WEBVTT 00:00:02.171 --> 00:00:07.222 JERRY BUSS: I think probably one of the longest 00:00:07.223 --> 00:00:10.311 American institutions there is, 00:00:10.312 --> 00:00:13.777 is when you look up on a sign in an old store, 00:00:13.778 --> 00:00:18.578 and it says "Peterson & Sons." 00:00:18.579 --> 00:00:22.085 That's a long tradition in American life, 00:00:22.086 --> 00:00:24.800 and exactly the same thing is happening here. 00:00:26.637 --> 00:00:29.601 This is now Buss, Sons, & Daughters. 00:00:32.565 --> 00:00:34.694 JIM BUSS: My dad wanted us to grow up 00:00:34.695 --> 00:00:36.446 without the hardship that he had. 00:00:36.447 --> 00:00:38.201 - Very good. 00:00:39.746 --> 00:00:42.668 JIM: But he didn't want us to grow up with a silver spoon 00:00:42.669 --> 00:00:46.134 in our mouth. He wanted us to work. 00:00:49.348 --> 00:00:53.230 JEANIE BUSS: He never intended to build a kingdom, 00:00:53.231 --> 00:00:55.068 but that's what he did. 00:00:57.406 --> 00:01:00.871 It's bigger than any one person, any one owner, 00:01:00.872 --> 00:01:03.126 any one coach, any one player. 00:01:06.341 --> 00:01:08.344 He wanted the Lakers to be great 00:01:08.345 --> 00:01:13.437 for the city of Los Angeles that took him in 00:01:13.438 --> 00:01:18.824 and gave him the family that he had wanted so much. 00:01:21.872 --> 00:01:24.250 EMCEE: Okay, there he is now. 00:01:24.251 --> 00:01:27.423 Let's do it the way we have been doing it! 00:01:27.424 --> 00:01:31.474 Ladies and gentlemen, Jerry Buss, right there. 00:01:34.230 --> 00:01:36.567 JIM: Never did we think that it would involve 00:01:36.568 --> 00:01:39.532 into what it is today, not even close. 00:01:39.533 --> 00:01:41.494 You know, it wasn't even a thought. 00:01:43.373 --> 00:01:45.084 REPORTER: Time now for sports and a big shakeup 00:01:45.085 --> 00:01:47.130 for the LA Lakers front office. 00:01:47.131 --> 00:01:48.465 REPORTER: The Lakers are now caught 00:01:48.466 --> 00:01:50.679 in the middle of a family power struggle 00:01:50.680 --> 00:01:53.267 that is threatening to tear the team apart. 00:01:53.268 --> 00:01:55.689 REPORTER: There's a family feud brewing 00:01:55.690 --> 00:01:58.696 over who will run the Los Angeles Lakers. 00:02:01.910 --> 00:02:04.122 - Jerry Buss never would've expected that 00:02:04.123 --> 00:02:05.625 to happen from his own kids 00:02:05.626 --> 00:02:07.713 because he put them in a position. 00:02:07.714 --> 00:02:09.967 They knew what their jobs were. 00:02:09.968 --> 00:02:11.554 He put the plan in place. 00:02:11.555 --> 00:02:13.266 They just didn't want to follow it. 00:02:29.843 --> 00:02:31.930 REPORTER: There he is, his first shot as an owner. 00:02:31.931 --> 00:02:33.058 Think he likes it? 00:02:35.649 --> 00:02:39.154 COMMENTATOR: At this moment, I can't believe it. 00:02:39.155 --> 00:02:40.490 INTERVIEWER: What's the future? 00:02:40.491 --> 00:02:41.993 Want to replace your father at the top? 00:02:41.994 --> 00:02:43.121 - Yeah. 00:02:45.627 --> 00:02:47.420 BUSS: Between my daughters and my sons, 00:02:47.421 --> 00:02:50.512 there's certainly enough sports teams to go around. 00:02:54.435 --> 00:02:56.355 INTERVIEWER: Are you and the rest of the family-- 00:02:56.356 --> 00:02:57.609 are you guys all on the same page? 00:03:00.072 --> 00:03:01.365 REPORTER: The Lakers caught in the middle 00:03:01.366 --> 00:03:02.995 of a family power struggle. 00:03:07.838 --> 00:03:10.009 BUSS: I think I've really left them with something. 00:03:15.311 --> 00:03:19.694 REPORTER: Five, four, three, two, one. 00:03:19.695 --> 00:03:23.745 And a happy 1979! 00:03:35.857 --> 00:03:38.737 - And the winner is... The Deer Hunter. 00:03:39.517 --> 00:03:41.520 asking for help with his state's gas shortage. 00:03:41.521 --> 00:03:44.149 REPORTER: Gasoline is averaging 61آ¢ a gallon. 00:03:44.150 --> 00:03:45.945 REPORTER: Gang warfare in East Los Angeles 00:03:45.946 --> 00:03:48.450 is on the rise and is more violent than ever. 00:03:49.327 --> 00:03:52.290 - Welcome, everyone, to the ESPN SportsCenter. 00:03:52.291 --> 00:03:53.459 We'll be filling you in 00:03:53.460 --> 00:03:55.255 on the pulse of sporting activity, 00:03:55.256 --> 00:03:56.550 not only around the country, 00:03:56.551 --> 00:03:58.804 but around the world as well. 00:03:58.805 --> 00:03:59.973 ANNOUNCER: The Montreal Canadiens 00:03:59.974 --> 00:04:02.102 have won the Stanley Cup! 00:04:02.103 --> 00:04:03.647 ANNOUNCER: The Steelers have won it, 00:04:03.648 --> 00:04:05.860 the best Super Bowl game of them all. 00:04:05.861 --> 00:04:07.112 ANNOUNCER: Pittsburgh wins it. 00:04:07.113 --> 00:04:09.116 ANNOUNCER: The Seattle Super Sonics 00:04:09.117 --> 00:04:13.167 have won the NBA World Championship Series. 00:04:27.613 --> 00:04:28.822 JAMAAL WILKES: The team was 00:04:28.823 --> 00:04:30.534 kind of in disarray at the time. 00:04:30.535 --> 00:04:35.336 We were searching for direction and leadership. 00:04:36.881 --> 00:04:38.299 KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR: When I came to the Lakers, 00:04:38.300 --> 00:04:40.554 they placed so much responsibility on me 00:04:40.555 --> 00:04:43.226 because they paid a lot of money to get me. 00:04:43.227 --> 00:04:44.562 But once I got here, 00:04:44.563 --> 00:04:49.113 I--I delivered, uh, you know, MVP performances. 00:04:49.114 --> 00:04:50.281 ANNOUNCER: Come back in the game, 00:04:50.282 --> 00:04:52.077 and then sick man stayed rolling-- 00:04:52.078 --> 00:04:54.081 and oh, Kareem is upset. 00:04:54.082 --> 00:04:58.089 - Kareem will come in and take your team from winning 20 games 00:04:58.090 --> 00:04:59.424 to 50 games. 00:04:59.425 --> 00:05:02.472 He's 7'2". He's unstoppable. 00:05:02.473 --> 00:05:04.936 You know, he shuts the game down at the end of the game. 00:05:04.937 --> 00:05:06.230 Could pass the basketball, 00:05:06.231 --> 00:05:07.525 so he did carry a lot of the weight. 00:05:07.526 --> 00:05:09.194 He took a lot of the heat. 00:05:09.195 --> 00:05:11.116 So if you're not winning, it's Kareem's fault. 00:05:12.326 --> 00:05:15.206 - It certainly wasn't a championship-caliber team 00:05:15.207 --> 00:05:17.210 at that point in time 00:05:17.211 --> 00:05:19.799 because we had so many needs, 00:05:19.800 --> 00:05:23.182 and that changed almost overnight. 00:05:27.816 --> 00:05:29.652 INTERVIEWER: Are you aware of what you've done this week? 00:05:29.653 --> 00:05:31.405 BUSS: I must admit, I'm kind of stunned. 00:05:31.406 --> 00:05:32.867 I'm in a daze. 00:05:32.868 --> 00:05:35.205 Uh, I think it's gonna take months 00:05:35.206 --> 00:05:38.630 before it slowly seeps in what has actually been done here. 00:05:39.715 --> 00:05:40.966 JOHNNY BUSS: Whether it was baseball 00:05:40.967 --> 00:05:42.762 or football or basketball, 00:05:42.763 --> 00:05:45.935 my dad was a huge sports fan. 00:05:45.936 --> 00:05:47.688 INTERVIEWER: What was your first meeting 00:05:47.689 --> 00:05:49.024 with Jabbar like? 00:05:49.025 --> 00:05:50.903 - To think that I could actually sit in a room 00:05:50.904 --> 00:05:52.698 with him and shake hands with him-- 00:05:52.699 --> 00:05:54.744 it was like a dream come true. 00:05:54.745 --> 00:05:57.667 It was more of a fan in admiration 00:05:57.668 --> 00:05:59.044 of his biggest idol 00:05:59.045 --> 00:06:02.468 than it was the owner/player relationship. 00:06:03.428 --> 00:06:06.893 JEANIE: He'd often talk about just having enough money 00:06:06.894 --> 00:06:10.734 so that we could have season tickets to the Lakers 00:06:10.735 --> 00:06:13.615 and the Dodgers and USC football. 00:06:13.616 --> 00:06:15.493 And he never lost sight of that. 00:06:15.494 --> 00:06:19.752 But it was pretty big risk for my dad to go all in 00:06:19.753 --> 00:06:23.384 and buy a team because at that time, 00:06:23.385 --> 00:06:25.849 no one in the NBA was making money. 00:06:27.769 --> 00:06:29.939 - In the 1970s, the NBA 00:06:29.940 --> 00:06:32.696 was not nearly as popular as it would become. 00:06:33.488 --> 00:06:35.659 Baseball was still very big, 00:06:35.660 --> 00:06:38.247 the NFL got to be hugely popular, 00:06:38.248 --> 00:06:42.882 and college football always had a huge audience. 00:06:42.883 --> 00:06:44.886 A lot of people in mainstream society 00:06:44.887 --> 00:06:47.057 were not paying so much attention to basketball. 00:06:47.058 --> 00:06:48.476 INTERVIEWER: When you bought the Lakers, 00:06:48.477 --> 00:06:50.814 were they making large profits at the time? 00:06:50.815 --> 00:06:52.778 - No. No, they were not. 00:06:53.863 --> 00:06:57.243 I think, at that time, the combined statement 00:06:57.244 --> 00:07:00.793 of the Lakers and the Kings, uh, broke even, if anything. 00:07:00.794 --> 00:07:02.462 Maybe showed a small loss. 00:07:02.463 --> 00:07:04.299 JIM: When we took over the Forum, 00:07:04.300 --> 00:07:06.386 I don't think the Lakers turned a profit, 00:07:06.387 --> 00:07:08.558 and the Kings definitely didn't turn a profit, 00:07:08.559 --> 00:07:10.563 and so the pressure was on. 00:07:14.696 --> 00:07:17.158 OFFICIAL: It is now exactly 12:00 noon. 00:07:17.159 --> 00:07:18.912 The draft is officially open. 00:07:18.913 --> 00:07:21.709 I want to welcome all the fans that are gonna join in 00:07:21.710 --> 00:07:23.171 and help make this draft a success. 00:07:27.054 --> 00:07:30.936 - We had to flip a coin to see who had the first draft choice. 00:07:30.937 --> 00:07:33.233 OFFICIAL: Chicago calls heads. We'll now make the flip. 00:07:39.287 --> 00:07:41.207 Tails it is. - Hey! 00:07:42.459 --> 00:07:44.337 Yeah! 00:07:44.338 --> 00:07:45.924 STEVE SPRINGER: Back in those days, 00:07:45.925 --> 00:07:48.597 the two worst teams, one in each conference-- 00:07:48.598 --> 00:07:50.684 they flipped a coin, whoever got the first pick. 00:07:50.685 --> 00:07:52.855 And so the Lakers had the pick 00:07:52.856 --> 00:07:54.984 because of a deal with the Jazz, 00:07:54.985 --> 00:07:58.449 and the Jazz had the worst record that year. 00:07:58.450 --> 00:08:02.290 - There's a lot of speculation who that pick will be, 00:08:02.291 --> 00:08:07.760 but my dad knew when he watched the NCAA tournament 00:08:07.761 --> 00:08:10.965 that there was a young player, Magic Johnson. 