Los Angeles Clippers: Building Franchise’s Mount Rushmore
By Mary Coyne
In our ongoing Mt. Rushmore series, today we focus on the Los Angeles Clippers.
Here are my 4 picks for the most important and influential Los Angeles Clippers in franchise history. But first, let’s take a quick look at how the franchise came to be.
The Los Angeles Clippers do not have a long and storied history here in Los Angeles. Their journey began in central New York in 1970 as the Buffalo Braves. They joined the NBA that year as one of three expansion teams that were added to the league.
As members of the Eastern Conference Atlantic division, the Braves battled the western NY wintry weather for eight years. The lake effect snow must have taken its toll because in 1978 the team moved to sunny San Diego. The franchise was soon renamed the San Diego Clippers in homage to the sailing ships that passed through the San Diego Bay.
It was a short stay in San Diego, however, with not much success. Probably the best thing that came out of that first season was the hiring of their long-time announcer, Ralph Lawler.
During the 1981-1982 season, franchise owner Irv Levin sold the team to Los Angeles-area real estate developer and attorney Donald Sterling for US$12.5 million. Sterling was not pleased with the losing record and poor play of his new team which resulted in poor attendance records, so he lobbied to move it north to his native Los Angeles.
In 1984, the franchise moved north to their new home at the LA Sports Arena in downtown Los Angeles – and became the Los Angeles Clippers.
The Clippers have made the playoffs 9 times in their 37 years as a franchise, never once making it to the conference finals. They’ve had a myriad of players who have made significant contributions to the team, but here are my top 4 players who I believe should be placed on the Los Angeles Clippers Mount Rushmore.