Magic Johnson refused to play for the Bulls and threatened to return to MSU (Michigan

[Duncan21formvp]

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...-teammates-too

And in the case of Magic Johnson, Mike has done his homework. He found a Mike Downey L.A. Times article from 1991:
Magic Johnson would have returned to Michigan State rather than play for the Chicago Bulls.

"I'd have stayed in school," he said here Tuesday, standing alone outside Gate 3 1/2 of Chicago Stadium, the house that could have been his. "A coin toss changed the course of my whole life." Chicago called heads in a 1979 coin flip with Los Angeles for the No. 1 pick in the NBA college draft. It came up tails.

Johnson signed with the Lakers after his sophomore year of college and proceeded to win five championships. The Bulls picked second, took UCLA's David Greenwood and have won no championships.

"I wouldn't have played here," Johnson said on the eve of Game 2 of the NBA finals between his team and the team that could have been his. "The only reason I came out was to play with Kareem and the Lakers."



http://articles.latimes.com/1991-06-...sp-83_1_lakers

Magic Johnson would have returned to Michigan State rather than play for the Chicago Bulls.

"I'd have stayed in school," he said here Tuesday, standing alone outside Gate 3 1/2 of Chicago Stadium, the house that could have been his. "A coin toss changed the course of my whole life."

Johnson signed with the Lakers after his sophomore year of college and proceeded to win five championships. The Bulls picked second, took UCLA's David Greenwood and have won no championships.

"I wouldn't have played here," Johnson said on the eve of Game 2 of the NBA finals between his team and the team that could have been his. "The only reason I came out was to play with Kareem and the Lakers.

[97 bulls]

http://espn.go.com/blog/truehoop/pos...-teammates-too

And in the case of Magic Johnson, Mike has done his homework. He found a Mike Downey L.A. Times article from 1991:
Magic Johnson would have returned to Michigan State rather than play for the Chicago Bulls.

"I'd have stayed in school," he said here Tuesday, standing alone outside Gate 3 1/2 of Chicago Stadium, the house that could have been his. "A coin toss changed the course of my whole life." Chicago called heads in a 1979 coin flip with Los Angeles for the No. 1 pick in the NBA college draft. It came up tails.

Johnson signed with the Lakers after his sophomore year of college and proceeded to win five championships. The Bulls picked second, took UCLA's David Greenwood and have won no championships.

"I wouldn't have played here," Johnson said on the eve of Game 2 of the NBA finals between his team and the team that could have been his. "The only reason I came out was to play with Kareem and the Lakers."



http://articles.latimes.com/1991-06-...sp-83_1_lakers

Wow, I lost alot of respect for johnson. This tells me he's nothing but a fronrunner. He's not a winner. Hell I always knew he was a crybaby. Good read.

[97 bulls]

http://articles.latimes.com/1991-06-...sp-83_1_lakers

I don't bellieve you guys are trying to ignore this

[Orlando Magic]

Magic Johnson was an incredible basketball player and an incredibly stupid human being. You need look no further than his basketball analysis or lack thereof.

[BIG FURB]

Magic Johnson was an incredible basketball player and an incredibly stupid human being. You need look no further than his basketball analysis or lack thereof.

Or you could look at the tremendous business success he's had in his post-nba career and see you don't know what the hell you're talking about. If the man's stupid then he's the equivalent of a black Forrest Gump

[DMAVS41]

Wow, I lost alot of respect for johnson. This tells me he's nothing but a fronrunner. He's not a winner. Hell I always knew he was a crybaby. Good read.

Did you really not already know about this?

The idea that old school players would have never teamed up together is the most absurd notion. Especially if they had spent the first 7 years of their career playing in a small market with little to no help.

I would have loved to see an obsessed winner like MJ or Bird suffer their first 7 years on a crap team like Lebron did. You really think MJ is sticking around Chicago if Pippen didn't get drafted or develop? Hell no. He would have joined forces with other great players.

And people need to stop comparing teaming up with Wade to the equivalent of Magic and Larry teaming up. Wade won one title and hadn't won a playoff series since 06 I think. Completely different.

[97 bulls]

Did you really not already know about this?

The idea that old school players would have never teamed up together is the most absurd notion. Especially if they had spent the first 7 years of their career playing in a small market with little to no help.

I would have loved to see an obsessed winner like MJ or Bird suffer their first 7 years on a crap team like Lebron did. You really think MJ is sticking around Chicago if Pippen didn't get drafted or develop? Hell no. He would have joined forces with other great players.

And people need to stop comparing teaming up with Wade to the equivalent of Magic and Larry teaming up. Wade won one title and hadn't won a playoff series since 06 I think. Completely different.

I knew the lakers won the coin flip. But magic whoreing himself out, no I didn't know that. But what I don't understand, is how you can say jordan didn't suffer in his first 7 years in the league. Jordan wasn't a quitter.

