On Oct. 24, 2008, Citizens Business Bank Arena held its first-ever event. It was only an exhibition, but 10,316 people packed Ontario's brand-new stadium, and the Lakers did their part, defeating Oklahoma City, 105-94.
That preseason finale led into a regular season run that saw the Lakers go on to win the 2009 NBA title. Since then, they have returned to Ontario for at least one preseason game every year — other than the lockout-shortened 2011 season.
The Lakers have treated Inland Empire residents to plenty of preseason memories, winning their first three games in Ontario on their way to a 6-3 overall record.
Built on top of the former site of the Ontario Motor Speedway, Citizens Business Bank Arena also served as the home court for the Lakers' D-League affiliate, the Los Angeles D-Fenders, for a few games during the 2014-15 season.
The next year, the D-Fenders briefly acquired the services of the only Ontario-born player in NBA history, Jeff Ayres, who played two games for the team before being spending the rest of the season with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Back to the parent club, the Lakers have carried two Inland Empire natives on their roster over the years.
The first was 12-year veteran Sean Rooks, who played on the purple and gold from 1996-99.
The Fontana native led Fontana High to its first league title in over 40 years during in 1987 and had his No. 51 jersey retired by the Steelers in 2015 — just one year before his unexpected death at 46.
A seldom-used center, Rooks averaged 3.4 points and 2.4 rebounds during his three years with the Lakers, though he did leave his mark off the floor.
“We are shocked and terribly saddened by the news of the death of Sean Rooks,” Lakers President/Governor and co-owner Jeanie Buss said in a statement on June 7, 2016. “During his time with the Lakers he was a true professional and was a favorite among teammates, coaches and staff. Sean was a friendly guy that everyone loved having around. On behalf of the entire Lakers organization, I'd like to send our condolences as well as thoughts and prayers to his family.”
Three years after Rooks' final season with the Lakers, another Inland Empire-born player came to Los Angeles.
After knocking the Lakers out of the playoffs twice during his nine-year stay with Utah, Bryon Russell joined L.A. for the 2003-04 season alongside former Jazz teammate Karl Malone.
Russell — who was born in San Bernardino and helped push SB High to the 1989 CIF-Southern Section championship — averaged 4.0 points in 13.1 minutes in his lone season with the Lakers, who lost in the NBA Finals to Detroit.
While the Lakers haven't had a player from the Inland Empire in the last 12 years, the region has been well-represented in the past and present by the likes of Riverside's Reggie Miller and Kawhi Leonard.
As for the purple and gold themselves, the Lakers have maintained a connection with the area through the preseason.
Along with the annual game or two in Ontario, the Lakers have recently held practice at Pechanga Recreation Center in Temecula prior to or after their exhibitions in San Diego.
