LaVar and Lonzo Ball and the 12 Best, Worst Celebrity Appearances in WWE

Celebrities and professional wrestling go hand in hand.

Since the 1980s and the success of the first WrestleMania, a supercard enhanced exponentially by the presence of celebrities such as Muhammad Ali, Liberace and Cyndi Lauper, WWE chairman Vince McMahon has continuously sought mainstream personalities and pop culture icons to help lend credibility and star power to his product.

Sometimes it worked; sometimes it did not.

In the case of Mike Tyson and Bob Uecker, their contributions to WWE programming landed them in the company's Hall of Fame.

Notorious personalities such as Kevin Federline and astronaut Buzz Aldrin were not so lucky.

Even the President of the United States, Donald Trump, has turned up in McMahon's company and enjoyed considerable success.

Who joined The Donald, Tyson and Uecker among the best mainstream stars to appear on WWE programming? Which ones, like Aldren, failed miserably to inspire excitement?

The jury may still out on the polarizing and controversial new Los Angeles Laker Lonzo Ball, father LaVar and brother LaMelo, but the answer to those other questions lie across the proceding slides.

Best: Bob Uecker

"Mr. Baseball" Bob Uecker made his first appearance in WWE at WrestleMania III, where he was a featured celebrity guest at the first truly epic Showcase of the Immortals. On that night, he served as both a guest commentator and ring announcer.

A year later, comfortable in front of the wrestling audience, he returned to the grandest stage the sport has to offer as a celebrity attraction at WrestleMania IV. With a side storyline in which he sought out Vanna White, Uecker brought a sense of humor to the proceedings and proved why he remains one of the premier celebrity guests in WWE history.

From his iconic interview with Andre the Giant in Pontiac, Michigan, to his appearance a year later, Uecker left an impression on wrestling fans that resulted in his enshrinement in the celebrity wing of the WWE Hall of Fame.

While many celebrities have been undeserving inductees, that is not the case with Uecker, whose understanding of the show business element of wrestling helped him thrive where others did not.

Best: Bob Barker

Bob Barker is a legendary television game show host, the face of The Price is Right for 35 years.

He was also the best part of Happy Gilmore. 

The September 7, 2009, episode of Raw saw Baker guest-host. As only he can, he seamlessly presented a WWE edition of The Price is Right.

His interaction with a disgusted, dismayed Chris Jericho and the manner in which he patronized the former wold champion was a brilliant bit of television that solidified Baker's status as one of the most entertaining celebrity guests to ever host Raw.

Considering the sheer number of duds who made the flagship show so unenjoyable in that year, Barker was a welcome breath of fresh air.

Worst: Al Sharpton

There are some celebrities who simply do not understand sports entertainment or, worse, somehow feel above it.

The 2009 Raw celebrity guest host initiative introduced many a wrestling fan to that type. Perhaps none was more obvious than the Reverend Al Sharpton.

The civil rights activist clearly never felt comfortable in front of the camera. Nor did he appear to want to be there.

He was wooden and uninvested in what he was doing, and the results were questions about why WWE even welcomed him on to its flagship show.

Best: Lawrence Taylor

At the 1995 Royal Rumble, a frustrated Bam Bam Bigelow spotted Lawrence Taylor at ringside and took exception to the legendary NFL star's laughter at his expense. Bigelow came face-to-face with the two-time Super Bowl champion and shoved him, the ultimate sign of disrespect.

Taylor would later accept a match against Bigelow for WrestleMania XI.

The Showcase of the Immortals would be the site for their much-anticipated showdown. With the eyes of the sporting world on the bout, Taylor proved why he was regarded as one of the most gifted athletes around.

Months of training with the legendary Pat Patterson paid off for Taylor, who thrived between the ropes and upset Bigelow thanks to a flying forearm in the night's main event.

Inexplicably, Taylor has yet to take his place in the WWE Hall of Fame for his contribution to that year's Show of Shows.

Worst: Pamela Anderson

The same year Lawrence Taylor took the wrestling world by storm, Pamela Anderson of television's Baywatch did not. 

The blonde bombshell, known for her role as CJ Parker on the hit show, first appeared at the 1995 Royal Rumble and seemed somewhat shy and withdrawn from the proceedings. By the time WrestleMania XI rolled around, it was clear she wanted to be anywhere but the event. 

Originally slated to accompany Rumble winner Shawn Michaels to the ring, she double-crossed him and was by the side of WWE champion Diesel as he took to the squared circle for his showdown with his former friend and confidant.

Anderson sat ringside, seemingly uninterested in the events unfolding just a few feet away.

By the time Diesel planted Michaels and scored the victory, it was obvious she was excited for one thing only: getting out of Hartford, Connecticut, and away from professional wrestling.

Best: Mr. T

Without Mr. T, the inaugural WrestleMania may not have been the enormous success it was.

Yes, the presence of celebrities like Cyndi Lauper, Billy Martin, Liberace and the great Muhammad Ali would have generated interest, but it was Mr. T's willingness to step inside the squared circle and team with industry icon Hulk Hogan to battle "Rowdy" Roddy Piper and Paul Orndorff that made WrestleMania must-see.

The star of The A-Team was superb in his role, providing the crowd-pleasing maneuvers and moments that helped make the first Showcase of the Immortals main event such as smashing success.

A year later, he returned to the company for a boxing match with Piper. The build was intensely personal, with the general disdain for one another a key element to the success of their rivalry.

The boxing itself was lackluster, but the effect the program had on WWE, including inadvertently turning Piper babyface, was undeniable.

