Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban is always very vocal with his opinions. In a recent interview, Cuban commented on the Lakers franchise recent downturn, stating that he’s uncertain the team can ever return to their glory days.
“Jerry Buss was the Lakers, so I don’t know if the Lakers will ever be the Lakers,” Cuban said prior to the Mavs’ 94-89 win over Boston on Monday. “I don’t think there was a smarter owner in the history of the NBA than Jerry Buss, so that’s tough to replace.
“I don’t think people realize just how good of an owner Jerry was. I looked up to him a lot. Absolutely. So I don’t know if the Lakers will ever be the Lakers.”
Dr. Buss was an incredible owner. I believe the rise in popularity of the NBA in the 80’s can partially be attributed to what he did with the Lakers franchise and the “showtime” concept, which made the entire game an experience. From the celebrities courtside, to the Lakers girls.
But, that doesn’t mean it’s over for the Lakers, just a new challenge. They faced one in the 90’s following Magic’s retirement, they can rebound. But key to that is Jim Buss losing some of his ego. I’m sure these last two seasons have been humbling for him as well.
Jill MunroeJill Munroe is a Los Angeles-based host, producer, and writer. You can find her work on sites such as FoxSports.com, EURweb.com, and MSN.com. Munroe is a current member of the African-American Film Critics Association and the National Association of Black Journalists. Munroe has also been a frequent guest on ESPN radio and Yahoo Sports. In 2015, Munroe released her first book, "PostGame Pass: access into "the life" JillMunroe.com