00:08:13.271 --> 00:08:16.151 MAGIC JOHNSON: It was a dream come true, really, for me. 00:08:16.152 --> 00:08:19.074 Uh, I won the state title back in my home state, 00:08:19.075 --> 00:08:22.539 and then my next compliment was playing a game 00:08:22.540 --> 00:08:24.042 like tonight in the finals, 00:08:24.043 --> 00:08:27.423 and just hope we play our part and win the game. 00:08:27.424 --> 00:08:29.762 BUSS: Obviously, it's thrilling when you make 00:08:29.763 --> 00:08:31.599 the first pick in a draft, any year, 00:08:31.600 --> 00:08:34.354 but Earvin had that "it" factor. 00:08:38.085 --> 00:08:39.921 ANNOUNCER: Magic Johnson for 15, 00:08:39.922 --> 00:08:41.508 and he loves to hit that backboard. 00:08:41.509 --> 00:08:43.469 BUSS: Magic is somewhat unique 00:08:43.470 --> 00:08:44.931 compared to other players 00:08:44.932 --> 00:08:48.146 because he was a star when he was 19. 00:08:48.147 --> 00:08:52.864 Usually, you have to wait until somebody's 24, 26. 00:08:52.865 --> 00:08:55.327 Uh, in Magic's case, it was completely obvious 00:08:55.328 --> 00:09:00.128 that he was destined to become one of the game's superstars. 00:09:00.129 --> 00:09:03.426 OFFICIAL: The first pick, the Los Angeles Lakers 00:09:03.427 --> 00:09:07.434 select Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Michigan State. 00:09:07.435 --> 00:09:10.608 6'8", 200 pounds. 00:09:10.609 --> 00:09:12.402 INTERVIEWER: How do you see your role with the Lakers? 00:09:12.403 --> 00:09:14.574 MAGIC: I'll probably be a passer or a play maker, 00:09:14.575 --> 00:09:16.160 just setting up the team, 00:09:16.161 --> 00:09:17.997 trying to set up my players to score 00:09:17.998 --> 00:09:20.043 and just trying to run the show. 00:09:20.044 --> 00:09:21.546 INTERVIEWER: Excited about being a pro? 00:09:21.547 --> 00:09:24.678 - Definitely, definitely. I'm very excited, you know? 00:09:24.679 --> 00:09:27.474 I love the challenge and the-- 00:09:27.475 --> 00:09:29.019 you know, see what I can do. 00:09:29.020 --> 00:09:31.693 And, uh--and that's the main thing. 00:09:38.832 --> 00:09:40.876 When I was first drafted, I was excited 00:09:40.877 --> 00:09:44.760 because it was the LA Lakers and it was Hollywood. 00:09:48.016 --> 00:09:50.228 You know, coming from a small town 00:09:50.229 --> 00:09:51.606 like Lansing, Michigan, 00:09:51.607 --> 00:09:53.695 I had never witnessed anything like this. 00:09:56.129 --> 00:09:57.839 MAGIC: It was also a chance 00:09:57.840 --> 00:09:59.343 to play with the most dominant player 00:09:59.344 --> 00:10:01.013 at that time in our game, 00:10:01.014 --> 00:10:02.766 which was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 00:10:02.767 --> 00:10:05.272 ANNOUNCER: There's Kareem! The last time! 00:10:05.273 --> 00:10:07.401 MAGIC: Listen, he was the MVP of the league 00:10:07.402 --> 00:10:09.322 for many years before I got there. 00:10:12.578 --> 00:10:14.748 JEANIE: If that coin flip hadn't gone our way, 00:10:14.749 --> 00:10:17.170 we would've ended up with the second pick, 00:10:17.171 --> 00:10:18.464 David Greenwood, 00:10:18.465 --> 00:10:20.553 and we wouldn't be sitting here today. 00:10:21.805 --> 00:10:23.474 REPORTER: The LA Lakers had the number one pick. 00:10:23.475 --> 00:10:26.439 They took Earvin "Magic" Johnson of Michigan State. 00:10:26.440 --> 00:10:28.318 The only question is, who will coach Johnson? 00:10:28.319 --> 00:10:31.741 Jerry West announced he will not be returning next year. 00:10:31.742 --> 00:10:34.830 - Coaching, for me, was a very difficult chore. 00:10:34.831 --> 00:10:36.625 I'm an emotional person. 00:10:36.626 --> 00:10:39.131 And sometimes I don't hide that very well. 00:10:39.132 --> 00:10:41.177 I did not want to coach anymore. 00:10:41.178 --> 00:10:43.973 And, to me, you should respect players, 00:10:43.974 --> 00:10:46.562 and sometimes, then, I tried 00:10:46.563 --> 00:10:48.734 to ask them to do things they couldn't do. 00:10:50.029 --> 00:10:51.865 It was so frustrating for me. 00:10:53.035 --> 00:10:54.996 NORM NIXON: All great players aren't great coaches. 00:10:56.333 --> 00:10:58.336 They all have the tendency to judge you based 00:10:58.337 --> 00:11:01.342 on what they did when they played. 00:11:01.343 --> 00:11:04.014 ANNOUNCER: Los Angeles with the incomparable Jerry West. 00:11:04.015 --> 00:11:06.852 He drives around Don Nelson and lays it in. 00:11:06.853 --> 00:11:09.191 This time, Jerry does it all by himself. 00:11:09.192 --> 00:11:10.402 STEVE SPRINGER: All you have to say 00:11:10.403 --> 00:11:11.987 about Jerry West and how influential 00:11:11.988 --> 00:11:14.953 he is in the NBA is, he's the logo. 00:11:16.248 --> 00:11:18.000 The NBA logo. It's him. 00:11:18.877 --> 00:11:20.672 NORM: Everybody doesn't have the same work ethic. 00:11:20.673 --> 00:11:22.801 Everybody doesn't understand the game the same. 00:11:22.802 --> 00:11:25.014 So I think coaching was very difficult for Jerry. 00:11:25.015 --> 00:11:26.809 ANNOUNCER: Strong defense by Jerry West. 00:11:26.810 --> 00:11:28.980 MICHAEL COOPER: He couldn't understand how people couldn't make 00:11:28.981 --> 00:11:31.360 simple basketball plays. 00:11:31.361 --> 00:11:34.826 "Michael, these * can't even catch the ball." 00:11:35.578 --> 00:11:37.914 JERRY WEST: The players-- I felt sorry for them, 00:11:37.915 --> 00:11:39.418 having to play for me. 00:11:39.419 --> 00:11:41.547 I did. 00:11:41.548 --> 00:11:45.221 INTERVIEWER: Do you have ideas on who might be a replacement? 00:11:45.222 --> 00:11:48.352 - Well, I have a theory that I will apply, 00:11:48.353 --> 00:11:50.815 and that is that I want a coach 00:11:50.816 --> 00:11:53.363 with a really heavy winning record behind him. 00:11:55.409 --> 00:11:59.500 I received a phone call asking me to meet Victor Weiss, 00:11:59.501 --> 00:12:03.549 the man who represented Jerry Tarkanian. 00:12:03.550 --> 00:12:05.845 STEVE: Jerry Tarkanian was a very famous coach 00:12:05.846 --> 00:12:09.811 at Long Beach State. He moved to Vegas to UNLV, 00:12:09.812 --> 00:12:12.692 and he became a legend in that town. 00:12:12.693 --> 00:12:14.530 Before anybody ever envisioned 00:12:14.531 --> 00:12:16.242 there being pro teams in Vegas, 00:12:16.243 --> 00:12:17.953 UNLV was the team, 00:12:17.954 --> 00:12:20.417 and Jerry Tarkanian was the coach. 00:12:22.380 --> 00:12:24.216 His representative was Vic Weiss. 00:12:24.217 --> 00:12:26.345 He was a--a gambler in Vegas. 00:12:26.346 --> 00:12:28.975 There were stories that he was connected to the mob. 00:12:28.976 --> 00:12:30.563 Well, whatever. 00:12:31.314 --> 00:12:33.192 BUSS: Victor Weiss and I had talked 00:12:33.193 --> 00:12:35.989 for 45 minutes to an hour or so. 00:12:35.990 --> 00:12:41.041 And then he left, and the next day or two days 00:12:41.042 --> 00:12:43.129 or three days later, somewhere in there, 00:12:43.130 --> 00:12:45.258 it was reported that he was missing. 00:12:45.259 --> 00:12:46.635 STEVE: When the meeting broke up, 00:12:46.636 --> 00:12:48.598 Vic Weiss was gonna go back to Tarkanian 00:12:48.599 --> 00:12:51.103 and say, "This job's yours if you want it." 00:12:51.104 --> 00:12:54.693 Unfortunately, they never spoke because Vic Weiss was murdered. 00:12:54.694 --> 00:12:57.616 REPORTER: Homicide detectives found him dead. 00:12:57.617 --> 00:12:59.119 He'd been shot in the head 00:12:59.120 --> 00:13:01.915 and bundled into the trunk of a red Rolls Royce. 00:13:01.916 --> 00:13:05.465 - All of a sudden, we had to have police protection 00:13:05.466 --> 00:13:07.010 because they didn't know 00:13:07.011 --> 00:13:10.224 if the hit was intended for my dad, 00:13:10.225 --> 00:13:12.730 because he drove a similar car. 00:13:13.815 --> 00:13:16.070 STEVE: I'm sure Jerry Buss was spooked by the murder, 00:13:16.071 --> 00:13:18.074 but Jerry was always a cool customer. 00:13:18.075 --> 00:13:20.078 - Well, I didn't know him, and I didn't even know 00:13:20.079 --> 00:13:23.250 what he did other than just those 45 minutes. 00:13:23.251 --> 00:13:25.421 I've heard all different kinds of rumors. 00:13:25.422 --> 00:13:27.342 He was involved with some people 00:13:27.343 --> 00:13:28.969 that he owed money to 00:13:28.970 --> 00:13:32.685 and various things. I--I just have no idea. 00:13:32.686 --> 00:13:34.189 JEANIE: My dad was like, 00:13:34.190 --> 00:13:37.237 "Don't answer the phone. Don't open the door. 00:13:37.238 --> 00:13:40.994 We have to now think that we're under attack." 00:13:41.704 --> 00:13:46.088 This isn't what owning the Lakers was supposed to be. 00:13:46.089 --> 00:13:49.094 - There's all kinds of stories that Vic Weiss was murdered 00:13:49.095 --> 00:13:52.058 for something mob-related or gambling or whatever, 00:13:52.059 --> 00:13:54.146 but it got into Tarkanian's head 00:13:54.147 --> 00:13:56.650 that the mob didn't want Tarkanian to leave Vegas, 00:13:56.651 --> 00:13:59.030 so he was really shaken by that. 00:13:59.031 --> 00:14:00.533 - Were you ever offered officially 00:14:00.534 --> 00:14:02.287 the head coaching job of the Los Angeles Lakers? 00:14:02.288 --> 00:14:03.789 - Yeah, I was offered that, yes. 00:14:03.790 --> 00:14:05.084 INTERVIEWER: Did you turn it down? 00:14:05.085 --> 00:14:06.587 - Yes. INTERVIEWER: Why? 00:14:06.588 --> 00:14:08.174 - Well, at the time, there was a lot of reasons, 00:14:08.175 --> 00:14:09.301 but, uh, you know, at the time, 00:14:09.302 --> 00:14:11.180 I still had a court case pending, 00:14:11.181 --> 00:14:13.559 and I was very impressed with Jerry Buss, 00:14:13.560 --> 00:14:16.106 but it was just-- it was--the timing was wrong. 00:14:16.107 --> 00:14:17.775 It was the wrong time, and I just-- 00:14:17.776 --> 00:14:19.488 - I'm confident he would've been the coach 00:14:19.489 --> 00:14:21.700 if that murder hadn't happened. 