The Los Angeles Clippers have always been the jealous little brother of the Lakers. Their franchise had been the joke of the city for many years. As the stories of Donald Sterling surfaced, it was not hard to see why they were unsuccessful for so long. Sterling infamously spoke out over the phone to his mistress about his dislike of african americans. As the owner of an NBA team comprised of 15 african american players and one african american coach, this became a major issue.

His poor leadership resulted in “16 corporate sponsors suspended their affiliation with the Clippers” according to Bloomberg Businessweek’s article. Sterling was forced to sell the team, and I believe this will make the difference for the franchise. His position as owner was cancerous to the team, with his poor judgement and morals. The Clippers operate in a market that craves basketball, and they will be able to use their battle with racism to create unity. The Clippers have become a movement against racism, and they are due for success. On top of that, the Lakers are worse than ever, meaning that this is the Clippers chance to win over the city. For new owner Steve Ballmer, I think this was a great investment and I could see the Clippers reaching new levels of profitability.