Jeanie Buss Accuses Siblings of Devious Behavior in Lakers Ownership Dispute

Jeanie Buss has publicly accused her siblings of engaging in "devious behavior" as they attempt to sell the family's 17.8% stake in the Los Angeles Lakers. This move, she argues, would effectively end her tenure as the controlling owner of the franchise, a role she has held since her father's passing in 2013.

In her petition, Buss not only seeks to block her siblings' vote for the sale but also criticizes their actions as part of a broader scheme to bypass her authority and violate the family trust. She has called for three of her siblings—Jim, Johnny, and Jesse—to be held in contempt of court, while also requesting that Joey and Janie explain their actions in court.

The conflict escalated following a report from ESPN, which indicated that all six Buss siblings had voted to sell the team, leaving Jeanie out of the decision-making process. This report was viewed by Buss and her attorney as part of the alleged scheme to undermine her role as owner.

The ongoing legal battle has been fueled by a recent agreement involving Mark Walter, the controlling owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, to sell the Lakers to investors Josh Kushner and Bob Iger at a staggering valuation of $12.5 billion, the highest ever for a U.S. sports franchise. With the family needing to retain at least 15% ownership for Jeanie to maintain her controlling stake, the stakes are high in this familial dispute.