Being one of the biggest franchises in the NBA, the Los Angeles Lakers, courtesy of their magnificent trophy case, have revolutionized the fan experience. The late great Dr. Jerry Buss wanted to create basketball’s biggest show, so he came up with the Showtime Lakers. One of the elements that reportedly made it a success was the implementation of the Laker Girls. Their performances entranced fans and even opposing players.
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In 1979, Buss purchased the Lakers. At the time, the NBA looked far different from what it is today. There weren’t any significant elements of entertainment outside of the game itself. This didn’t sit well with the Lakers’ owner.
Buss was a huge fan of college basketball, which featured cheerleaders during breaks in play. He wanted to introduce something similar, which led to the birth of the Laker Girls shortly after he purchased the team.
“I thought the game itself was fantastic, but the ambience was really kind of dead. It was quiet and boring, and so I thought what I’d like to do is spice it up with having some dancers,” Buss said.
The Lakers quickly became the biggest draw in the league. Fans were eager to experience the show inside the Great Western Forum. However, Buss didn’t intend for the Laker Girls’ performances to only be for the fans.
The bright lights of Los Angeles already distracted some players who were caught up in the party life. Many athletes believed these distractions had now found their way into the game itself. Olden Polynice claims to have experienced their impact in his first game in Los Angeles.
Polynice was playing for the Seattle SuperSonics during his rookie season, when Head coach Bernie Bickerstaff called a timeout to draw a play. Unfortunately, Polynice’s attention was elsewhere.
“When we saw the Laker Girls when they first came out. Holy Christmas,” Polynice said on Byron Scott’s Fast Break. “We’re literally staring at the girls. Don’t know what the hell the play is. I don’t know what he drew up. Bickerstaff said, ‘Did y’all get a good look?”
Polynice and Byron Scott erupted in laughter. After all, Scott was a prominent figure on the Lakers during the Showtime era; he knows the impact the Laker Girls had on many players.
Fast forward to today, and every team has its own team dancers. But the Lakers were trailblazers in setting the bar in the entertainment column among NBA teams. Polynice may be the most recent person to share his hilarious story, but he is far from the only one to be caught slipping.