NBA Legend Magic Johnson Entertains Live Audience With Matt Barnes And Stephen Jackson

Before everyone liked Mike, we all loved Magic! NBA Legend Magic Johnson joined “All The Smoke With Matt Barnes And Stephen Jackson” in front of a live studio audience in this week’s special hour-plus long edition. In Magic’s typical charismatic and animated style, the former Los Angeles Lakers star tells stories of playing alongside and against some of the most legendary players in NBA history including Michael Jordan, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Larry Bird, Isiah Thomas, Julius “Dr. J” Erving and more. Magic touches on his upbringing in Lansing, Mich., winning a national championship at Michigan State, being a part of the “Dream Team” and his time as the President of Basketball Operations with the Lakers. He also tells his favorite off-court stories involving iconic musicians like Prince and Michael Jackson. Plus, Paul Pierce joins for an impromptu appearance to tell his favorite never-before-told Magic story.

On the potential of teaming up with other superstars like Michael Jordan…

“I wasn’t a guy like that. I never wanted to play with nobody but my dudes. I was good. I’ve always been a dude, wherever I end up, that’s who I’m rolling with. Even in pickup games, I never tried to get all the name dudes. I tried to just get dudes who wanted to play. Let’s go, let’s go. I like that underdog thing anyways. Like, come on. Let’s go beat those dudes over here. That was always my mindset and I’m glad. That’s what makes sports special. Not everybody joining each other. Go make it happen. If you’re the best, you got to go up against them guys anyway.”

On signing LeBron James while serving as the President of Basketball Operations for the Lakers…

“I knew when I had that meeting with him and (agent) Rich Paul here in Los Angeles, I knew what he wanted. I knew he wanted to win, No. 1, but No. 2, Los Angeles, he could live and live free and drive around and live a life that he wanted to live that couldn’t live in Cleveland or Miami because everybody’s on top of him. I think because we have so many celebrities here, he could fit right on in. So, I told him, I’m going to build a team that’s going to win a championship. No question about it. But also, too, he’s going to build a billion-dollar business here off the court because we love our celebrities out here. And he bought into it.”

Check out the conversation below: