Magic Johnson just put it on an international level, which Shaq and Kobe maintained. Real Madrid had a resurgence, and I think the Bulls rebounded to relevance due to Jordan's branding of the Bulls.

The foreigners, like Gasol, see those team names and big cities as very important like Real Madrid or Barca. It seemed like the Clippers have the big money owner and win at all cost and organizationally smart mentality.

The Buss' have the one of richest franchise in sports, but with the new money coming into pro sports are actually some of the poorer owners, comparitively, without other major assets. The Clippers always lost, because Sterling actually made money.

This Kobe retirement has been amazing getting stomped by Nor Cal rivals Golden State on their big night with Luke Walton and Jerry West, then his hometown of Philadelphia, who he never claims, beating him with their D-league lineup.

That drama makes sports great. He has had such a long career, everyone wants a piece of him or part of the drama from Lebron, to the Kings, the Clippers, Dwight Howard, even when he is so irrelevant he is very relevant.

I am not a Laker's fan at all, but can assure you that foreign born superstars will want to be in LA with the Lakers. Eva Longoria could have gotten Tony Parker, Khloe Kardashian will get James Harden out there, Wayne Gretzky left Canada, Juergen Klinsmann lives in So Cal, it is the American dream we sell to the world in TV and movies, Baywatch, Beverly Hills 90210, Saved By the Bell etc.

Foreigners see New York, California (specifically So Cal), and the rest of the country is Texas. Except latinos all dream of Miami also.