Ilie Nastase

Tim Harris once played goalie for the Los Angeles Lazers, an indoor soccer team owned by Jerry Buss. Harris, now an executive with the Lakers, said that as he looks back it was obvious what Buss was doing.

"He was setting up these labs for his kids to learn," Harris said. "That's how Jeanie learned and that's how I learned. Jeanie and I chuckle at it now. It wasn't that long ago we were sitting in roller hockey league meetings and now we're sitting in NBA league meetings."

Buss earned his fame and accolades by owning the Lakers and Kings. He sold the Kings in 1987, after eight years of ownership.

He later owned the WNBA's Sparks, but in his early...