Throughout the course of history, the Los Angeles Lakers have had their fair share of superstars. Needless to say, it’s not easy to please their fans, as they’ve been used to having the creme of the crop on their rosters.
From George Mikan to Magic Johnson, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Wilt Chamberlain, to Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, and LeBron James, Lakers fans demand nothing but greatness, and that’s why it was so hard for them to be patient during the rebuild.
The team drafted some interesting and promising talents but they weren’t ready to lead the purple and gold, so they were eventually moved or let go to clear cap space and eventually make a big splash in free agency.
However, that doesn’t mean that Magic Johnson – the man responsible for those moves – doesn’t hold them to a high standard, as he recently took to Twitter to predict that former Lakers Julius Randle and Jordan Clarkson will be named All-Stars and Sixth Man of the Year, respectively:
“I’m so happy for two young former Lakers, NY Knicks’ Julius Randle and Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson. Julius Randle will be an All Star this season with his play and Jordan Clarkson is on pace to win the Sixth Man of the Year award,” Johnson tweeted.
I’m so happy for two young former Lakers, NY Knicks’ Julius Randle and Utah Jazz guard Jordan Clarkson. Julius Randle will be an All Star this season with his play and Jordan Clarkson is on pace to win the Sixth Man of the Year award.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) January 29, 2021
Magic usually states the obvious and this time isn’t the exception to that rule. Julius Randle is averaging 22.2 points, 11.1 rebounds, and 6.0 assists per game and the Knicks are playing well, so he has a strong shot at making the All-Star roster. Clarkson, on the other hand, is averaging 17.9 points and 1.8 assists off the bench for the NBA-best Utah Jazz.
It’s nice to know that, even though they couldn’t fulfill their potential with the Lakers, those young players still made their way around the league, secured a big payday, and are now thriving.
