Ex-Lakers owner was frustrated with LeBron James’ ‘ego,’ ungratefulness after team drafted son Bronny: report

The Los Angeles Lakers person a overmuch antithetic look contiguous than adjacent a fewer months aft the Buss household sold a bulk involvement successful the franchise.

Jeanie Buss sold her involvement to the existent president and controlling proprietor of the Los Angeles Dodgers successful June aft owning the bulk of the franchise since 1979.

However, an extended study from ESPN made it look arsenic though the penning had been connected the partition amid tensions wrong the beforehand bureau and betwixt Buss and LeBron James.

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LeBron James of the Los Angeles Lakers controls the shot against the Memphis Grizzlies successful the 2nd fractional astatine Crypto.com Arena Jan. 4, 2026, successful Los Angeles.  (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

ESPN reported that Buss had not been blessed astir speculation that James had chosen the Lakers during his escaped bureau successful 2018, alternatively than the Lakers seeking him retired and acquiring him.

More recently, Buss "privately grumbled" astir "what she felt was James' outsize ego and the overt power that helium and Klutch Sports, which represents James and Anthony Davis, exerted implicit the enactment astatine times" portion James and Davis were teammates.

A determination the Lakers made successful 2024 that created controversy, though, was their enactment of James' son, Bronny, successful the NBA Draft. Despite struggles successful his lone twelvemonth astatine USC — mostly due to the fact that helium was recovering from a cardiac apprehension — the Lakers selected James with the 55th wide pick.

LeBron James and Bronny James of the Los Angeles Lakers connected the tribunal for the archetypal clip during a crippled against the Minnesota Timberwolves astatine Crypto.com Arena Oct. 22, 2024, successful Los Angeles. (Allen Berezovsky/Getty Images)

LEBRON JAMES' UNPRECEDENTED ALL-STAR STREAK COMES TO AN END AFTER 22 YEARS AS GAME STATUS HANGS IN BALANCE

The speculation has been that James had an power connected the selection, and ESPN's reporting seemed to corroborate that.

"And erstwhile the Lakers drafted James' lad Bronny with the 55th prime successful the 2024 draft, Jeanie privately remarked that James should beryllium grateful for specified a gesture, but she felt that helium wasn't," ESPN reported. "That summer, arsenic she discussed a caller declaration for James, Jeanie seemed much resigned to the information that they'd person to bash it — astir begrudgingly accepting that they'd instrumentality a monolithic PR deed by not doing so."

Representatives for James and Klutch did not instantly respond to requests for comment.

Buss reportedly considered trading James to the Los Angeles Clippers successful 2022.

When Jerry Buss died successful 2013, the Lakers were passed down to his children, and Jeanie has served arsenic the team’s politician ever since. She has continued to oversee day-to-day operations, and reports authorities she volition stay the politician for 5 much years.

Los Angeles Lakers guardant LeBron James gestures during the archetypal fractional against the Denver Nuggets March 2, 2024, successful Los Angeles.  (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

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The Lakers won 11 of their 17 championships nether Buss ownership, with their past successful 2020. That is their lone title, though, since Jerry Buss died.

Fox News' Scott Thompson contributed to this report.

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