purchases the Los Angeles Lakers. |
| 1995 | Jeanie Buss becomes Alternate Governor on the NBA Board of Governors. |
| 2013 | Jerry Buss passes away; his children inherit his stake in the team. |
| 2025 | Buss family sells majority control of the Lakers to Mark Walter at a $10 billion valuation; Jeanie Buss agrees to remain governor for at least five years. |
| August 12, 2026 | Mark Walter agrees to sell the Lakers to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner at a $12.5 billion valuation. |
| August 14, 2026 (today) | Reports indicate Iger and Kushner intend to keep Jeanie Buss on as team governor; NBA approval of the sale is still pending. |
✅ Confirmed as of today: Jeanie Buss’s position as Lakers governor has not changed. The incoming owners have publicly stated their intention to honor her existing agreement.
Reader Questions (FAQ)
Who is Jeanie Buss?
Jeanie Buss is an American sports executive and the governor and minority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. She is the daughter of former Lakers owner Jerry Buss and also co-owns the wrestling promotion Women of Wrestling (WOW).
How old is Jeanie Buss?
Jeanie Buss was born on September 26, 1961, which makes her 64 years old as of August 2026.
Is Jeanie Buss still the Lakers owner in 2026?
Yes, as of August 14, 2026, Jeanie Buss remains the Lakers’ governor. Reports indicate the incoming ownership group led by Bob Iger and Josh Kushner intends to honor her existing agreement to stay in the role for at least five years.
Who is Jeanie Buss’s husband?
Jeanie Buss married actor and media personality Jay Mohr in 2023. She was previously married to volleyball player Steve Timmons from 1990 to 1993 and was in a long-term relationship with former Lakers coach Phil Jackson from 1999 to 2016.
What is Jeanie Buss’s net worth?
Estimates of her net worth vary widely, generally falling between roughly $500 million and $1 billion or more, depending on how her family’s remaining stake in the Lakers is valued following recent ownership sales.
Who are Jeanie Buss’s parents?
Her father was Jerry Buss, who purchased the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979 and owned the team until his death in 2013. Her mother is JoAnn Mueller.
Why is Jeanie Buss trending right now?
She is trending because the Lakers are being sold again — this time to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner for a record $12.5 billion — just over a year after the Buss family sold majority control to Mark Walter, prompting widespread interest in what happens to her role.
Wrap-Up
Jeanie Buss’s story is really the story of the modern Los Angeles Lakers themselves — built by her father, shaped by her decades of front-office work, and now navigating a second ownership change in barely more than a year. What stands out in the current moment is continuity: despite the scale of the $12.5 billion sale to Bob Iger and Josh Kushner, every credible report so far points to Buss staying on as governor, at least for now.
That said, ownership transitions of this size can move quickly, and terms can shift as NBA approval processes play out. Anyone tracking this story should watch for official NBA Board of Governors confirmation of the sale, since that step will make Buss’s continued role fully official rather than simply an expressed intention from the incoming owners.
For now, Jeanie Buss remains one of the most recognizable and influential figures in American sports, balancing her long-standing Lakers role with an expanding presence in women’s wrestling through WOW. This page will be treated as accurate as of August 14, 2026; check back for updates as the Lakers sale moves toward final approval.
This article compiles publicly reported information as of August 14, 2026, from named sources including Wikipedia, the California Post, Forbes, Variety, and Celebrity Net Worth. Net worth figures are third-party estimates, not verified financial disclosures, and may change as new information becomes available.
Smith Andrew is the Founder and Editor of BiographyCabal. He researches, writes, and edits accurate, engaging, and well-researched biographies of celebrities, entrepreneurs, athletes, influencers, politicians, and other notable public figures. Committed to factual reporting and quality storytelling, Smith ensures every article is reader-focused, informative, and based on reliable sources, helping readers discover the lives, careers, and achievements of influential people around the world.