“They thought that I was coming over to take the team,” Magic Johnson reveals that the Showtime Lakers were unwelcoming in his rookie year
Magic Johnson, on Showtime Basketball recalled his first years with the Los Angeles Lakers and superstar Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Magic said that intially the Laker veterans though that he was coming to take over the team.
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Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson had a different energy on the court as compared to the veterans like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He was more of a reserved person on the court and was all about business, while Johnson, being a rookie was full of energy and full of energy. Recalling the incident when Jabbar hit the game-winner and Johnson jumped on him in the celebration which made Kareem get angry, Matt Barnes asked Johnson about the reaction Jabbar had to Magic’s energetic presence on the Los Angeles Lakers roster.
Magic Johnson revealed that Jabbar was initially not welcoming of his energy. “It took him all season that first year,” Magic said. The former Lakers’ star revealed that initially, the veteran squad thought of him as someone who wanted to take over the team. “They thought that I was coming over to take the team,” Magic said. Johnson said that initially, the team thought that he wanted to take over the team. But he convinced Jabbar that he was there to help him. “‘I told him on the first day of the training camp. I told him, ‘Listen, man, I am here to help you,’” said Johnson.
Magic is arguably the greatest passer in basketball history. His passes were known to make noise in the arena The 5 x NBA champion also said that he spoke to Kareem about the game plan. He said he told the 19x All-Star that he would pass the ball exactly where he likes it. “‘I said where do you like the ball….he said ‘I like it high’ and I said that’s where it will be every single time,’” said Johnson. Their chemistry took off after Magic’s first year with the Lakers.
Magic Johnson says Kareem Abdul-Jabbar snapped at him for celebrating Jabbar’s game-winner
Recalling the game-winner that Jabbar hit in the first game back in the season, Magic was in his maiden Lakers uniform. Magic recalled that Jabbar had hit the sky hook shot from the free throw line that left him stunned. “That first game he hits a sky hook from the free throw line…to win the game in San Diago so I go running,” recalled Johnson. “I jump and I am holding him, choking him, hugging him. I didn’t let go for about two or three minutes,” added the former Showtime Lakers star.
He added that Kareem took him to the locker room. “I had never seen a shot like that, the game-winning shot like that. So he got me to the locker room,” recalled Magic. He said that 19 x All-Star asked him not to celebrate too early as they had 81 more games in the season. ‘Rookie come here. Don’t ever do that, we have 81 more games to go. We can’t be this high after game one,’ said the 5 x NBA champion. “You hit a shot like that 81 more times, I am gonna jump in your arms 81 more times,” replied Magic. Later that season, Magic became the Finals MVP in his first year with the Lakers.
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