Jeanie Buss, the acting governor and minority owner of the Los Angeles Lakers, is embroiled in a legal battle with her five siblings over the future of the family’s ownership stake. The siblings—Jimmy, Johnny, Janie, Joey, and Jesse—filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles Superior Court challenging Jeanie’s claim to retain her ownership shares amid a proposed sale. They assert that following Mark Walter’s 2025 sale of his majority stake in the Lakers for $12.5 billion to venture capitalist Joshua Kushner and former Disney CEO Bob Iger, the Buss family members have the right to sell their remaining shares. The siblings collectively voted to approve this sale and called Jeanie’s legal petition without merit, emphasizing their goal to proceed with the transaction fairly and on schedule.

Jeanie Buss’s attorney, Adam Streisand, responded by referencing a 2017 court ruling which declared Jeanie as the Lakers’ controlling owner for life. Streisand contested the validity of the siblings’ vote to sell the family’s approximate 17.8% minority stake, insisting that Jeanie’s authority remains intact. He also disputed reports that Jeanie opposed selling the shares, pointing out that any family decision to sell requires a majority vote among the six siblings. Currently, Jeanie, Janie, and Joey serve as co-trustees managing the family’s shares. The legal back-and-forth highlights a deep division within the Buss family concerning the control and future of their Lakers ownership.

The outcome of this dispute carries significant consequences for Jeanie Buss personally and professionally. If the sale of the remaining family shares goes through, Jeanie would lose the minimum 15% ownership threshold required by the NBA to hold the governor title of a team. This development could lead to her removal as the Lakers' governor— a position she has held since her father Jerry Buss passed away in 2013, overseeing the franchise throughout its successes and managing key personnel changes, including firing her brother Jim from basketball operations in 2017. With a hearing set for December 8, the court’s decision could ultimately seal Jeanie’s fate within the Lakers organization.

Despite the mounting pressure, Jeanie Buss is prepared to fight the lawsuit to ensure the Buss family retains ownership of their shares and preserves her role within the team. She remains firm on litigating to protect the family’s interests and control of their Lakers stake. This family conflict unfolds in the shadow of an unprecedented $12.5 billion sale by the majority owners—the highest valuation for an NBA franchise to date—underscoring how high the stakes are, not just financially but in terms of legacy and leadership within one of basketball’s most storied teams.