00:14:21.701 --> 00:14:24.873 BUSS: Well, uh, I'm a little disappointed about it, Gil. 00:14:24.874 --> 00:14:27.212 Uh, I met with Jerry a couple of days ago, 00:14:27.213 --> 00:14:30.301 and I certainly understand the position he's in, 00:14:30.302 --> 00:14:32.722 but, uh, we'll try to make some decisions 00:14:32.723 --> 00:14:35.561 and see if we can't get a coach here very shortly. 00:14:35.562 --> 00:14:36.855 CHUCK HEARN: We're just delighted 00:14:36.856 --> 00:14:38.859 to, um, be here this morning. 00:14:38.860 --> 00:14:40.238 The presentation we're going to make, I think, 00:14:40.239 --> 00:14:43.202 is one that will not only arouse your interest, 00:14:43.203 --> 00:14:45.915 your respect, today, but I think it'll continue 00:14:45.916 --> 00:14:48.379 for many, many years with this man's ability. 00:14:48.380 --> 00:14:52.679 Mr. Jack McKinney, new coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. 00:14:52.680 --> 00:14:54.266 JACK MCKINNEY: Very, very appreciative 00:14:54.267 --> 00:14:56.812 of Mr. Buss for offering me 00:14:56.813 --> 00:15:00.611 this job of coaching the Los Angeles Lakers. 00:15:00.612 --> 00:15:04.077 I think it's a tremendous opportunity for me 00:15:04.078 --> 00:15:05.496 because I'm coming 00:15:05.497 --> 00:15:09.337 into what has the makings of an outstanding team. 00:15:09.338 --> 00:15:14.265 And, eventually, we intend to win an NBA Championship. 00:15:15.726 --> 00:15:19.232 JAMAAL: You have the new owner, 00:15:19.233 --> 00:15:21.403 the new first draft choice, 00:15:21.404 --> 00:15:23.115 and new coach, 00:15:23.116 --> 00:15:29.127 which is kind of unusual, and it was inspiring. 00:15:29.128 --> 00:15:30.880 Which you never quite know how good a player 00:15:30.881 --> 00:15:33.136 will turn out to be on the next level. 00:15:33.720 --> 00:15:36.976 So there's always questions going in. 00:15:42.112 --> 00:15:45.201 ANNOUNCER: This is ABC Sports Beat. 00:15:45.202 --> 00:15:46.912 The NBA faces a crucial season, 00:15:46.913 --> 00:15:50.127 with a number of teams in serious financial trouble. 00:15:50.128 --> 00:15:53.175 The NBA going for broke? 00:15:53.176 --> 00:15:56.473 On ABC Sports Beat. 00:15:56.474 --> 00:15:59.896 - There are serious problems that clearly make this 00:15:59.897 --> 00:16:03.362 a critical year for the NBA. 00:16:03.363 --> 00:16:05.908 Larry O'Brien is commissioner of the NBA. 00:16:05.909 --> 00:16:07.328 He knows there are problems. 00:16:07.329 --> 00:16:09.082 Collective losses in the league 00:16:09.083 --> 00:16:11.920 went from $8 million to $13 million last year. 00:16:11.921 --> 00:16:13.674 - The National Basketball Association 00:16:13.675 --> 00:16:16.847 would be better off with 16 teams. 00:16:16.848 --> 00:16:18.976 - If we crowd too many games into a week, 00:16:18.977 --> 00:16:20.938 and I think the NBA fans see 00:16:20.939 --> 00:16:22.817 some poor games, unfortunately. 00:16:22.818 --> 00:16:26.200 BUSS: Their advertising, in most cases, is amateurish. 00:16:27.119 --> 00:16:31.168 Uh, I think there is a great lack of effort 00:16:31.169 --> 00:16:34.925 and ability to merchandise property. 00:16:36.262 --> 00:16:38.432 JIM: My dad and I went to a game 00:16:38.433 --> 00:16:41.188 at the very beginning, after he bought the team. 00:16:41.189 --> 00:16:42.732 New York came in to play, 00:16:42.733 --> 00:16:45.864 and they scored a bucket, and the place went nuts. 00:16:47.034 --> 00:16:50.331 And he was like, "What in the world are you doing? 00:16:50.332 --> 00:16:54.088 Why--this should be boos, not cheers." 00:16:54.089 --> 00:16:55.758 He was livid about it. 00:16:55.759 --> 00:16:57.011 JOHNNY: And I think that's what 00:16:57.012 --> 00:16:58.848 really started the ball rolling. 00:17:02.606 --> 00:17:06.113 MAGIC: When I first got to the Lakers, 00:17:06.114 --> 00:17:07.950 we were on the third page. 00:17:09.078 --> 00:17:11.623 We hadn't won a championship in a long time. 00:17:11.624 --> 00:17:15.506 And so we were behind everybody. 00:17:15.507 --> 00:17:19.889 USC football were king, Dodgers were king, 00:17:19.890 --> 00:17:22.145 and so we had some work to do to convince 00:17:22.146 --> 00:17:27.239 the fans of Los Angeles that they should support us. 00:17:28.992 --> 00:17:31.329 CLAIRE: Prior to Jerry's coming 00:17:31.330 --> 00:17:33.584 and Magic joining the team, 00:17:33.585 --> 00:17:39.180 they almost never had more than 9,000 people at a game. 00:17:40.056 --> 00:17:44.606 Jerry thought he could make it better. 00:17:44.607 --> 00:17:47.571 He could make it profitable. 00:17:49.575 --> 00:17:52.955 JIM: When I first started working at the Forum, 00:17:52.956 --> 00:17:55.586 I was in ticket sales. 00:17:55.587 --> 00:17:57.381 Ticket sales was basically your-- 00:17:57.382 --> 00:17:58.634 not your bottom level, 00:17:58.635 --> 00:18:00.763 but that's--that's how everything works. 00:18:00.764 --> 00:18:03.018 If you don't sell tickets, you don't have anything. 00:18:03.019 --> 00:18:05.314 - We operated, you know, what my dad called 00:18:05.315 --> 00:18:08.237 the boiler room, like a--a phone center. 00:18:08.238 --> 00:18:10.532 - We called it the "dungeon" of the Forum 00:18:10.533 --> 00:18:11.701 because it had no windows. 00:18:11.702 --> 00:18:14.415 All our offices were in the dungeon. 00:18:14.416 --> 00:18:16.044 JIM: We had, you know, maybe, I think, 00:18:16.045 --> 00:18:17.296 four people working for us. 00:18:17.297 --> 00:18:18.674 They would do cold calls, 00:18:18.675 --> 00:18:20.219 I would be on the phone, doing the same thing. 00:18:20.220 --> 00:18:23.016 "Hi, this is Jim Buss from the Lakers, 00:18:23.017 --> 00:18:24.394 "and I was wondering 00:18:24.395 --> 00:18:26.564 if you would be interested in buying tickets." 00:18:26.565 --> 00:18:30.155 I don't remember my spiel, but I probably had one. 00:18:30.156 --> 00:18:32.827 JEANIE: Selling tickets is the hardest thing to do, 00:18:32.828 --> 00:18:35.834 so it became a competitive atmosphere. 00:18:37.754 --> 00:18:41.261 JANIE: I was too young to work there. 00:18:41.262 --> 00:18:43.181 I was still in high school. 00:18:43.182 --> 00:18:46.855 But it was my dad's way to get little workers in his own, 00:18:46.856 --> 00:18:48.525 you know, family business. 00:18:48.526 --> 00:18:51.740 Who else could he trust except for his own children? 00:18:51.741 --> 00:18:53.994 JEANIE: We would tease him like, 00:18:53.995 --> 00:18:55.706 "Oh, yeah, you just have us working 00:18:55.707 --> 00:18:56.916 because we're cheap." 00:18:56.917 --> 00:18:58.837 But my dad wanted to see 00:18:58.838 --> 00:19:00.341 who was interested 00:19:00.342 --> 00:19:03.305 in being part of the family business. 00:19:03.306 --> 00:19:04.807 - Oh, I loved it. 00:19:04.808 --> 00:19:06.353 Absolutely loved being at the Forum 00:19:06.354 --> 00:19:07.897 and working with the Lakers 00:19:07.898 --> 00:19:12.281 and trying to achieve what my dad wanted, his goals. 00:19:12.282 --> 00:19:14.744 - They wanted to please him. 00:19:14.745 --> 00:19:17.249 You know, they had his attention. 00:19:17.250 --> 00:19:20.130 They were part of what he was doing. 00:19:20.131 --> 00:19:23.345 - The family business became an opportunity for us 00:19:23.346 --> 00:19:25.642 to spend time with my father. 00:19:28.231 --> 00:19:33.115 CLAIRE: He started to think about a legacy, 00:19:33.116 --> 00:19:36.496 what he could do for his children 00:19:36.497 --> 00:19:39.836 that he hadn't done in the past, 00:19:39.837 --> 00:19:42.633 because he hadn't spent a lot of time with them 00:19:42.634 --> 00:19:45.306 in their growing-up years. 00:19:47.018 --> 00:19:50.482 - There was one story that my dad would tell 00:19:50.483 --> 00:19:52.570 that when I was young, 00:19:52.571 --> 00:19:55.075 I ask him if he was Superman. 00:19:55.076 --> 00:19:58.415 And because it's kind of like he drops by 00:19:58.416 --> 00:20:00.335 when, you know, something is happening, 00:20:00.336 --> 00:20:02.174 and that's kind of how my dad was. 00:20:04.887 --> 00:20:08.143 - He worked a lot. He wasn't home all the time. 00:20:08.144 --> 00:20:11.357 - I remember asking a lot, "Where's Dad?" 00:20:11.358 --> 00:20:13.737 You know? "Where's our dad?" 00:20:13.738 --> 00:20:15.824 - He didn't go to the sporting events, you know, 00:20:15.825 --> 00:20:18.163 or--or our little things that we had. 00:20:18.164 --> 00:20:19.749 JOHNNY: Not once. 00:20:19.750 --> 00:20:22.296 Not once for the baseball, not once for the basketball. 00:20:22.297 --> 00:20:23.924 Not once for Boy Scouts. 00:20:23.925 --> 00:20:25.844 JANIE: My high school graduation, 00:20:25.845 --> 00:20:29.727 you know, my recital in fourth grade. 00:20:29.728 --> 00:20:33.109 JIM: John was probably privy to a lot more than we were. 00:20:33.110 --> 00:20:34.779 Jeanie and I were the middle children, 00:20:34.780 --> 00:20:37.076 and it seemed like we were protected 00:20:37.077 --> 00:20:42.086 from all the emotions that were going on in our family. 00:20:42.087 --> 00:20:43.838 JOHNNY: I don't know if she ever talked 00:20:43.839 --> 00:20:46.511 to any of the other siblings about it, 00:20:46.512 --> 00:20:51.688 but at 12 years old, my mom did actually let me know 00:20:51.689 --> 00:20:56.114 that, uh--"Your father and I are not together anymore." 00:20:56.115 --> 00:20:59.620 JEANIE: They were trying to not portray 00:20:59.621 --> 00:21:03.461 that they were separated. 00:21:03.462 --> 00:21:08.388 JANIE: My mom did the best she could with chaos. 00:21:08.389 --> 00:21:10.351 JOHNNY: She was very good at hiding it. 00:21:11.854 --> 00:21:13.649 Just always trying to be there. 00:21:15.111 --> 00:21:17.448 She would say, "Always love your father. 00:21:17.449 --> 00:21:19.201 Always love your father. 00:21:19.202 --> 00:21:22.834 And when he does come home, you know, make the best of it." 00:21:23.961 --> 00:21:27.718 JEANIE: I think we all were giddy when he was home. 00:21:27.719 --> 00:21:30.641 You know, we all, I guess vied for his attention 00:21:30.642 --> 00:21:32.811 and, you know, we'd play Monopoly, 00:21:32.812 --> 00:21:34.857 or we'd go get ice cream, 00:21:34.858 --> 00:21:37.529 or we'd go get a toy at the dime store. 00:21:37.530 --> 00:21:40.118 Um, it was always like, 00:21:40.119 --> 00:21:42.414 "What are we gonna do as a family?" 