Los Angeles Lakers chief Jeanie Buss has broken her silence over the reported ‘bitter feud’ between herself and NBA legend LeBron James.
On Wednesday, a bombshell report emerged which claimed that Buss had grown frustrated with LeBron James’ ‘ego and attitude’ since he joined the franchise.
Among other topics, ESPN also claimed that the Lakers’ decision to select Bronny James in the 2024 NBA Draft was another source of frustration for team chief Buss.
However, just hours after the bombshell report surfaced, Buss released her own statement which hit back at the claims.
According to The Athletic, her statement read: ‘It’s really not right, given all the great things LeBron has done for the Lakers, that he has to be pulled into my family drama.
‘To say that it wasn’t appreciated is just not true and completely unfair to him’.
Lakers chief Jeanie Buss has broken her silence over the ‘bitter feud’ with LeBron James
Buss, 64, grew frustrated with LeBron James’ ego and attitude according to a bombshell report
According to ESPN’s report, Buss ‘privately grumbled’ about ‘what she felt was James’ outsized ego’ and the ‘overt control’ which he – along with Rich Paul and their agency Klutch Sports – ‘exerted over the organization at times’.
Buss reportedly considered trading James across Los Angeles to the Clippers in 2022, a year after the ‘distance… widened’ between owner and star player.
Back in 2021, Los Angeles traded for Russell Westbrook – a move, according to ESPN, made as part of a bid to ‘appease James’.
But the trade failed and Jeanie is said to have ‘privately bristled’ about James’ ‘lack of accountability’ and the way he ‘would shift blame onto others.’
Meanwhile, LeBron’s eldest son, Bronny, was taken on by the Lakers, allowing them to become the first father-son duo to play together in the NBA.
And it’s reported that Buss believed that James ‘should be grateful for such a gesture, but she felt that he wasn’t.’
Later that year, LeBron negotiated a new deal with the Lakers but Buss was said to be ‘resigned to the fact’ that the team had little choice and that she ‘almost begrudgingly accepted’ that the franchise would ‘take a massive PR hit by not doing so.’
The roots of the tension, it seems, stretch back to James’ arrival in 2018, with Buss reportedly unhappy that he was perceived to have chosen the Lakers, rather than the team working to acquire him.
The Daily Mail contacted representatives for James for comment.
The Lakers’ controversial decision to draft Bronny James reportedly caused tension in LA
A family feud broke out after Buss kept her role with the the team after it was purchased from her family by Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter (R) last year
Brothers Joey (L) and Jesse (R) Buss lost their jobs with the Lakers in the re-structuring
Meanwhile, the ‘family drama’ which Buss alluded to in her own statement refers to an ongoing feud which emerged into the public eye back at the end of last year.
Back in June, the Lakers were sold by the children of former team owner Dr. Jerry Buss to a new group led by Los Angeles Dodgers owner Mark Walter for $10billion.
As a result, brothers Joey and Jesse were fired from their scouting roles. However, Jeanie – who had been the team’s president for years – remained with the team.
In an interview with The Athletic in November, Jesse slammed his sister – revealing that he hadn’t spoken to her or Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka in ‘five months’.
‘Oftentimes within the organization, it kind of felt like I was being treated like I was working against them,’ Jesse said.
‘And, I guess you could say, like an enemy. But the only thing I ever wanted was the most success for this team.’
Asked if beginning the company ‘furthered any rifts’ with his sister, Jesse told the outlet, ‘I couldn’t answer that question. I think that’s something you’d have to ask Jeanie.’
