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Come Fan with UsSunday, July 5, 2026

Jerry Buss dies: Magic Johnson, Shaq, and Laker players react to passing of owner

The passing of Jerry Buss has prompted former Laker greats and current players to take to Twitter to express their condolences.

Christian Petersen

In addition to the official statements released by the Buss family and NBA commissioner David Stern, many current and former Lakers have taken to Twitter to express their condolences on the passing of Jerry Buss.

Buss, who bought the team in 1979, led a successful franchise throughout the tenure of his ownership, which Stern called “visionary” in his statement. He had been in poor health, battling cancer with his family at his side in recent weeks. The success and duration of his ownership make him one of the NBA’s legendary owners, and that status was evident from the breadth and scope of the reactions on Twitter.

From current Lakers:

From former Lakers Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal, and James Worthy:

And from fellow owners, executives, and teams from the sports world:

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