00:21:42.415 --> 00:21:45.838 - We were attracted to my father as this magnate. 00:21:47.050 --> 00:21:49.053 JANIE: I learned to accept it, 00:21:49.054 --> 00:21:51.224 but I'm sure it was hard on my dad 00:21:51.225 --> 00:21:54.356 to see us all growing up and he's not there. 00:21:55.942 --> 00:21:59.490 CLAIRE: Jerry was busy becoming a millionaire, 00:21:59.491 --> 00:22:03.332 and they didn't see that much of him. 00:22:04.418 --> 00:22:07.881 He wanted them involved with him. 00:22:07.882 --> 00:22:11.848 I think he wanted to fill a role. 00:22:11.849 --> 00:22:13.769 He wanted to be their father. 00:22:21.618 --> 00:22:23.288 JOHNNY: Magic was put up initially 00:22:23.289 --> 00:22:25.417 at one of our real estate holdings, 00:22:25.418 --> 00:22:29.550 so we were the first to greet Magic into Los Angeles. 00:22:29.551 --> 00:22:31.929 We would hang out with him. We would take him places 00:22:31.930 --> 00:22:33.851 because he was new to Los Angeles. 00:22:34.603 --> 00:22:37.691 We always loved going to Fatburger. 00:22:37.692 --> 00:22:39.361 I didn't know much about college basketball, 00:22:39.362 --> 00:22:43.119 so I didn't know popular he really was, 00:22:43.120 --> 00:22:45.040 except, when we went to Fatburger, 00:22:45.041 --> 00:22:48.214 everybody knew who he was already. 00:22:55.853 --> 00:22:57.357 MAGIC: When we signed the contract, they said, 00:22:57.357 --> 00:22:59.318 "We got a plane ticket for you tomorrow. 00:22:59.319 --> 00:23:00.612 "You got to fly out. 00:23:00.613 --> 00:23:03.160 We want you to play next week in one game." 00:23:04.746 --> 00:23:06.833 MICHAEL COOPER: First time I met Magic was in training camp. 00:23:06.834 --> 00:23:08.169 And I'll never forget this. 00:23:08.170 --> 00:23:09.839 He was like "You know what team means?" 00:23:09.840 --> 00:23:11.759 I said "Yeah, that's why everybody is here, we're all--" 00:23:11.760 --> 00:23:15.393 He said "Team means, 'Together Everyone Achieves More.'" 00:23:16.728 --> 00:23:18.773 That's when I knew that this guy had 00:23:18.774 --> 00:23:20.235 something special about him 00:23:20.236 --> 00:23:21.612 because it wasn't just about him. 00:23:21.613 --> 00:23:23.284 It was about the team. 00:23:28.460 --> 00:23:31.173 MAGIC: I practiced with the team for two days. 00:23:31.174 --> 00:23:32.843 Now it's time to perform. 00:23:32.844 --> 00:23:34.930 Now it's time to play. 00:23:34.931 --> 00:23:36.517 JAMAAL: I figured "Well, I'm gonna go ahead 00:23:36.518 --> 00:23:38.187 and say hello to him." I walk up, 00:23:38.188 --> 00:23:40.609 and, well, I went out there, and maybe a few thousand 00:23:40.610 --> 00:23:41.861 other people were out there. 00:23:41.862 --> 00:23:43.699 It was bedlam. It was crazy. 00:23:44.534 --> 00:23:47.289 MICHAEL: We had been playing there several, several games, 00:23:47.290 --> 00:23:48.875 and all those games were only averaging 00:23:48.876 --> 00:23:51.339 about maybe 500 people, 600 people. 00:23:51.340 --> 00:23:53.843 This particular game, they had opened up both floors, 00:23:53.844 --> 00:23:55.472 opened up both sides of the gym, 00:23:55.473 --> 00:23:57.310 and it was probably about 2,000 people in there. 00:24:00.024 --> 00:24:02.194 MAGIC: This PR guy for the Lakers come in. 00:24:02.195 --> 00:24:03.738 He's telling me, you know, 00:24:03.739 --> 00:24:06.285 "There's hundreds and hundreds of people out there!" 00:24:06.286 --> 00:24:07.663 And I said, "In the gym?" 00:24:07.664 --> 00:24:09.249 You know? I was sitting up here. 00:24:09.250 --> 00:24:11.379 You know, I'm 19, so I don't know what's happening. 00:24:11.380 --> 00:24:14.301 He said, "Yes, and they've come to see you." 00:24:14.302 --> 00:24:15.845 So, oh, man. 00:24:15.846 --> 00:24:20.398 Once he said that, I just started shaking. 00:24:30.459 --> 00:24:31.877 BUSS: Magic is truly magic. 00:24:31.878 --> 00:24:33.589 He's going to pack them in wherever he goes. 00:24:33.590 --> 00:24:36.429 But perhaps the best part about him is, 00:24:36.430 --> 00:24:38.433 every time he's in an arena, 00:24:38.434 --> 00:24:39.935 everyone has a smile on their face. 00:24:39.936 --> 00:24:41.397 It's contagious. 00:24:41.398 --> 00:24:43.443 He sets it off, and it spreads around the crowd. 00:24:43.444 --> 00:24:47.451 So Magic is going to be a very, very exciting player 00:24:47.452 --> 00:24:49.079 for us here in Los Angeles. 00:24:49.080 --> 00:24:51.709 - Especially if the fans be as beautiful as they were tonight. 00:24:51.710 --> 00:24:52.794 INTERVIEWER: The fans are gonna be here? 00:24:52.795 --> 00:24:54.214 FANS: Yeah! 00:24:54.215 --> 00:24:59.141 - To have a sold-out crowd for summer league games, 00:24:59.142 --> 00:25:02.606 and I said "Man, if this is how it's gonna be when I come play 00:25:02.607 --> 00:25:04.736 for the Lakers, I'm gonna love this." 00:25:07.742 --> 00:25:10.246 JEANIE: A few days later, the general manager 00:25:10.247 --> 00:25:12.417 brought him over to my dad's house, 00:25:12.418 --> 00:25:14.797 where I happened to be staying, 00:25:14.798 --> 00:25:17.511 and the doorbell rings... 00:25:17.512 --> 00:25:19.766 And here's Magic. 00:25:21.103 --> 00:25:23.981 I was so overwhelmed opening that door 00:25:23.982 --> 00:25:26.862 and seeing this smile. 00:25:26.863 --> 00:25:30.495 His teeth were like stars. 00:25:30.496 --> 00:25:32.833 MAGIC: She was like, "Oh, you're gonna have a great time. 00:25:32.834 --> 00:25:34.545 "You're going to be with the Lakers for a long time. 00:25:34.546 --> 00:25:36.215 You and I together." 00:25:36.216 --> 00:25:38.761 I said "No, I'm going to play my five years, 00:25:38.762 --> 00:25:40.849 and I'm going back home to play for the Pistons." 00:25:40.850 --> 00:25:43.604 She said, "What?" 00:25:43.605 --> 00:25:46.569 - I went "Okay, I'll be right back." 00:25:46.570 --> 00:25:49.283 And I ran upstairs. I'm like, "Dad, 00:25:49.284 --> 00:25:51.996 "you won't believe--you won't believe what he just said. 00:25:51.997 --> 00:25:55.336 He said he's going to play for the Detroit Pistons." 00:25:55.337 --> 00:25:58.885 And my dad didn't miss a beat. He just looked at me, 00:25:58.886 --> 00:26:05.648 and he said, "Jeanie, as soon as he puts on a Laker jersey 00:26:05.649 --> 00:26:08.529 "and walks out on the floor at the Forum, 00:26:08.530 --> 00:26:10.367 he's never going to leave." 00:26:14.209 --> 00:26:15.877 ANNOUNCER: Wilson on the inbound to Nixon, 00:26:15.878 --> 00:26:18.257 and he gives it off outside to Spencer Haywood. 00:26:18.258 --> 00:26:21.096 Magic Johnson with the ball. 00:26:21.097 --> 00:26:22.515 The defensive assignment 00:26:22.516 --> 00:26:24.728 drawn initially against Johnson by Theo 00:26:24.729 --> 00:26:27.734 and the Magic man hits his first shot. 00:26:27.735 --> 00:26:29.196 PAT RILEY: I was in the booth 00:26:29.197 --> 00:26:32.369 as a broadcaster with Chick at the time. 00:26:32.370 --> 00:26:34.289 - He had three fouls early, so Adrian Daly 00:26:34.290 --> 00:26:37.128 took him to the laundry. Parrish had 12-- 00:26:37.129 --> 00:26:38.381 - He took his shorts to the laundry? 00:26:38.382 --> 00:26:40.093 - Took his shorts to the laundry. 00:26:40.094 --> 00:26:45.937 Magic was so unique and out of the box, he just took over. 00:26:45.938 --> 00:26:48.067 See us on the drive, rejected cleanly 00:26:48.068 --> 00:26:50.280 by Abdul-Jabbar. 00:26:50.281 --> 00:26:53.452 Johnson leads the Laker break, Nixon off the will. 00:26:53.453 --> 00:26:57.836 - With that basketball, he was simply just a maestro. 00:26:57.837 --> 00:27:00.675 ANNOUNCER: You look at Magic Johnson, you must remember one thing, 00:27:00.676 --> 00:27:02.847 The man is 6'8", but he moves like a little man. 00:27:03.890 --> 00:27:07.147 - I would start looking sooner than I would with most guards 00:27:07.148 --> 00:27:09.860 because if you were open, he would get to the ball. 00:27:09.861 --> 00:27:12.615 ANNOUNCER: One open straight to 96 with 15 seconds. 00:27:12.616 --> 00:27:16.041 Johnson to Cooper and another reverse layup! 00:27:19.964 --> 00:27:21.425 MAGIC: When I got to this town, 00:27:21.426 --> 00:27:25.017 they thought that Kareem and I couldn't co-exist. 00:27:27.521 --> 00:27:29.274 STEVE: When I first started covering the Lakers 00:27:29.275 --> 00:27:30.860 in 1979 and '80, 00:27:30.861 --> 00:27:33.741 I flew out on the plane, I went on the team bus, 00:27:33.742 --> 00:27:36.538 and so that gave me incredible access to the team. 00:27:36.539 --> 00:27:39.169 And when Magic came along, Kareem was resentful, 00:27:39.170 --> 00:27:40.963 like "This snot-nosed kid. 00:27:40.964 --> 00:27:42.842 "Everybody loves him, everybody hugs him, 00:27:42.843 --> 00:27:44.596 "everybody praises him, and what about me? 00:27:44.597 --> 00:27:47.520 I'm the star of the team." And really, it bothered him. 00:27:48.438 --> 00:27:52.028 - There were some personality differences. 00:27:52.029 --> 00:27:54.742 Kareem is one way, and Magic is another way. 00:27:55.661 --> 00:27:56.995 STEVE: They lived different lives. 00:27:56.996 --> 00:27:58.666 Kareem was more than a basketball player. 00:27:58.667 --> 00:28:00.253 He was an activist. 00:28:00.254 --> 00:28:02.841 He was part of that group of African-American athletes 00:28:02.842 --> 00:28:05.680 who got together to talk about social justice 00:28:05.681 --> 00:28:06.850 in the late '60s. 00:28:07.977 --> 00:28:09.229 BUSS: And you had Earvin, 00:28:09.230 --> 00:28:11.441 who was effervescent personality. 00:28:11.442 --> 00:28:13.947 You know, every day was bigger than yesterday. 00:28:14.949 --> 00:28:17.203 JAMAAL: Kareem preferred jazz, and Magic liked, 00:28:17.204 --> 00:28:19.625 I don't know what, R&B or soul music. 00:28:20.669 --> 00:28:22.255 STEVE: I'm imagining they didn't spend 00:28:22.256 --> 00:28:26.013 a lot of time bar-hopping together. 00:28:26.014 --> 00:28:27.891 MAGIC: There was a lot of chatter out there 00:28:27.892 --> 00:28:31.481 that I wanted to make sure that I squashed, 00:28:31.482 --> 00:28:33.402 so the first thing I did was say, 00:28:33.403 --> 00:28:35.364 "Hey, man, where do you like the ball?" 00:28:35.365 --> 00:28:39.664 KAREEM: I said "Look, Earvin, see what side the guy is on. 00:28:39.665 --> 00:28:41.000 Just put it to my other hand." 00:28:41.001 --> 00:28:42.545 - "No problem." 