Sports commentator Jason Whitlock recently suggested that basketball star Caitlin Clark could end up with the Los Angeles Sparks, drawing comparisons with NHL legend Wayne Gretzky's iconic move to the Los Angeles Kings in 1988.

The overarching factor is using the trade to bring new attention to the sport.

Whitlock argued that the WNBA could benefit from having its biggest star play in a major media market. He compared the idea to Gretzky’s 1988 move to Los Angeles, which helped increase hockey’s popularity in the United States.

“The NHL moved Wayne Gretzky out of Canada to Los Angeles because it made sense for the entire league,” Whitlock wrote on X.

While there is no sign that the Indiana Fever is considering trading Caitlin Clark, Whitlock’s comparison has gained attention because of the huge impact Wayne Gretzky’s trade had on hockey.

On August 9, 1988, the hockey world was shocked after the Edmonton Oilers traded Gretzky, along with Mike Krushelnyski and Marty McSorley, to the Los Angeles Kings.

In return, Edmonton received Jimmy Carson, Martin Gelinas, three first-round draft picks, and $15 million in cash.

At the time, Wayne Gretzky was the NHL’s biggest star and led the Edmonton Oilers dynasty that won four Stanley Cups in the 1980s.

After joining the Los Angeles Kings, Gretzky helped make the franchise one of hockey’s most popular teams. He brought huge attention to the sport in the United States.

The Kings reached the playoffs five times during Gretzky's eight-year stint and made the Stanley Cup Final in 1993. His impact also helped grow hockey across the American market.

Wayne Gretzky's Legacy in Los Angeles Still Shapes NHL Growth

Despite decades after his retirement, Gretzky’s move to the Los Angeles Kings remains one of the biggest moments in NHL history.

During Gretzky’s time in Los Angeles, interest in the sport grew in California and other new markets.

Before Gretzky, the Kings were the only U.S-based NHL franchise based west of Minnesota. Today, there are seven teams from the same region.

Besides an increase in U.S.-based players, Gretzky's arrival in Los Angeles also triggered a hockey movement throughout Hollywood. His stardom invited celebrities like John Candy, Sean Penn, Tom Hanks, and Sylvester Stallone, as well as athletes from other sports, to games.

Among his notable Hollywood moments, Gretzky became the first active NHL player to host an episode of Saturday Night Live in 1989.

His impact is why Whitlock’s comparison garnered attention. The trade remains a prominent example of one superstar helping grow an entire league.

Do you think Gretzky’s Los Angeles stint is still the most influential player trade in North American sports?

Read more at the NHL Fan Central. 

Written by

Kapil Manghnani

Edited by

Sijo Paul