When Donald Sterling’s racist messages leaked online in 2014, he was, by no small margin, the worst team owner in the league. The Los Angeles Clippers were a mediocre team, but the arrival of former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer as the new owner has seen an upturn in the fortunes of LA’s other side.
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The team reached the franchise’s first Conference Finals appearance under his supervision. He’s also the man responsible for building the team’s first arena, the Intuit Dome. Fans and analysts alike have gravitated to the cheerful energy of the billionaire. Ballmer’s been extremely hands-on with the team, which raises the question: Is Steve Ballmer the best NBA owner? And if he is, what sets him apart from other owners?
He desires to win
Winning seems like the number-one priority for teams, but that isn’t always the case. The NBA is a business, which means money is needed to be successful. Many owners are content with remaining mediocre as long as they’re generating profit. That isn’t the case with Ballmer.
It helps that Ballmer is the wealthiest owner in the NBA by a long shot with an estimated $125.4 billion net worth. He’s lenient into entering the luxury tax and second apron if that ensures the team’s success.
This is evident in his pursuit of Kawhi Leonard in 2019. Following a legendary title run with the Toronto Raptors, Leonard had an interest in joining the Clippers. However, his one condition was that the team acquired Paul George.
At the time, George had recently signed a four-year $136.9 million deal with the Thunder. Following the 2018-19 season, George finished third in MVP voting and looked happy in Oklahoma City. Despite all of that, the Clippers were able to get a deal done.
Leonard soon after signed with the Clippers on a three-year $103 million deal. In the 2019-20 season, the Clippers were $21 million in negative cap space due to their financial ties to players. Until this season, they were a second-apron team for the entire of George’s tenure with the Clippers.
Ballmer’s priority is instilling a championship-level team and he does whatever he can to assist in that process.
His commitment to giving the fans the best experience
In addition to Ballmer’s relentless pursuit of improving the team, he’s made it a point of emphasis to ensure the fans’ experience is second to none. The Intuit Dome, the Clippers’ fancy new decked-out home arena, is at the forefront of that philosophy and ensures that home fans have by far the best experience.
Many aspects of the Intuit Dome are to make fans feel like they are truly at home. For example, convenience is higher than in any other arena due to the 1,400 toilets, so fans don’t have to wait in any lines.
Ballmer dedicated a section known as “The Wall” strictly to Clippers fans. Its purpose is to emulate the atmosphere of a college sports arena. The section consists of 51 rows along with 13 standing rows reserved for diehard fans. It’s purpose? To intimidate the opposition team during one half of the game.
The Wall already worked wonders in the opening game at the Dome, with Suns’ stars Kevin Durant and Devin Booker complimenting it on throwing them off their rhythm.
Ballmer’s leadership hasn’t constructed the best roster, but fan interest is at an all-time high. He hasn’t given fans a reason to doubt his goals of winning. Since Ballmer took over as owner, the Clippers have never finished a season with a losing record. They have missed the postseason only twice in 2018 and 2022, which they finished with a 42-40 record in both seasons.
Ballmer’s energy is extremely infectious, and no owner is like him. He can go from kicking his feet in his designated courtside seat or screaming in the crowd with the fans in a matter of seconds. At Ballmer’s core, he is a fan of basketball first and a businessman second. His authentic love for the game makes him stand out from other owners in the sport. Undoubtedly, this makes him one of, if not the best, owners in the NBA.
