Lakers News: Ex-Clippers All-Star Acknowledges He Was on LA's 'B Team'

A former Los Angeles Clippers All-Star acknowledges how the Clippers are second fiddle in the city behind the Lakers.

Jan 5, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Detailed view of the LA Clippers logo against the New Orleans Pelicans during the second half at Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports / Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports

The Los Angeles Lakers own the city of Los Angeles. There is no debate that they are one of, if not the most popular team in the city. The only other professional team that puts up a fight is the Dodgers, and no other teams are close.

However, there is another basketball team in Los Angeles, the Clippers. They moved to L.A. from San Diego in 1984, and for the last 40 years, they have been the second fiddle in L.A. They have never received respect in the city, and for the most part, they have been an unsuccessful franchise. 

It doesn't take long to realize that they are an afterthought, and former Clipper All-Star forward Paul George acknowledged that in his latest episode of Podcast P with Paul George. 

George tackled the topic head-on and said other people kept telling him the Clippers didn't nearly matter as much as the Lakers while he was on the team. 

"I think initially, coming back to L.A. that was home. But it's not the same love. Because when I was in L.A., they said, 'You should've been a Laker.' That's all I was hearing… I'm on the B Team. That's how the vibe and the love felt."

The Palmdale native spent the last five seasons with the Clippers. Although he and his former team had high expectations, they failed to meet them year after year. Geoge left the Clippers for the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason, signing a four-year, $212 million contract. 

Now that George is no longer a Clipper, he can finally speak out publicly about how things truly are in the city of Los Angeles. That has always been the case; the Lakers are superior here, and that is how it will remain. 

The Lakers will seek their 18th title this upcoming season, while the Clippers will seek their first-ever NBA Finals appearance in their new home arena, the Intuit Dome. 

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