At 33 seasons of ownership , Sterling was the longest-tenured owner in the NBA since the death of Los Angeles Lakers majority owner Jerry Buss in 2013 .
At 33 seasons of ownership ( 1981 to present ) , Sterling was the longest-tenured owner in the NBA since the death of Los Angeles Lakers majority owner Jerry Buss on February 18 , 2013 up until his suspension on April 29 , 2014 .