00:28:42.546 --> 00:28:44.633 ANNOUNCER: Magic waiting, shot clock down at seven, 00:28:44.634 --> 00:28:47.640 six, five, four, three-- 00:28:49.352 --> 00:28:51.897 MAGIC: "What else you like?" "I don't like it low. 00:28:51.898 --> 00:28:53.067 I don't want to be bending down." 00:28:53.068 --> 00:28:54.486 "You got it." 00:28:54.487 --> 00:28:55.696 ANNOUNCER: Handing it off to Magic Johnson, 00:28:55.697 --> 00:28:58.160 cross court, looks good, Kareem! 00:28:58.161 --> 00:29:01.750 - I wanted him to know that, "Listen, I'm not coming here, 00:29:01.751 --> 00:29:03.754 "trying to take over this team, 00:29:03.755 --> 00:29:05.800 "because this is your team, Kareem. 00:29:05.801 --> 00:29:07.720 "I just want to play my role and fit in, 00:29:07.721 --> 00:29:10.227 and the only thing I want to do is win." 00:29:13.608 --> 00:29:15.820 REPORTER: It was not business as usual 00:29:15.821 --> 00:29:17.657 this morning at the Forum. 00:29:17.658 --> 00:29:19.369 The Lakers played Denver tonight 00:29:19.370 --> 00:29:21.581 only because it's on the schedule. 00:29:21.582 --> 00:29:24.170 At this moment, the concern of the team centers 00:29:24.171 --> 00:29:25.798 around the health and well-being 00:29:25.799 --> 00:29:28.637 of Jack McKinney. 00:29:28.638 --> 00:29:30.808 JAMAAL: When I first heard, I didn't know how bad, 00:29:30.809 --> 00:29:34.274 but the way I heard it, it sounded bad, you know? 00:29:34.275 --> 00:29:35.651 Like, people were really concerned. 00:29:35.652 --> 00:29:38.032 It wasn't just a bicycle accident. 00:29:38.033 --> 00:29:41.997 But no one was talking much about the extent of it, 00:29:41.998 --> 00:29:44.210 when he would come back. 00:29:44.211 --> 00:29:46.214 REPORTER: The Lakers will need representation 00:29:46.215 --> 00:29:48.344 on the bench tonight and will have it 00:29:48.345 --> 00:29:50.849 in the person of assisting coach Paul Westhead. 00:29:52.186 --> 00:29:53.854 PAUL WESTHEAD: Jack McKinney was the guy 00:29:53.855 --> 00:29:55.399 who brought me out here, 00:29:55.400 --> 00:29:58.781 and we were friends, so I went down to the hospital, 00:29:58.782 --> 00:30:01.244 and they said they were going to run some tests on him 00:30:01.245 --> 00:30:03.707 and, you know, they wouldn't know 00:30:03.708 --> 00:30:05.461 for at least a day or two, 00:30:05.462 --> 00:30:08.217 you know, the depth of his injury. 00:30:08.218 --> 00:30:10.179 So the next day, 00:30:10.180 --> 00:30:14.312 I went to the shoot around, like, 10:00 in the morning. 00:30:14.313 --> 00:30:17.735 Back then, in the NBA, there was only one assistant. 00:30:17.736 --> 00:30:22.412 If I don't go, there isn't a shoot around. 00:30:22.413 --> 00:30:25.543 It was my first season in the NBA. 00:30:25.544 --> 00:30:27.672 Had nine years of head coaching 00:30:27.673 --> 00:30:29.384 at LaSalle College, 00:30:29.385 --> 00:30:31.596 but I had no experience 00:30:31.597 --> 00:30:33.725 in coaching professional players 00:30:33.726 --> 00:30:35.230 and what all that meant. 00:30:36.357 --> 00:30:39.863 And I don't have an assistant coach. 00:30:39.864 --> 00:30:46.210 The only person that I know in the NBA is Pat Riley. 00:30:47.838 --> 00:30:50.468 He had been in the NBA as a player, 00:30:50.469 --> 00:30:53.682 hadn't ever coached anybody. 00:30:53.683 --> 00:30:55.686 - I learned from my pro coaches, 00:30:55.687 --> 00:30:57.231 college coaches, and high school coaches, 00:30:57.232 --> 00:31:00.321 and I just had a way about Xs and Os 00:31:00.322 --> 00:31:02.200 that I knew what they were talking about 00:31:02.201 --> 00:31:05.164 and where to go and how they moved down the court. 00:31:05.165 --> 00:31:07.668 - I went to Jerry Buss, and I said "I think I'd like 00:31:07.669 --> 00:31:11.426 to offer Pat Riley the job to be the assistant." 00:31:11.427 --> 00:31:14.807 And he, in his classic way, said, 00:31:14.808 --> 00:31:16.895 "Well, why don't we think it over?" 00:31:16.896 --> 00:31:20.861 When Jerry Buss says to you "think it over," that means, 00:31:20.862 --> 00:31:23.325 "I don't think it's a very good idea, 00:31:23.326 --> 00:31:25.246 but I don't want to tell you that." 00:31:25.247 --> 00:31:28.000 But a week or two went by, 00:31:28.001 --> 00:31:33.595 and finally, he said "Okay, if that's what you want." 00:31:33.596 --> 00:31:36.227 He made it very clear, "If that's what you want." 00:31:38.314 --> 00:31:41.903 Jack McKinney was not physically fit to return, 00:31:41.904 --> 00:31:46.914 so I smartly just followed his offensive scheme. 00:31:48.084 --> 00:31:50.671 MAGIC: Paul Westhead inherited what Coach McKinney 00:31:50.672 --> 00:31:52.758 had already put in place. 00:31:52.759 --> 00:31:54.012 He had the ball moving 00:31:54.013 --> 00:31:56.725 and the players moving at the same time, 00:31:56.726 --> 00:32:00.065 so you couldn't stop us. It was a beautiful offense. 00:32:00.066 --> 00:32:02.570 And Westhead did a wonderful job 00:32:02.571 --> 00:32:03.865 of maintaining that. 00:32:08.958 --> 00:32:10.461 ANNOUNCER: 10 seconds to go till half-time, 60 to 42. 00:32:10.462 --> 00:32:13.175 Son's trying it. Lakers from 20 feet, no good, 00:32:13.176 --> 00:32:14.969 and it's half-time at the Forum. 00:32:14.970 --> 00:32:16.389 We'll be right back. 00:32:16.390 --> 00:32:18.226 ROB LOWE: I went to one Laker game 00:32:18.227 --> 00:32:20.356 before Magic showed up, 00:32:20.357 --> 00:32:22.109 and there was no sense of occasion. 00:32:22.110 --> 00:32:24.322 I don't think there even was a half-time show. 00:32:24.323 --> 00:32:27.578 Half-time was when you went and got a hot dog. 00:32:27.579 --> 00:32:30.542 Dr. Buss created a sense of occasion. 00:32:30.543 --> 00:32:32.797 JEANIE: You know, my dad-- when he bought the team, 00:32:32.798 --> 00:32:36.680 he wanted to create the atmosphere that he liked. 00:32:36.681 --> 00:32:39.769 "If I like it, then other people must like it too." 00:32:39.770 --> 00:32:41.481 REPORTER: There he is, his first shot as an owner. 00:32:41.482 --> 00:32:43.068 You think he likes it? 00:32:43.069 --> 00:32:45.155 JEANIE: One of the places he used to like to go 00:32:45.156 --> 00:32:46.574 was in Santa Monica. 00:32:46.575 --> 00:32:48.095 EMCEE: Welcome to Live at the Horn, 00:32:48.145 --> 00:32:50.382 So that's what he wanted to create. 00:32:50.483 --> 00:32:53.404 He wanted all the focus on the show 00:32:53.405 --> 00:32:54.991 while it was happening. 00:32:54.992 --> 00:32:56.788 So it became "Showtime." 00:33:08.145 --> 00:33:10.942 ANNOUNCER: You are going to see the game's finals, 00:33:10.943 --> 00:33:14.908 so sit back and relax. It's showtime. 00:33:14.909 --> 00:33:16.662 MAGIC: On the court, we were creating 00:33:16.663 --> 00:33:19.543 the movement of showtime. 00:33:19.544 --> 00:33:21.588 And then guess what happened. 00:33:21.589 --> 00:33:25.972 Dr. Buss said, "Let me start something * and hot." 00:33:25.973 --> 00:33:28.060 And he came up with the Laker Girls. 00:33:29.187 --> 00:33:32.026 - My dad came up with the idea for the Laker Girls 00:33:32.027 --> 00:33:35.407 because he was a big college football fan. 00:33:35.408 --> 00:33:37.328 ANNOUNCER: He gets the pass along 00:33:37.329 --> 00:33:39.498 just as he is hit in the end zone. 00:33:39.499 --> 00:33:41.127 JEANIE: When the game was going on, 00:33:41.128 --> 00:33:42.797 the men got the center stage. 00:33:42.798 --> 00:33:44.509 When they took a break, 00:33:44.510 --> 00:33:47.049 now let women have the center stage. 00:33:47.144 --> 00:33:49.731 - My dad wanted to do entertainment. 00:33:49.732 --> 00:33:51.860 He wanted to have the spectacle. 00:33:51.861 --> 00:33:56.161 He wanted the three-ring circus that worked. 00:33:56.162 --> 00:33:57.872 - He made it fun. 00:33:57.873 --> 00:34:01.547 And of course we became a very successful team. 00:34:04.045 --> 00:34:07.760 NORM: * entertainment and our style of play-- 00:34:07.761 --> 00:34:09.304 it goes together. 00:34:09.305 --> 00:34:12.561 When you put that together, it's just exploding. 00:34:13.271 --> 00:34:16.276 CLAIRE: Jerry changed everything. 00:34:16.277 --> 00:34:20.159 Floor seats were $10.50. 00:34:20.160 --> 00:34:24.836 And he said to me, "I think we ought to raise it." 00:34:24.837 --> 00:34:27.299 We raised it to $65.00. 00:34:28.635 --> 00:34:30.764 JEANIE: Other owners around the league 00:34:30.765 --> 00:34:34.146 thought for sure we would lose fans. 00:34:34.147 --> 00:34:39.531 JIM GOLDSTEIN: I have attended over 5,000 NBA games. 00:34:39.532 --> 00:34:44.332 So Dr. Buss probably cost me 00:34:44.333 --> 00:34:46.797 millions of dollars. 00:34:47.506 --> 00:34:49.634 He was the first owner 00:34:49.635 --> 00:34:56.106 to realize he could raise the prices 400%, 00:34:56.107 --> 00:35:01.827 and people as crazy as me would still buy the tickets. 00:35:03.497 --> 00:35:06.418 LOU ADLER: In '72, Jack Nicholson and I 00:35:06.419 --> 00:35:07.755 started going to Laker games. 00:35:07.756 --> 00:35:09.466 We were sitting way up at the top, 00:35:09.467 --> 00:35:11.053 and then a couple of hit albums, 00:35:11.054 --> 00:35:13.432 a couple of hit movies, we kept moving down, 00:35:13.433 --> 00:35:15.730 and all of a sudden, we found ourselves on the floor. 00:35:17.108 --> 00:35:19.277 We were sitting court-side in '79, 00:35:19.278 --> 00:35:21.031 when he raised the price, 00:35:21.032 --> 00:35:23.661 but don't forget, he gave us the Laker Girls. 00:35:23.662 --> 00:35:26.459 So that sort of compensated. 00:35:27.628 --> 00:35:31.176 - My dad said "Okay, I'll charge more down here 00:35:31.177 --> 00:35:33.222 "and charge less up here 00:35:33.223 --> 00:35:36.062 so that everybody could enjoy showtime." 00:35:37.106 --> 00:35:40.486 CLAIRE: It was so thrilling, and so exciting. 