Magic Johnson’s career was memorable, although he suffered some major setbacks during his tenure in the NBA. The Los Angeles Lakers icon not only led his squad to the promised land five times during his career, but also saved a league that was dying when he arrived.
His ‘Showtime’ Lakers marked an era in the association, and their rivalry with the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons took the league to reach new levels. Magic ruled the Western Conference during the 80s and even at the beginning of the 90s, he was leading his squad to have deep playoff runs.
In 1991, after losing the NBA Finals to Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls, Magic found out he had HIV, and decided to retire for the first time. He would return in 1996 after serving as a coach for the Lakers a couple of years before, but his second tenure with the Purple and Gold wasn’t as magical as the first one.
In his second game back, Magic faced the all-powerful Chicago Bulls that would win the NBA championship in a couple of months. Johnson understood that things were different for him and the Lakers and that the aspirations he used to have weren’t there anymore. During a recent appearance on ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live,’ the former point guard recalled how the Bulls dominated him and the Lakers right after he returned.
“They really showed me the difference between a championship team and a playoff team. They were a championship team; we were just a regular team. And they played me so hard. They were physical; they pushed me around.”
Moreover, Magic revealed that Michael Jordan gave him a piece of advice about his career, reminding him that he wasn’t on the Showtime Lakers anymore and that all the players he used to play with were retired. Jordan said that a 36-year-old Johnson could be better off watching the game from outside.
“Michael, after that game, he pulled me aside. I don’t think I’ve ever told anybody this. He met me in between the locker rooms, and he said, ‘Earvin, you have to remember now, you’re not with Kareem (Abdul-Jabbar); you’re not with James Worthy. All the guys you used to play with, Showtime, are not on that Laker team anymore. So remember, maybe you should think about retiring.'”
He had a different supporting cast that year, with players like Vlade Divac, Nick Van Exel, and Eddie Jones playing under Del Harris. They had a decent season, posting a 53-29 record.
Johnson played 32 games during that season, helping the Lakers reach the fourth seed in the Western Conference. They were eliminated by the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoff, ending Johnson’s career once and for all. We were just a couple of months from watching him play with Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant, but Magic had different plans for his life.
Just like Jordan told him and Larry Bird in 1992, he was the NBA sheriff in 1996 and whoever dared to challenge him would have a hard time. We’re pretty sure Jordan didn’t tell Magic to retire because he wanted to avoid his competition, but he knew that the player didn’t have the same team he used to and couldn’t win a championship with that roster.