I know I said this before, but magic is such a front runner. I'm thinking back to that dream team exibition where he complained cuz in his opinion, he wasn't on the best team during that scrimmage. Or when he coached the lakers and quit in the middle of the season cuz the team wasn't good. What a joke.

[DMAVS41]

I knew the lakers won the coin flip. But magic whoreing himself out, no I didn't know that. But what I don't understand, is how you can say jordan didn't suffer in his first 7 years in the league. Jordan wasn't a quitter.

I know I said this before, but magic is such a front runner. I'm thinking back to that dream team exibition where he complained cuz in his opinion, he wasn't on the best team during that scrimmage. Or when he coached the lakers and quit in the middle of the season cuz the team wasn't good. What a joke.

Well, MJ suffered early on for sure, but the team showed signs of getting better and obviously Pippen came (in 88 in MJ's 4th year).

MJ lost in game 7 in the ECF in year 6 with Pippen showing all the proper signs of becoming an elite player. In year 7, they won the title.

MJ really only had to play his first 5 years without having a legit contending team.

I don't think that is comparable to Lebron because Lebron never had that 2nd star and his team after year 7 was only going to get worse, not better.


Yes, Magic chose to only come out to play with Kareem/Lakers because it was the best chance for him to market himself and win titles. I really don't see anything wrong with that.

Very similar to Kobe forcing his way to the Lakers. Its just smart. Why would any player settle on another franchise if the Lakers or Celtics were an option right off the bat? Honestly, that would be just stupid to pass up those chances.

[GreatGreg]

Wow, I lost alot of respect for johnson. This tells me he's nothing but a fronrunner. He's not a winner. Hell I always knew he was a crybaby. Good read.

Good thing he didn't come to Chicago. Then, we would have never gotten the Real GOAT.

[guy]

Well, MJ suffered early on for sure, but the team showed signs of getting better and obviously Pippen came (in 88 in MJ's 4th year).

MJ lost in game 7 in the ECF in year 6 with Pippen showing all the proper signs of becoming an elite player. In year 7, they won the title.

MJ really only had to play his first 5 years without having a legit contending team.

I don't think that is comparable to Lebron because Lebron never had that 2nd star and his team after year 7 was only going to get worse, not better.


Yes, Magic chose to only come out to play with Kareem/Lakers because it was the best chance for him to market himself and win titles. I really don't see anything wrong with that.

Very similar to Kobe forcing his way to the Lakers. Its just smart. Why would any player settle on another franchise if the Lakers or Celtics were an option right off the bat? Honestly, that would be just stupid to pass up those chances.

Its not like Pippen and Grant were considered full-fledged all star players at that point even though they were improving. And if the 1990 Bulls were considered legit contenders, I don't see how the 2009 and 2010 Cavs aren't. Lebron gets a pass for 2009 since he played his heart out. But the 2010 Cavs were better and deeper and were in a great position to beat the Celtics, but they didn't and the main reason for that was cause Lebron quit on them.

[DMAVS41]

Its not like Pippen and Grant were considered full-fledged all star players at that point even though they were improving. And if the 1990 Bulls were considered legit contenders, I don't see how the 2009 and 2010 Cavs aren't. Lebron gets a pass for 2009 since he played his heart out. But the 2010 Cavs were better and deeper and were in a great position to beat the Celtics, but they didn't and the main reason for that was cause Lebron quit on them.

I'm not defending Lebron's play. I'm defending his decision to leave.

The simple fact is that the Bulls team was showing signs of getting better and they had good reason to believe that Pippen was going to be a great player after watching him progress and improve in the 1990 season.

Its really not comparable at all.

Totally agree about Lebron being at fault in 2010 and not playing as well as he should have. That doesn't change the fact that he had an average team around him that was only going to get worse. He didn't have a 2nd star and he played in a market that does not attract any big time free agents.

[Orlando Magic]

If the man's stupid then he's the equivalent of a black Forrest Gump

He is. He even contracted the HIV and everything.

[OldSchoolBBall]

So that's who Kobe patterned his bitch-made-ness after. LMAO @ the arrogance.

[guy]

I'm not defending Lebron's play. I'm defending his decision to leave.

The simple fact is that the Bulls team was showing signs of getting better and they had good reason to believe that Pippen was going to be a great player after watching him progress and improve in the 1990 season.

Its really not comparable at all.

Totally agree about Lebron being at fault in 2010 and not playing as well as he should have. That doesn't change the fact that he had an average team around him that was only going to get worse. He didn't have a 2nd star and he played in a market that does not attract any big time free agents.

Its not comparable in that the 90s Bulls looked like they were going to get better while 10s Cavs weren't. I agree. And I don't really fault Lebron for leaving either.

What is comparable though is their situations in their first 6-7 seasons when it comes to winning, not taking into account their potential futures after that. The Cavs in 2010 were definitely capable of at least making the Finals that year. That team was better then average, and before anyone mentions them, trying to use the 2011 Cavs as evidence that they weren't would be wrong.

[winwin]

OP are you the guy who was wishing that kobe get injured so he can't play in the finals?