00:35:40.487 --> 00:35:42.825 We sold out. 00:35:42.826 --> 00:35:44.452 ROB: Jerry Buss was the director, 00:35:44.453 --> 00:35:45.831 Magic's the star, 00:35:45.832 --> 00:35:49.462 the movie is Showtime, and it was a huge hit. 00:35:49.463 --> 00:35:50.799 EDDIE DOUCETTE: You have got to be very excited 00:35:50.800 --> 00:35:52.177 with the way your club has played. 00:35:52.178 --> 00:35:53.304 You like excitement, 00:35:53.305 --> 00:35:54.598 you've got an exciting atmosphere 00:35:54.599 --> 00:35:55.934 for basketball here, 00:35:55.935 --> 00:35:58.564 and your Lakers are certainly an exciting team. 00:35:58.565 --> 00:36:00.193 - Well, I think, first and foremost, you know, 00:36:00.194 --> 00:36:02.238 all of these things have to be entertainment, Eddie. 00:36:02.239 --> 00:36:03.992 And, uh, I'm very pleased 00:36:03.993 --> 00:36:06.998 because obviously, we have a packed house, and the fact 00:36:06.999 --> 00:36:10.463 that we're on television, uh, pleases me to no end. 00:36:10.464 --> 00:36:14.304 MAGIC: Dr. Buss always thought outside the box. 00:36:14.305 --> 00:36:16.350 See, all the owners were like this. 00:36:16.351 --> 00:36:19.189 "Okay, you do it like this, you wear a tie." 00:36:19.190 --> 00:36:21.360 Dr. Buss said, "I'm not wearing a tie." 00:36:21.361 --> 00:36:22.905 Everybody say, "You got to wear a suit." 00:36:22.906 --> 00:36:25.243 Dr. Buss said, "I'm wearing blue jeans." 00:36:25.244 --> 00:36:26.871 "Well, you got to date somebody your age." 00:36:26.872 --> 00:36:30.921 "I'm dating somebody who's 20." 00:36:30.922 --> 00:36:32.423 Dr. Buss was like, 00:36:32.424 --> 00:36:36.099 "I don't care what you guys do. This is who I am." 00:36:36.344 --> 00:36:38.973 JEANIE: My parents were separated, 00:36:38.974 --> 00:36:40.684 so my dad soaked up 00:36:40.685 --> 00:36:43.732 every minute of the life he had. 00:36:43.733 --> 00:36:47.615 He just wanted to enjoy it and use whatever time he had 00:36:47.616 --> 00:36:50.205 to, you know, make his mark. 00:36:52.919 --> 00:36:56.216 MAGIC: Dr. Buss and I had the same personality. 00:36:56.217 --> 00:36:58.137 He loved people. I loved people. 00:36:58.138 --> 00:37:00.474 He loved to talk. I loved to talk. 00:37:00.475 --> 00:37:02.896 And he saw this innocent kid, 00:37:02.897 --> 00:37:05.776 and he saw that I didn't have anybody out here. 00:37:05.777 --> 00:37:07.613 And I think that he looked up and said, 00:37:07.614 --> 00:37:10.202 "Hey, I'm gonna play a role, 00:37:10.203 --> 00:37:12.707 if he wants me to play a role, in his life." 00:37:12.708 --> 00:37:14.377 And I wanted him to play a role. 00:37:14.378 --> 00:37:15.713 ANNOUNCER: First up, 00:37:15.714 --> 00:37:17.216 offensive possession of the ball, game-- 00:37:17.217 --> 00:37:19.179 MAGIC: We would meet every Saturday at his house, 00:37:19.180 --> 00:37:20.473 have breakfast, 00:37:20.474 --> 00:37:23.188 go to a USC football game together. 00:37:25.108 --> 00:37:27.361 He took me to the race track. 00:37:27.362 --> 00:37:30.284 I didn't know nothing about horse racing or any of that. 00:37:30.285 --> 00:37:31.786 ANNOUNCER: Eighth of a mile to go, 00:37:31.787 --> 00:37:33.332 There's four horses battling for the lead-- 00:37:33.333 --> 00:37:35.461 - He loved Italian food. I loved Italian food, 00:37:35.462 --> 00:37:38.133 so we'd meet at his favorite Italian restaurant 00:37:38.134 --> 00:37:40.304 all the time. 00:37:40.305 --> 00:37:43.310 He took me to the Playboy mansion that first time, 00:37:43.311 --> 00:37:45.815 and I was like a kid in a candy store, 00:37:45.816 --> 00:37:47.778 like "Ah." 00:37:48.091 --> 00:37:51.222 He actually became like a second father to me. 00:37:52.601 --> 00:37:55.647 - I don't know that my dad ever treated him like a son. 00:37:55.648 --> 00:37:56.816 You know, that's different, 00:37:56.817 --> 00:37:59.196 and I know that from first-hand. 00:37:59.197 --> 00:38:03.120 But the amount of women that would come up to them, 00:38:03.121 --> 00:38:05.876 it was like Elvis Presley or the Beatles 00:38:05.877 --> 00:38:08.089 had walked into the room. 00:38:08.090 --> 00:38:11.011 Was I a little jealous of that? Maybe. 00:38:11.012 --> 00:38:13.140 - When we went to the Playboy mansion, 00:38:13.141 --> 00:38:14.519 we would sit back, 00:38:14.520 --> 00:38:17.608 and he was just studying "Which one do I want?" 00:38:21.955 --> 00:38:25.211 ANNOUNCER: The Los Angeles Lakers are the new champions 00:38:25.212 --> 00:38:26.839 of the western conference, 00:38:26.840 --> 00:38:31.348 as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar pours in 38 points and now-- 00:38:31.349 --> 00:38:32.433 REPORTER: Magic, get over here. 00:38:32.434 --> 00:38:33.812 Hey, man, congratulations. 00:38:33.813 --> 00:38:35.356 MAGIC: Thank you. 00:38:35.357 --> 00:38:37.026 - You seem like you're a little bit out of breath. 00:38:37.027 --> 00:38:39.030 - I am. I'm so happy, know? 00:38:39.031 --> 00:38:42.119 And elated that I get a chance to play for the championship. 00:38:42.120 --> 00:38:43.497 It's beautiful. 00:38:43.498 --> 00:38:45.084 - Now you got Philadelphia and Dr. J. 00:38:45.085 --> 00:38:46.754 Do you guard him on that series? 00:38:46.755 --> 00:38:48.131 - Yeah, I'll be guarding Julius. 00:38:48.132 --> 00:38:49.718 - Better go get your rest, huh? 00:38:49.719 --> 00:38:51.680 - Well, yeah, I'll get my rest, but I'm not gonna worry 00:38:51.681 --> 00:38:53.642 about it just yet. I'm gonna savor this. 00:38:53.643 --> 00:38:55.187 - Are you ready for Dr. J? 00:38:55.188 --> 00:38:57.985 - Yeah, I'm ready for Dr. J, but hi, Mom. Hi, Dad. 00:38:57.986 --> 00:38:59.571 - All right. All right, great, good luck. 00:38:59.572 --> 00:39:00.782 We'll see you Sunday. 00:39:00.783 --> 00:39:02.368 NORM: We knew we had a special team. 00:39:02.369 --> 00:39:04.832 We didn't know if we was going to win a championship, 00:39:04.833 --> 00:39:06.418 but we knew we had a great shot. 00:39:06.419 --> 00:39:08.756 - We were on a roll. We were together. 00:39:08.757 --> 00:39:12.555 We knew that we can win, but when you play 00:39:12.556 --> 00:39:15.352 Julius Erving and company, 00:39:15.353 --> 00:39:16.940 you know you're in for trouble. 00:39:17.901 --> 00:39:20.404 REPORTER: They call him the Doctor, Dr. J, 00:39:20.405 --> 00:39:22.617 Julius Erving, who always surprised 00:39:22.618 --> 00:39:23.912 and delighted his fans 00:39:23.913 --> 00:39:25.539 with his flashy and unpredictable moves 00:39:25.540 --> 00:39:26.918 on the way to the basket. 00:39:26.919 --> 00:39:29.339 Now the Doctor operates out of Philadelphia 00:39:29.340 --> 00:39:32.637 as the floor leader and captain of the Sixers. 00:39:32.638 --> 00:39:35.267 JULIUS ERVING: When we got to the matchup, 00:39:35.268 --> 00:39:39.275 we knew where the positions were where we had an advantage 00:39:39.276 --> 00:39:40.904 and where we didn't have an advantage. 00:39:40.905 --> 00:39:43.158 And we didn't have an advantage in the center position. 00:39:43.159 --> 00:39:46.206 I mean, Kareem was the force to be reckoned with, 00:39:46.207 --> 00:39:47.709 and, you know, 00:39:47.710 --> 00:39:51.174 he's the guy who I pick as the greatest of all time. 00:39:51.175 --> 00:39:52.719 - I'm looking for us to win. 00:39:52.720 --> 00:39:55.224 I have a lot of confidence we can beat the 76ers, 00:39:55.225 --> 00:39:59.023 but all of that will not mean anything if we don't go out 00:39:59.024 --> 00:40:01.361 and put it into real terms on the court. 00:40:01.362 --> 00:40:02.571 REPORTER: Ladies and gentlemen, 00:40:02.572 --> 00:40:03.992 welcome to the NBA 00:40:03.993 --> 00:40:06.037 World Championship Series. 00:40:06.038 --> 00:40:07.248 REPORTER: It's been eight seasons 00:40:07.249 --> 00:40:08.625 since the NBA Championship 00:40:08.626 --> 00:40:10.129 has been a part of the LA sports scene. 00:40:10.130 --> 00:40:11.673 Remember, it was back in 1972 00:40:11.674 --> 00:40:13.260 when the Lakers beat the Nicks for the title. 00:40:13.261 --> 00:40:15.055 Well, today, the Lakers have started out 00:40:15.056 --> 00:40:16.558 with every intention 00:40:16.559 --> 00:40:19.230 of winning that championship again. 00:40:19.231 --> 00:40:21.902 ANNOUNCER: Up and three and it will be underway. 00:40:21.903 --> 00:40:24.241 Controlled by Dawkins here. Great point. 00:40:28.458 --> 00:40:31.922 STEVE: That series was evenly matched all the way down. 00:40:31.923 --> 00:40:34.928 It was a seesaw, two teams going back and forth, 00:40:34.929 --> 00:40:38.477 had no idea who was going to win this thing. 00:40:38.478 --> 00:40:40.940 Going into game five, they were tied 2-2, 00:40:40.941 --> 00:40:44.572 and could've gone either way. 00:40:44.573 --> 00:40:46.242 ANNOUNCER: Mike and Jim Caper is the alternate, 00:40:46.243 --> 00:40:48.038 he'll be over at the scores table, 00:40:48.039 --> 00:40:50.459 and here is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 00:40:50.460 --> 00:40:52.005 and Caldwell Jones. 00:40:55.011 --> 00:40:57.431 Into Kareem, James for shot. 00:40:57.432 --> 00:40:58.810 ANNOUNCER: 42. 00:40:58.811 --> 00:41:01.564 ANNOUNCER: Skyhook, Kareem. Take that. 00:41:01.565 --> 00:41:03.736 Julius matched against Cooper. 00:41:03.737 --> 00:41:06.909 Kareem smooth with a jump shot to the left. 00:41:06.910 --> 00:41:09.122 Whoa. 00:41:09.123 --> 00:41:10.374 Everybody thought he was going left. 00:41:10.375 --> 00:41:11.626 Kareem's hurt. 00:41:11.627 --> 00:41:13.171 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is injured. 00:41:13.172 --> 00:41:15.760 There's no question about it. 00:41:15.761 --> 00:41:17.722 KAREEM: You know when you sprain your ankle. 00:41:17.723 --> 00:41:20.395 It's not like something you find out a day or two later. 00:41:21.982 --> 00:41:24.318 I went in to the locker room, and they said, 00:41:24.319 --> 00:41:25.990 "You sprained it pretty bad." 00:41:26.615 --> 00:41:29.328 MAGIC: When you lose somebody like Kareem 00:41:29.329 --> 00:41:33.003 in a pivotal game five, you're devastated. 00:41:33.004 --> 00:41:34.505 He was the most valuable player 00:41:34.506 --> 00:41:36.092 in the league that year, 00:41:36.093 --> 00:41:38.221 and he was dominating the series. 00:41:38.222 --> 00:41:41.186 - I looked at centers. 