They're Playing Basketball! (Hall of Fame Edition)

Jerry Buss Elected to Basketball Hall of Fame
By KURT HELIN/NBC Los Angeles

Without Jerry Buss in it, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame was a bit of a sham. It was not living up to its name.

Problem corrected.

It became official Monday morning — Jerry Buss will be part of the incoming class for the Hall. He will be inducted along with Bulls legend Scottie Pippen and Jazz star Karl Malone (who spent one memorable season in Los Angeles), the Dream Team and others.

Buss bought the Lakers in 1979, along with the Los Angeles Kings, the Forum and a ranch in Montana for $67.5 million. Turns out, that was a steal. Buss eventually has sold off all the other assets, but he and his family kept the Lakers, which are now estimated to be worth about $500 million.

Buss’ success on the court with the Lakers is unparalleled. Since he bought the team, the Lakers have won nine NBA titles (almost one out of every three), they have been to the Finals 12 times, they produced legends of the game such as Magic Johnson and Kobe Bryant, they have become the center of the sports world in Los Angeles.

But it is really what Buss did off the court that earned him entrance into the Hall.

When he bought the Lakers basketball was treated as, well, basketball. Buss realized that what he owned was an entertainment enterprise that happened to sell basketball. It needed was some sizzle.

So in came the Laker Girls. In came Dancing Barry (which seems quaint now but was a revolution back in the day). The Forum Club was established so celebrities had a place to throw back a martini before, after and frankly during the game. Then those celebrities went and sat in very visible courtside seats. Music was pumped throughout the building during breaks.

Buss changed the atmosphere in the building. Certainly, it helped to have Magic and his bigger-than-life personality on the court, to have the fun of Showtime. It never, ever hurts to win. Buss, however, changed the NBA at its core by selling that as entertainment, not basketball.

It worked in Los Angeles, where the Lakers are now the center of the sports world.
Every team — even the Boston Celtics — has dance teams. Every team pumps in the music in time outs. Every team sells sizzle with the stake.

Every team owes some of that to Jerry Buss. That is why Buss belongs in the Hall of Fame. That is why what comes today is not only deserved but feels delayed. But Lakers fans will take it.

It's been pretty hard for me to get excited about basketball during the past two weeks. Aside from my bracket looking like the most promising treasure map of all time, there has been the slide of the Lakers as they coast into the playoffs on unleaded instead of premium. The loss on Easter - by 19 to the Spurs - was the final boot to the nuts. The only bright spot was owner Jerry Buss being named to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Sure, Karl Malone and Scottie Pippen were bigger names but they didn't introduce us to courtside celebrities or Paula Abdul. Magic and Bird saved the NBA but Jerry Buss made the NBA cool. Plus he had his daughter band Phil Jackson so he could have the best coach in the league. And while he helped his players bang every woman in site he also kept them off drugs or so the following video claims.



What are those shorts Rambis is wearing? Those couldn't have even been cool in the 80's.