With basketball legend Michael Jordan, the owner of the Charlotte Hornets and a famous retiree who has never played in an NBA game before.
Michael Jordan, the former NBA player and current owner of the Charlotte Hornets, poured cold water on Magic Johnson’s Lakers comeback practically before it even began. “These guys are losers,” MJ said of the Lakers.
Michael Jordan would have admired Magic Johnson’s drive to restart his playing career when the Los Angeles Lakers great made a return in 1996 under different circumstances. But MJ was well aware that his friend’s status as a winner may be jeopardized. After all, these Lakers weren’t the legendary Purple and Gold teams of the past.
In 1996, Johnson offered fans one more look of Showtime. Jordan, on the other hand, explained why the return would be short-lived… Johnson’s comeback has only lasted two games.
Michael Jordan succeeded Magic Johnson and Larry Bird as the NBA’s public face.
Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were two players that mainly defined the NBA in the 1980s. During that decade, Johnson’s Lakers teams won five championships, while Bird and the Celtics won three.
The two frontmen were pivotal figures in two of the most influential bands of the day. Both would, however, have to make room for His Airness.
Michael Jordan’s first six NBA seasons were filled with lows, but in 1991, he and the Chicago Bulls broke through to win their first title. There were many more after that. Jordan and the Bulls won six championships in the 1990s, cementing their place as one of sports’ greatest dynasties.
When Johnson returned to the court in 1996, he won his fourth title. Magic announced his retirement in the autumn of 1991 after contracting HIV. However, the Lakers veteran felt obliged to return to the court.
Magic’s expectations for a victorious homecoming were quickly shattered by Jordan.
Only two games into his return, Jordan advised Magic to quit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G bJs-BPS6A
Magic Johnson’s return to the NBA began with a matchup versus Michael Jordan and the Bulls. That clash also provided MJ with the opportunity to deliver a serious message to Magic.
Jordan warned Johnson in 2000 (h/t Chicago Tribune) that he shouldn’t languish as an aged member of a mediocre Lakers squad, particularly considering his championship pedigree.
“I believe one of the most important things Michael [Jordan] said me, and I respect and love him for it, was when I returned and they slaughtered us in the Forum, he grabbed me aside and said, ‘I want to express this the proper way.’ You should give up your job. These aren’t the kind of players you’re accustomed to. These individuals are losers. You’re accustomed to playing with victorious opponents.’ He was correct.”
–Magic Johnson, via the Chicago Tribune, (2000)
Jordan, like Johnson, returned to full strength for the 1995-96 season. The difference is that Michael Jackson got a tune-up at the close of the 1994-95 season. He’s also three years younger than Magic, which made a big impact given Johnson’s age at the time of his return, which was 36. The Bulls also had a reputation as a title contender. In 1996, it was no longer the case for the Lakers.
Despite winning 53 games in 1995-96, the Los Angeles Lakers’ team lacked experienced champions. Cedric Ceballos was the team’s leading scorer, and the Lakers leaned heavily on rookies like Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones.
In the 1996 NBA playoffs, Magic and the Lakers were eliminated in the first round. After the season, he followed Jordan’s advise and hung up the phone for good.
Jordan most likely realized Johnson had nothing more to prove.
During their post-game news conference at the Great Western Forum in Inglewood, California, in 1996, Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan joke with reporters | Tiziana Sorge/AFP via Getty Images
It’s easy to see why Magic Johnson want a second shot in the NBA. Because of his HIV diagnosis, he had to retire before the start of his 32nd season, depriving him of his golden years.
Michael Jordan, on the other hand, seemed to recognize that Magic’s return was only a testing ground. His imprint on history had already been made.
Johnson was the league MVP three times and won five titles. Many consider him to be the best point guard in NBA history. If anything, the 1996 comeback may have tarnished some of Lakers fans’ abiding impressions of the Magic Man.
Jordan, surprisingly, may have benefitted from similar guidance prior to his own return in 2001. Although an aging Michael Jordan provided cheap thrills to basketball fans, he worked for a youthful and rebuilding Washington Wizards team.
RELATED: Isiah Thomas coached Michael Jordan in the 2003 All-Star Game and prepared for a media barrage by watching footage from an infamous incident 18 years prior: ‘I’ve seen the game’s film at least 60 times.’
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