BOSTON — Coco Crisp's pronouncement wasn't exactly a revelation.

"Nobody's really a Clippers fan," he said.

The Los Angeles native may have channeled Kurt Rambis in Thursday's brawl with the Rays, but he isn't exactly a Laker diehard.

The Clips were his team.

"My dad had season tickets when we were young," said Crisp, who grew up in Inglewood and is still sore about the Rams and Raiders leaving Los Angeles. "I root for the underdog, I guess. Nobody could say I'm on the bandwagon. I've been cheering for them for a while."

Crisp attended four L.A. area high schools in four years, eventually graduating from Inglewood High in 1997. Crisp had heard of Paul Pierce, a 1995 Inglewood graduate, but the two never crossed paths.

Crisp's slight frame — he's generously listed at 6-feet — ended any hoop dreams.

"I was the starting point guard for my freshman-sophomore team and three days later I was the third-string point guard," he said. "That ended relatively quick."

Crisp didn't personally know anybody who made it big in basketball, but he understands why the sport is king in Inglewood.

"In the inner city, a lot of parents have to work. So they don't have a lot of time to take their kids to baseball games," he said. "It's a lot easier to go out with your friends and play a pickup game. You don't even have to have a basketball. You just go to the park and somebody's going to have one."

The City of Champions

Inglewood has produced dozens of talented basketball players. Here are a few of the best:

Name%High School%College%Pro team(s)

Paul Pierce%Inglewood%Kansas%Celtics

Lisa Leslie%Morningside%USC%Sparks

Byron Scott%Morningside%Arizona State%Lakers, Pacers, Grizzlies

Reggie Theus%Inglewood%UNLV%Bulls, Kings, Hawks, Magic, Nets

Elden Campbell%Morningside%Clemson%Lakers, Hornets, Sonics, Pistons, Nets