Culver City Observer -

In recognition of the L.A. Clippers’ extraordinary impact both on and off the court, the Los Angeles Sports Council today named Lawrence Frank and Gillian Zucker as co-recipients of the 2019 Sports Executive of the Year award.

Since a change in ownership five years ago, the Clippers have become one of the nation’s most admired sports franchises. They are a force on the hardwood — especially with the blockbuster signings of Kawhi Leonard and Paul George in the summer of 2019 — and have made an incredible difference in the L.A. community, notably funding the renovation of 350 L.A. public basketball courts dubbed Clippers Community Courts and, with Leonard, donating one million backpacks to every Los Angeles Unified School District student.

Both Frank and Zucker will be honored for their leadership and guidance at the 15th annual LA Sports Awards, to be held Thursday, February 20 at The Beverly Hilton.

As President of Basketball Operations, Frank helped engineer the moves to bring superstars Leonard and George to Los Angeles. In just two years on the job, he has reshaped the roster into a tough, competitive, unrelenting group fiercely admired by Clipper Nation.

Last year, the Clippers won 48 games and took the first-round playoff series against top-seeded Golden State to six games — a notable achievement. In late-April, the organization locked up one of the game’s top coaches by re-signing Doc Rivers to a long-term contract, and this season the Clippers are considered NBA championship-caliber contenders.

In her role as President of Business Operations, Zucker has completely reinvented the Clippers brand and transformed the organization’s culture, earning praise for the Clippers’ groundbreaking investments in the community, the fans, the game experience, and the team itself. She implemented the popular “L.A. Our Way.” marketing campaign, aimed at unifying Angelenos through the Clippers’ basketball culture.

With a focus on the fan, Zucker has led the creation of new experiences for every segment of the Clippers’ audience, including launching the revolutionary new Clippers CourtVision digital broadcast product. Further, working alongside Chairman Steve Ballmer, Zucker is overseeing the development of the future home arena of the Clippers: the privately financed Inglewood Basketball & Entertainment Center, scheduled to open in 2024.

The acclaimed LA Sports Awards were created in 2005 by the Los Angeles Sports Council to commemorate the greatest sports moments of the year in the Los Angeles/Orange County area and to honor those individuals whose performances were exemplary.

The ceremony also will feature the presentation of the Sportsman, Sportswoman, and Coach of the Year, plus a countdown of 2019’s Top Ten moments. The star-studded gala will be taped and later broadcast on FOX Sports West/Prime Ticket.

For more information on how to support and/or attend the event, please contact Jocelyn Papciak at (213) 482-6333 or jpapciak@lasports.org.