Fansided

Every NBA team’s biggest celebrity fan

By Brendon Kleen

LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 22: Beyonce and Jay Z laugh during the game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on January 22, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and condition of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES, CA - JANUARY 22: Beyonce and Jay Z laugh during the game between the Brooklyn Nets and the Los Angeles Clippers at Staples Center on January 22, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and condition of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 23: Actor Billy Crystal greets Jamal Crawford
NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 23: Actor Billy Crystal greets Jamal Crawford /

Los Angeles Clippers: Billy Crystal

The funniest backstory of all of these celebrity fans belongs to Billy Crystal. According to Crystal, he had Lakers tickets for a while, and the team was great. It was probably lots of fun. The reason he ended up switching loyalties is because “there was no challenge”.

He became the awkward acquaintance of former owner Donald Sterling, who would poll him on trades just as he did all Angelinos during his reign as owner. He also joins Lil Wayne on this list as the only celebrity fans to embrace Chris Paul. Following Paul’s incredible series-winner against San Antonio in 2015, Crystal was seen waiting on the sideline, shaking his head like the rest of us. Crystal packed decades of Clippers anguish into that single hug:

Crystal claims to love the “minor league feel” of Clippers games. They are the Staples Center’s third tenant, made clear by their awful time slots for home games and lack of a home identity. Having Crystal and others round makes some of that stuff not hurt so much. The Clippers have clearly been Los Angeles’ best team since trading for Paul, so there is hope that Crystal might be joined on the sideline by more fellow celebs someday.

Now, there’s a limit to how far even a celebrity’s fandom reaches. After Sterling was ousted in 2014, the team was put up for sale. It’s not uncommon, as this list shows, for a celebrity to become involved in investment groups and help purchase their favorite team. Crystal declined to go that far, instead opting to keep cashing those Monsters University checks.

This summer is do-or-die time for Clippers fans, with Blake Griffin and Chris Paul both up for new contracts. The fans need Crystal, maybe to hug Paul again, or maybe just to keep sitting courtside and acting like everything’s fine. What a noble guy.

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