Before Magic Johnson and Larry Bird made it to the league, it was common knowledge that the NBA was in a bit of trouble. The league had revenue issues and was on the verge of shutting down for a while. And that wasn’t the only problem, even well into the 80s, the NBA had a recurring problem with drug usage.
The 1980s saw drugs like cocaine and its variant, crack, flood the streets of the United States. Many people were losing their lives thanks to the addictive effects of these substances, and everyone was trying to ensure that usage among younger people plummeted. During this time, though, many NBA players themselves would indulge in these drugs, and that’s when the league made a concerted effort to make an impact on this front.
The Los Angeles Lakers Performed A Rap Song Telling Youngster To Say No To Drugs
In the 1980s, the Los Angeles Lakers had established themselves as one of the league’s most successful teams. Led by the extremely popular Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and supported by an amazing cast, the Lakers won 5 championships during that era. And their popularity was leveraged by the league to aid in the fight against drugs, with the team performing a rap song to spread the message (via Grantland).
“Cocaine and crack, they all gotta go. When it comes to drugs, just say no.
“I’m Kareem, Captain of the team, I don’t need drugs, I got a higher thing.
“I’m Magic man with the mightiest touch, gotta play the right way to keep them moving up.
“I can make a pass without that junk… Be like us and make the right move: Say no.
“My name is Pat, coach of the team, they say my plays really do things… Say no and just drive this ball.”
The video itself is quite wild, it’s safe to say that the style of the day isn’t something that has aged well into the modern era. What they were trying to do was noble, as funny as it might seem today. And the Lakers also were known for partying from time to time, leading fans to poke some fun at them when this resurfaced. In any case, the league was able to get a handle on its drug problem, although society at large still struggles with it.
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