00:41:41.187 --> 00:41:44.192 I'm like, "We got an advantage here." 00:41:44.193 --> 00:41:48.325 But my coaches-- they always taught me, 00:41:48.326 --> 00:41:51.039 "You can't celebrate 00:41:51.040 --> 00:41:54.296 till the game's over and you got the W." 00:41:54.881 --> 00:41:58.553 - And mid-fourth quarter, here comes Kareem back. 00:41:58.554 --> 00:42:00.557 ANNOUNCER: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is now 00:42:00.558 --> 00:42:03.981 just returning for the final period. 00:42:03.982 --> 00:42:06.027 KAREEM: Oh, I ignored the pain. 00:42:06.028 --> 00:42:09.659 And I just focused on getting the job done. 00:42:09.660 --> 00:42:12.832 - I've been in that situation, gone in the locker room, 00:42:12.833 --> 00:42:15.922 had a lip sewn up, had my eye sewn up, 00:42:15.923 --> 00:42:18.260 and come back out and--you know, 00:42:18.261 --> 00:42:22.434 we were from the generation of, "If you don't go out there 00:42:22.435 --> 00:42:25.482 and play, somebody's gonna take your * job." 00:42:25.483 --> 00:42:28.196 You know? So we're from that generation. 00:42:28.197 --> 00:42:29.699 ANNOUNCER: They got to be thinking, 00:42:29.700 --> 00:42:31.369 "Oh my, here he is. He's back." 00:42:31.370 --> 00:42:35.043 - We were all happy when we came back, trust me. 00:42:35.044 --> 00:42:37.047 ANNOUNCER: Kareem comes in on Caldwell. 00:42:37.048 --> 00:42:38.425 Sky-- 00:42:38.426 --> 00:42:41.180 - I knew I could still beat Darryl Dawkins 00:42:41.181 --> 00:42:44.062 and Caldwell Jones with a sprained ankle. 00:42:45.231 --> 00:42:47.192 ANNOUNCER: Magic alley-oop to Kareem. 00:42:47.193 --> 00:42:49.113 - He had the winning play as well. 00:42:49.114 --> 00:42:50.324 ANNOUNCER: Dawkins will front Kareem, 00:42:50.325 --> 00:42:52.202 lobbed to Kareem in behind. 00:42:52.203 --> 00:42:54.791 - He dunked it and got fouled at the same time, 00:42:54.792 --> 00:42:56.336 and we knew the game was over. 00:42:56.337 --> 00:42:59.675 ANNOUNCER: And Los Angeles will take a 3-2 lead 00:42:59.676 --> 00:43:02.681 in this NBA World Championship Series. 00:43:02.682 --> 00:43:04.352 MICHAEL: That night, the doctor was in there, 00:43:04.353 --> 00:43:06.314 and we all kind of, like, hung around 00:43:06.315 --> 00:43:08.152 because we wanted to get the results. 00:43:09.363 --> 00:43:11.616 KAREEM: I looked at my foot, and it was hard to tell 00:43:11.617 --> 00:43:14.497 if it was my foot or an elephant foot. 00:43:14.498 --> 00:43:17.837 I was hoping I could go home, two days of treatment, 00:43:17.838 --> 00:43:20.385 and maybe I could be ready for game seven. 00:43:22.932 --> 00:43:25.937 JAMAAL: The next day, we're heading back to Philly, 00:43:25.938 --> 00:43:27.689 and he doesn't show up to the airport. 00:43:27.690 --> 00:43:29.528 Now we know it's bad. 00:43:30.613 --> 00:43:32.992 MICHAEL: At that time, we had to fly commercial. 00:43:32.993 --> 00:43:34.704 And I'll never forget this. 00:43:34.705 --> 00:43:36.165 We were all sitting in the airport, 00:43:36.166 --> 00:43:38.797 and all of a sudden, we hear music. 00:43:42.721 --> 00:43:44.056 Frankie Beverly, 00:43:44.057 --> 00:43:46.103 "That's the Golden Time of Day." 00:43:47.857 --> 00:43:50.444 Magic comes onto the plane, 00:43:50.445 --> 00:43:52.322 and he has this boombox on his shoulder. 00:43:52.323 --> 00:43:55.747 - Walking down in the airport, singing loud. 00:43:56.749 --> 00:43:58.334 MAGIC: I get on the plane, 00:43:58.335 --> 00:44:01.257 and I wanted to build everybody's confidence up. 00:44:01.258 --> 00:44:05.182 - He asks everybody--he goes, "What's wrong with y'all?" 00:44:05.183 --> 00:44:06.727 And everybody's like "Ugh." 00:44:06.728 --> 00:44:08.731 And he says "Have no fear, 00:44:08.732 --> 00:44:12.238 * Earvin 'Magic' Johnson is here." 00:44:15.369 --> 00:44:18.041 ANNOUNCER: You are looking live at the sold-out crowd 00:44:18.042 --> 00:44:19.711 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. 00:44:19.712 --> 00:44:23.802 It is game six, the 76ers and the Lakers. 00:44:23.803 --> 00:44:25.472 REPORTER: Magic, without the big fella here, 00:44:25.473 --> 00:44:27.017 you're gonna have to really go to the board. 00:44:27.018 --> 00:44:28.520 You had 15 in the last game. 00:44:28.521 --> 00:44:30.482 - Yeah, I'm gonna have to really take up 00:44:30.483 --> 00:44:32.569 a lot of slack that-- 00:44:32.570 --> 00:44:36.244 without him in the middle, it's gonna be a real job 00:44:36.245 --> 00:44:38.581 for me, Jim Chones, and Jamaal Wilkes. 00:44:38.582 --> 00:44:40.126 REPORTER: How about guarding Julius-- 00:44:40.127 --> 00:44:42.130 KAREEM: I wanted to go to the game. 00:44:42.131 --> 00:44:43.884 You know, I wanted to be there. 00:44:43.885 --> 00:44:46.180 I was just hoping that, 00:44:46.181 --> 00:44:49.520 you know, they could have a decent game, you know? 00:44:49.521 --> 00:44:50.689 Earn respect. 00:44:50.690 --> 00:44:52.109 - He's not there. 00:44:52.110 --> 00:44:54.697 You know, suddenly, it's a team we've never seen before. 00:44:54.698 --> 00:44:57.244 ANNOUNCER: Wilkes will take a six shot outside on its way. 00:44:57.245 --> 00:45:00.500 Jamal Wilkes now with 28 points for the Lakers. 00:45:00.501 --> 00:45:04.341 - Without Kareem, we're gonna have to play really fast, 00:45:04.342 --> 00:45:07.014 we're gonna have to rebound really well, 00:45:07.015 --> 00:45:09.351 and we're gonna have to play good defense. 00:45:09.352 --> 00:45:10.980 All of us gonna have to contribute. 00:45:10.981 --> 00:45:12.232 ANNOUNCER: Wilkes sends it back, Nixon. 00:45:12.233 --> 00:45:14.486 JAMAAL: So what's gonna get us the ring? 00:45:14.487 --> 00:45:15.865 That's sticking together. 00:45:15.866 --> 00:45:18.829 ANNOUNCER: And Jamal Wilkes at the buzzer. 00:45:18.830 --> 00:45:20.708 On the interception on the lazy pass 00:45:20.709 --> 00:45:22.544 and there's that rookie again. 00:45:22.545 --> 00:45:24.340 Magic dishes Wilkes this time. 00:45:24.341 --> 00:45:26.385 - Everybody stepped up in that sixth game. 00:45:26.386 --> 00:45:29.391 As amazing as Magic was, he couldn't have done it alone. 00:45:29.392 --> 00:45:30.728 ANNOUNCER: Magic will come down the baseline 00:45:30.729 --> 00:45:31.938 and Dawkins' tiny mops. 00:45:31.939 --> 00:45:33.608 ANNOUNCER: That wasn't a brick. 00:45:33.609 --> 00:45:35.863 ANNOUNCER: Great pass inside to Cooper with Magic Johnson. 00:45:35.864 --> 00:45:37.658 Here comes the 20-year-old rookie down the middle. 00:45:37.659 --> 00:45:40.372 Dawkins went to him and scored and sent him into the line. 00:45:40.373 --> 00:45:41.875 There it is! 00:45:41.876 --> 00:45:43.837 It's over and the most valuable player 00:45:43.838 --> 00:45:45.298 is Magic Johnson, 00:45:45.299 --> 00:45:47.511 who leads the Los Angeles Lakers 00:45:47.512 --> 00:45:48.847 to the World Championship 00:45:48.848 --> 00:45:52.104 without Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Lakers-- 00:45:52.105 --> 00:45:54.567 - All of a sudden, I had three months to heal. 00:45:56.488 --> 00:45:59.911 - Kareem was there with us. He got us there. 00:45:59.912 --> 00:46:01.163 Brought us to that point. 00:46:01.164 --> 00:46:03.000 - When you win something like that, 00:46:03.001 --> 00:46:04.545 you feel that, all of a sudden, 00:46:04.546 --> 00:46:05.923 your life has changed. 00:46:05.924 --> 00:46:09.304 I thought this can happen over and over and over again. 00:46:09.305 --> 00:46:10.598 Why not? 00:46:10.599 --> 00:46:12.269 - This is your first year, and you're here. 00:46:12.270 --> 00:46:14.774 How many of these would you like to get under your belt? 00:46:14.775 --> 00:46:16.569 - About 20. 00:46:16.570 --> 00:46:20.828 - I want to present the world trophy to the owner 00:46:20.829 --> 00:46:22.497 of the Los Angeles Lakers, 00:46:22.498 --> 00:46:25.170 the new world champions of basketball, 00:46:25.171 --> 00:46:26.422 and I'm proud to do it. 00:46:26.423 --> 00:46:28.594 And here you go, Jerry Buss, it's yours. 00:46:29.596 --> 00:46:31.726 And a permanent. You keep it. 00:46:37.738 --> 00:46:42.579 - I've never had a group of men like this team 00:46:42.580 --> 00:46:48.884 do so much minute by minute, week by week, month by month. 00:46:48.885 --> 00:46:51.222 I think we played 108 games, 00:46:51.223 --> 00:46:53.100 and they've given everything they had, 00:46:53.101 --> 00:46:55.313 and this is the end result. Thank you, guys. 00:46:55.314 --> 00:46:57.067 - Coach Westhead. - Everybody put your hand right here. 00:46:57.068 --> 00:47:00.074 - Paul, come here. It was indeed-- 00:47:01.535 --> 00:47:03.204 STEVE: What Jerry Buss did in his first year 00:47:03.205 --> 00:47:05.041 owning the Lakers is incredible. 00:47:05.042 --> 00:47:06.544 I can't think of any other owner 00:47:06.545 --> 00:47:09.843 who's made such an impact on the NBA so fast. 00:47:09.844 --> 00:47:11.805 I mean, after Laker Girls came along, 00:47:11.806 --> 00:47:13.558 there were dancing girls all over the league, 00:47:13.559 --> 00:47:14.894 and all of a sudden, 00:47:14.895 --> 00:47:16.272 there was entertainment all through the league. 00:47:16.273 --> 00:47:17.649 I mean, they're all now copying him. 00:47:17.650 --> 00:47:19.738 And he had all this in one season. 00:47:20.991 --> 00:47:22.701 MAGIC: What we both wanted as rookies, 00:47:22.702 --> 00:47:26.041 it was the proudest moment for both of us, you know? 00:47:26.042 --> 00:47:27.920 We had our moment back at the hotel. 00:47:27.921 --> 00:47:29.924 "Can you believe this? 00:47:29.925 --> 00:47:31.010 "You're a rookie, I'm a rookie, 00:47:31.011 --> 00:47:33.639 and we won the NBA Championship!" 00:47:33.640 --> 00:47:37.273 And you got jeans on, no socks. 