Lakers Governor's Private Frustrations with LeBron James Revealed in Explosive Report
A startling new report from ESPN has unveiled significant private frustrations harboured by Los Angeles Lakers governor Jeanie Buss towards NBA superstar LeBron James. The revelations detail tensions over James' perceived ego, his influence within the franchise, and his reaction to the team's decision to draft his son, Bronny James.
Clashing Egos and Organisational Control
According to the report, the 64-year-old Buss, who remains the team's governor despite her family selling majority ownership last year, privately grumbled about what she felt was James' "outsize ego". Furthermore, she expressed concern over the "overt control" exerted by the 41-year-old James and his agency, Klutch Sports, which also represents fellow Lakers star Anthony Davis, over the organisation at various times.
The relationship reportedly began to deteriorate significantly in 2021. Following the Lakers' acquisition of Russell Westbrook—a move ESPN suggests was partly made to appease James—the trade ultimately failed. Buss is said to have privately bristled at James' perceived "lack of accountability" and his tendency to shift blame onto others when things went wrong.
Tension Over Bronny James Draft and Contract Negotiations
The controversial decision by the Lakers to select Bronny James with the 55th overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, making them the first father-son duo to play together in the league, became another major point of contention. The report claims Buss believed LeBron James "should be grateful for such a gesture, but she felt that he wasn't."
Later in 2024, when James negotiated a new contract with the Lakers, Buss was reportedly resigned to the fact the team had little choice but to agree. She allegedly "almost begrudgingly accepted" that the franchise would face a substantial public relations backlash if they did not retain the future Hall of Famer.
Historical Context and Ownership Changes
The roots of this friction appear to trace back to James' high-profile arrival in Los Angeles in 2018. Buss was reportedly unhappy with the narrative that James had chosen the Lakers, rather than the organisation working to acquire him.
This backdrop of tension unfolded as the Buss family, who had owned the franchise since 1979, agreed to sell majority ownership to businessman Mark Walter for approximately $10 billion in 2023. Jeanie Buss, who took over as governor following her father Jerry's death in 2013, is reported to have driven this sale. Despite the change in ownership structure, she is expected to remain in her leadership role for several more years.
The ESPN report also revealed that Buss had reportedly considered trading James to the LA Clippers in 2022, a year after the distance between the owner and the star player had significantly widened. These revelations paint a complex picture of the internal dynamics within one of basketball's most iconic franchises.
