Did going to the LA Lakers mess up Shaq's marketability over his career?

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I remember when Shaq was on the Orlando Magic, he was one of the most popular players in the league. He had a rap career, his own clothing line, movies, etc...he was actually my favorite player in the entire league....then when he went to the L*kers supposedly to be closer to hollywood and win, it seemed he was more hated than anything really.

Similar thought goes through with Kobe Bryant....he'd probably be more popular and less hated if he was on a non-Lakers team?


Thoughts?

 

[THE HCP]

After 5 years or so his act got old! It would have happened wherever he was playing. LA had nothing to do with it fams!

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I think it did.

He was the jerk of the league by that point.

 

[Sex Panther]

After 5 years or so his act got old! It would have happened wherever he was playing. LA had nothing to do with it fams!

woord

 

[jlprk]

How about Jabbar. With the Bucks, he was exciting to watch--the whole team revolved around him. With the Lakers, he was a small cog in a big machine. He became so unnoticed that they called it Magic's team. But Kareem was the Laker core, not Magic. So Jabbar's reputation would be much greater had he stayed with the Bucks. Although he couldn't have beaten the 80s Celtics unless the Bucks added more than a Bobby Dandridge.