00:47:39.152 --> 00:47:41.280 INTERVIEWER: When they won, the Lakers won, 00:47:41.281 --> 00:47:42.532 at the awarding of the championship 00:47:42.533 --> 00:47:44.704 and all that-- tell me about that high 00:47:44.705 --> 00:47:46.458 and what's coming down was like. 00:47:46.959 --> 00:47:48.921 - The last three or four weeks of the season 00:47:48.922 --> 00:47:50.423 were exhausting for me, 00:47:50.424 --> 00:47:52.845 and I looked forward to taking a couple of weeks off, 00:47:52.846 --> 00:47:54.139 thinking I would relax 00:47:54.140 --> 00:47:56.268 and come back to work fresh as a daisy, 00:47:56.269 --> 00:47:58.774 but it doesn't work out that way. 00:47:58.775 --> 00:48:01.028 You're on such a high and such an intensity 00:48:01.029 --> 00:48:02.405 during that period of time, 00:48:02.406 --> 00:48:04.911 it takes maybe two, two and a half months 00:48:04.912 --> 00:48:08.377 before you ever begin to be able to normal again. 00:48:14.555 --> 00:48:15.891 JEANIE: During that time, 00:48:15.892 --> 00:48:20.024 my parents went through a divorce, 00:48:20.025 --> 00:48:22.530 which is a humbling experience for anybody. 00:48:25.244 --> 00:48:27.330 JANIE: I remember the day my mom said, 00:48:27.331 --> 00:48:29.460 "We're signing divorce papers." 00:48:30.880 --> 00:48:33.259 JIM: I knew there was, you know, 00:48:33.260 --> 00:48:35.555 some negative emotions for her 00:48:35.556 --> 00:48:37.350 and that she was upset, 00:48:37.351 --> 00:48:39.188 but she covered up a lot. 00:48:39.293 --> 00:48:40.866 - She did the best she could to--to talk to me about it, 00:48:40.967 --> 00:48:43.429 but I didn't quite know how to feel about it. 00:48:44.123 --> 00:48:47.880 JEANIE: My dad wanted my mom to be like a trophy wife, 00:48:47.881 --> 00:48:50.176 but my mom was more introverted. 00:48:50.177 --> 00:48:52.682 Like, that was not her comfort zone, 00:48:52.683 --> 00:48:56.231 to get dressed up, to be on his arm. 00:48:56.232 --> 00:48:58.986 That wasn't something that she was comfortable with. 00:48:58.987 --> 00:49:03.036 And, you know, she wanted him to be home all the time. 00:49:07.796 --> 00:49:10.174 INTERVIEWER: One newspaper account says you're very fast. 00:49:10.175 --> 00:49:14.142 Fast women, fast cars, fast business deals. 00:49:16.397 --> 00:49:20.904 - Well, I like fast cars. They're just beautiful. 00:49:20.905 --> 00:49:24.412 I'm single, and therefore, I tend to go discoing 00:49:24.413 --> 00:49:26.333 as much as anybody, I guess. 00:49:26.334 --> 00:49:28.670 Fast business deals? 00:49:28.671 --> 00:49:31.091 Sometimes deals have to done quickly 00:49:31.092 --> 00:49:33.472 in order to be consummated, 00:49:33.473 --> 00:49:36.645 but I don't necessarily walk into a deal 00:49:36.646 --> 00:49:40.026 to enjoy the speed with which it's executed. 00:49:40.027 --> 00:49:44.494 I feel I'm as cautious as anyone else. 00:49:44.495 --> 00:49:46.163 But I'm willing to take a gamble, 00:49:46.164 --> 00:49:49.296 if the condition arises. 00:49:57.813 --> 00:50:00.191 - Man to man, Don't foul. 00:50:00.192 --> 00:50:01.361 They've only got three seconds. 00:50:01.362 --> 00:50:02.822 They have to have a three-point shot, so-- 00:50:02.823 --> 00:50:05.452 ANNOUNCER: No, he just said don't foul. 00:50:05.453 --> 00:50:07.122 89-86. 00:50:07.123 --> 00:50:09.293 Kareem will try to get as much distance on this 00:50:09.294 --> 00:50:11.715 as he can without starting the clock. 00:50:11.716 --> 00:50:14.010 Jamal Wilkes, three pointer. 00:50:14.011 --> 00:50:16.850 And we are going to have new world champions 00:50:16.851 --> 00:50:18.478 this year in the NBA. 00:50:18.479 --> 00:50:20.983 The Houston Rockets have won it. 00:50:20.984 --> 00:50:26.327 JEANIE: The 1980-'81 season was a huge letdown. 00:50:26.328 --> 00:50:28.248 That year, Magic got hurt, 00:50:28.249 --> 00:50:31.880 so we never really got back into form. 00:50:31.881 --> 00:50:36.473 And going into the next season, we started off a little shaky. 00:50:36.474 --> 00:50:37.850 ANNOUNCER: And we're under way. 00:50:37.851 --> 00:50:39.060 I hope you enjoy this game 00:50:39.061 --> 00:50:41.064 and the NBA campaign on CBS. 00:50:41.065 --> 00:50:42.860 And the Lakers control. 00:50:42.861 --> 00:50:44.780 Magic Johnson outside. 00:50:44.781 --> 00:50:48.037 MICHAEL: If you had just won a championship, as a coach, 00:50:48.038 --> 00:50:50.417 you don't want to change things drastically. 00:50:50.418 --> 00:50:52.170 But the beginning of that season was different 00:50:52.171 --> 00:50:56.722 because Coach Westhead started seeing us differently. 00:50:57.474 --> 00:50:59.393 ANNOUNCER: Pat Riley and Paul Westhead 00:50:59.394 --> 00:51:01.104 on the Laker bench. 00:51:01.105 --> 00:51:05.029 - Paul put in this new system, and the system basically was, 00:51:05.030 --> 00:51:07.493 he was running the show, not Magic Johnson, 00:51:07.494 --> 00:51:09.247 and nobody hated him more than Magic, 00:51:09.248 --> 00:51:11.166 but none of the players liked him. 00:51:11.167 --> 00:51:14.340 MAGIC: He wanted to become his own coach and his own man, 00:51:14.341 --> 00:51:16.386 with his own offense. 00:51:16.387 --> 00:51:19.099 And, um, it just didn't work for us. 00:51:19.100 --> 00:51:20.852 - Paul was taking the team in a direction 00:51:20.853 --> 00:51:22.773 I didn't want to go. 00:51:22.774 --> 00:51:24.860 He was slowing down the offense, 00:51:24.861 --> 00:51:27.449 and they were becoming so patterned 00:51:27.450 --> 00:51:31.916 that a lot of the excitement was beginning to disappear. 00:51:31.917 --> 00:51:34.422 And I began to really question 00:51:34.423 --> 00:51:37.428 whether or not we were being well-coached. 00:51:37.429 --> 00:51:39.890 PAUL: This is now demanding, 00:51:39.891 --> 00:51:41.686 this is hard, this is rigorous, 00:51:41.687 --> 00:51:46.779 this is pushing the envelope every day in practice. 00:51:46.780 --> 00:51:49.117 I didn't realize at the time 00:51:49.118 --> 00:51:54.795 that the players were ultimately going to resist. 00:51:54.796 --> 00:51:57.509 - The basketball IQ of our team was very high. 00:51:57.510 --> 00:51:59.179 You didn't have to kind of hold our hands. 00:51:59.180 --> 00:52:02.143 We knew how to read plays. We could adjust on the spot. 00:52:02.144 --> 00:52:04.440 If someone takes those instincts away from you, 00:52:04.441 --> 00:52:07.363 I mean, that's a coach that's just trying to over-coach you. 00:52:07.364 --> 00:52:08.865 KAREEM: It wasn't working. 00:52:08.866 --> 00:52:12.121 Basketball is nothing if not a game of spontaneity. 00:52:12.122 --> 00:52:13.208 JAMAAL: You know, it was kind of like, 00:52:13.209 --> 00:52:14.251 "What's he thinking about?" 00:52:14.252 --> 00:52:15.837 You know? "What's going on here?" 00:52:15.838 --> 00:52:18.928 - See, as an athlete, you know if the coach knows his stuff. 00:52:20.556 --> 00:52:23.937 He didn't know his stuff. Just didn't know it. 00:52:23.938 --> 00:52:25.732 And it's okay. 00:52:25.733 --> 00:52:30.242 - Once you begin to lose your players, you're toast. 00:52:30.243 --> 00:52:34.208 - I wanted Jerry West to step in and be the coach. 00:52:34.209 --> 00:52:35.627 WEST: I was going through 00:52:35.628 --> 00:52:37.339 a very difficult time in my life. 00:52:37.340 --> 00:52:40.554 I was going through a divorce. I said, "Jerry, 00:52:40.555 --> 00:52:42.725 "this would be the worst thing that could ever happen. 00:52:42.726 --> 00:52:44.060 The worst thing." 00:52:44.061 --> 00:52:47.776 - And I said "Okay, then I'll give it one week 00:52:47.777 --> 00:52:49.448 in order to get a new coach." 00:52:50.324 --> 00:52:54.206 And then on either Wednesday or Thursday, Magic made 00:52:54.207 --> 00:52:57.171 his famous statement, which hit all the newspapers. 00:52:58.089 --> 00:53:00.343 STEVE: We go in the locker room, and we go up to Earvin. 00:53:00.344 --> 00:53:01.971 You know, usual "So how'd it go tonight?" 00:53:01.972 --> 00:53:04.935 or "you got 21 points," whatever it was he said, 00:53:04.936 --> 00:53:07.148 and he stands up like a politician 00:53:07.149 --> 00:53:08.943 and he says, "I'm not having any fun. 00:53:08.944 --> 00:53:11.908 I want to be traded." Out of nowhere. 00:53:11.909 --> 00:53:13.118 - We went to talk to him about the game, 00:53:13.119 --> 00:53:15.122 and he said, "I got to go. 00:53:15.123 --> 00:53:16.793 "Paul and I don't see eye to eye. 00:53:16.794 --> 00:53:18.086 "I'd like to be traded. 00:53:18.087 --> 00:53:19.800 "I'm going to talk to Dr. Buss today. 00:53:20.301 --> 00:53:21.928 "I'd like to go to New York, Chicago. 00:53:21.929 --> 00:53:23.723 "It's just, Paul and I don't see eye and eye, 00:53:23.724 --> 00:53:25.059 "and I'm not having fun anymore, 00:53:25.060 --> 00:53:27.146 and I haven't had fun all season." 00:53:27.147 --> 00:53:28.691 - That's the first emotional outburst 00:53:28.692 --> 00:53:31.322 that we have seen from Magic, who is only 22 years of age. 00:53:31.323 --> 00:53:32.866 It was in very bad taste. 00:53:32.867 --> 00:53:34.787 KAREEM: It was like a bolt from the blue, all right? 00:53:34.788 --> 00:53:36.874 I was sitting in the locker room in Salt Lake, 00:53:36.875 --> 00:53:39.213 and the press, all of a sudden, 00:53:39.214 --> 00:53:40.590 were all around my neck, telling me 00:53:40.591 --> 00:53:41.926 exactly what Magic had said. 00:53:41.927 --> 00:53:44.598 And, uh, I had no inkling of it. 00:53:44.599 --> 00:53:46.227 MAGIC: It was just the end for me. 00:53:46.228 --> 00:53:47.813 I just couldn't take it no more. 00:53:47.814 --> 00:53:48.815 REPORTER: Going the wrong way. 00:53:48.816 --> 00:53:50.067 They're going the wrong way. 00:53:50.068 --> 00:53:51.822 PERSON: Must've made a run, John. 00:53:54.452 --> 00:53:55.871 REPORTER: Everybody ready? 00:53:55.872 --> 00:53:58.626 Everybody ready? Everybody ready? 00:53:58.627 --> 00:54:01.340 REPORTER: Now, Magic, of course, everybody wants to know, 00:54:01.341 --> 00:54:02.843 do you still feel the same way this morning 00:54:02.844 --> 00:54:04.137 as you did last night? 00:54:04.138 --> 00:54:05.557 - Well, really, I have no comment right now 00:54:05.558 --> 00:54:07.603 until after I meet with Dr. Buss. 00:54:07.604 --> 00:54:10.817 And, you know, you can have all the questions you want, okay? 00:54:10.818 --> 00:54:12.321 REPORTER: What's the problem, Magic? 00:54:12.322 --> 00:54:13.907 - No questions right now, really. 00:54:13.908 --> 00:54:16.161 I don't have no answers until after I meet with him. 00:54:16.162 --> 00:54:17.540 Thank you.