In 2014, some 30 years after he first appeared on WWE television, Mr. T took his place in the Hall of Fame with one of the most interesting speeches of all time.

Worst: Kevin Federline

Kevin Federline rose to notoriety as the husband of pop princess Britney Spears and quickly found his name in the news and tabloids on a seemingly daily basis.

With a reality show airing on broadcast television, Federline quickly found himself the target of WWE's attention.

After enduring an Attitude Adjustment at the hands of John Cena, Federline interfered in the main event of the Cyber Sunday pay-per-view, attacking the franchise star with the WWE Championship and costing him a Triple Threat match.

On the January 1, 2007, episode of Raw, the former backup dancer pinned Cena's shoulders to the mat following interference from Umaga, doing what few other full-time Superstars would be allowed to that year.

Unfortunately for Federline, his relationship with Spears dissolved soon after, and he faded into obscurity, becoming the answer to a trivia question rather than a pop culture icon.

Best: Donald Trump

Set aside political opinion for a moment.

The President of the United States is an influential celebrity presence in WWE history.

As the 1980s came to a close, Trump worked with McMahon to help bring WrestleManias IV and V to his Trump Plaza casino. While the audiences that took in the events of those two spectaculars may not have been archetypal wrestling fans, the atmosphere and aura the venue presented made for unique presentations that still stand out today.

Trump's presence was felt at those shows, with him and his inner circle seated at ringside for matches involving Hulk Hogan, Jake "The Snake" Roberts and "Macho Man" Randy Savage.

Two decades later, riding a wave of success thanks to his reality show, The Apprentice, Trump returned to WWE television as part of The Battle of the Billionaires.

Represented by Bobby Lashley, he would defeat McMahon, represented by Umaga. Joining Lashley and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, he shaved the head of his rival before capping off the night by eating a Stone Cold Stunner for his troubles.

In 2013, he was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.

No, that's not fake news.

Yes, it was deserved because of is his status as one of the greatest celebrities to grace WWE programming.

Best: Mike Tyson

There is no telling what may have become of WWE without Mike Tyson's watershed appearance in January 1998.

The most infamous athlete in the world at the time, Tyson's confrontation with "Stone Cold" Steve Austin generated unprecedented media coverage and led to a renaissance of sorts for Vince McMahon's promotion. The runt of the Monday Night War after two straight years of WCW Monday Nitro domination, Raw received a considerable boost from Tyson's involvement on the Road to WrestleMania.

After being disrespected by Austin on his first night in WWE, he joined Shawn Michaels, Triple H and Chyna in D-Generation X, seemingly creating an unfair advantage for the title bout between HBK and Austin at WrestleMania.

At the event, though, Tyson counted the three and awarded Austin the WWE Championship before knocking Michaels unconscious with a single right hand.

The press ate it up, helping WWE to climb out of the deep, dark hole of despair it had settled into during the mid-1990s and battle back in the Monday Night War.

In 2009, Tyson would return to the company as a special guest host of Raw, and he was inducted into WWE Hall of Fame in 2012.

Worst: Buzz Aldrin

Buzz Aldrin did not understand the world of sports entertainment. Nor was he interested in fully embracing his role as guest host.

Instead, it became apparent that Aldrin was worried only about promoting his product and brand while disingenuously addressing the WWE faithful.

He was clearly disinterested, and one could hardly blame him. The June 1, 2010, episode of Raw was hardly quality programming, and what WWE Creative came up with for him would never be confused with compelling television.

Still, it never seemed as though Aldrin was invested in his opportunity to reach a new audience, and the entire ordeal came across as a massive failure.

Best: Maria Menounos

Celebrity fans of professional wrestling have always fared better than those who are unfamiliar with the product.

Case in point: Maria Menounos.

An unabashed supporter of sports entertainment and friend of legendary stars, including the great Bob Backlund and the late Dusty Rhodes, Menounos has been a joy to watch every time she has gotten the chance to perform before the WWE Universe.

The E! Network personality has served as hostess for Hall of Fame proceedings and can be seen sitting ringside for several west coast WWE events, but her greatest contribution has come in the ring.

At WrestleMania XXVIII, Menounos teamed with Kelly Kelly to battle Beth Phoenix and Eve Torres. Playing the role of Hall of Famer Ricky Morton, generating sympathy as the babyface in peril, she sold the attack of her heel opposition before making the hot tag to Kelly that would ignite the finishing sequence.

She even scored a schoolboy rollup on Phoenix to secure an improbable victory.

It was not the first time she has competed in the ring, working several tag team bouts over the course of her association with WWE.

A personality who brings energy to any show she appears on, Menounos should one day graduate from hosting the Hall of Fame red carpet broadcasts to accepting her induction into its celebrity wing.

Best: Floyd Mayweather

"The Biggest vs. The Best" was the tagline of WrestleMania XXIV, and for good reason.

Despite the presence of The Undertaker, Edge, Triple H, John Cena, Randy Orton, Ric Flair and Shawn Michaels, the show's main event was indisputably the encounter between WWE Superstar Big Show and boxing legend Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Beginning with a flurry of rights and lefts that left Big Show's nose pulverized into tender meat, blood painting his face, the rivalry escalated with a gorilla press slam from the giant to his rival on to a pile of WWE Superstars at ringside.

With tensions heightened, they took to the Grandest Stage of Them All for the night's most anticipated bout.

Big Show pummeled Mayweather, punishing him thanks to his size and weight advantage.

Interference from Mayweather's associates and a hard, brass knuckle-enhanced right hand allowed the undefeated boxing champion to pick up the win, but not before fans had witnessed one of the better celebrity in-ring performances of all time.