WEBVTT 00:00:01.502 --> 00:00:03.670 Tonight it'll be game number six. 00:00:03.754 --> 00:00:08.258 The Lakers against the 76ers. The Lakers going without Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, 00:00:08.342 --> 00:00:11.345 still in Los Angeles taking treatment for that sprained ankle. 00:00:12.888 --> 00:00:15.933 I told Coach Westhead-- I said, "Let me play center." 00:00:16.642 --> 00:00:18.810 "They're not gonna know what's gonna come at 'em." 00:00:19.561 --> 00:00:23.774 He said, "I played center in high school," which was only, like, two years ago. 00:00:24.399 --> 00:00:27.736 He's gonna play smack-dab in the middle right from the start. 00:00:27.819 --> 00:00:29.488 He is our offensive center. 00:00:29.571 --> 00:00:31.406 The big one tonight, game six. 00:00:31.490 --> 00:00:35.536 Lakers can win it all, or we go to a seventh game at the Forum on Sunday. 00:00:35.619 --> 00:00:38.497 You are looking live at the sold-out crowd 00:00:38.580 --> 00:00:40.290 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. 00:00:42.543 --> 00:00:44.086 I think that Magic's gonna jump. 00:00:44.169 --> 00:00:45.838 Philadelphia is gonna have 00:00:45.921 --> 00:00:49.216 a hard time defensively in who's gonna guard who. 00:00:51.176 --> 00:00:53.720 I talked to my father the night before, and I told him, 00:00:53.804 --> 00:00:56.890 "Dad, I'ma go-- just go out here and play like I did in high school." 00:00:56.974 --> 00:01:00.352 And he said, "All right. Well, go do your thing." 00:01:03.814 --> 00:01:06.233 Here comes the 20-year-old rookie down the middle. 00:01:06.316 --> 00:01:10.153 From the left-hand, Magic Johnson going inside on Julius. 00:01:10.237 --> 00:01:12.239 Two quick assists and a field goal, 00:01:12.322 --> 00:01:15.284 and Magic Johnson drives the Lakers to a six-point lead. 00:01:15.367 --> 00:01:19.580 He was making everybody better. Jamaal Wilkes had a career-high 37. 00:01:19.663 --> 00:01:22.291 Magic comes inside. Dishes one to Wilkes. Beautiful pass. 00:01:22.374 --> 00:01:25.043 This is the best game I have ever seen Magic play. 00:01:25.127 --> 00:01:26.753 Championship within reach. 00:01:26.837 --> 00:01:31.216 Whip it inside to Magic. Check that pass. 00:01:33.886 --> 00:01:35.095 There it is. It's over. 00:01:35.179 --> 00:01:38.056 And the most valuable player is Magic Johnson. 00:01:38.640 --> 00:01:40.017 Forty-two, 15 and seven. 00:01:40.100 --> 00:01:44.855 The greatest performance, as far as I am concerned, in NBA Finals history. 00:01:45.647 --> 00:01:47.900 We don't have to wonder about who he is anymore, 00:01:47.983 --> 00:01:50.402 you know, or his value to the team. We know that now. 00:01:50.485 --> 00:01:52.112 And I just said, "Man, this dude Earvin Johnson, 00:01:52.196 --> 00:01:54.072 he's gonna be the greatest player of all time." 00:01:54.156 --> 00:01:56.283 And here's the man of the hour, Magic Johnson. 00:01:56.366 --> 00:01:59.328 Magic, there's a lot of ballplayers around who haven't made it this far 00:01:59.411 --> 00:02:00.412 in a long career. 00:02:00.495 --> 00:02:01.914 This is your first year, and you're here. 00:02:01.997 --> 00:02:04.499 How many more of these would you like to get under your belt? 00:02:04.583 --> 00:02:05.918 About 20. 00:02:06.001 --> 00:02:08.711 And I want to present the world trophy 00:02:08.794 --> 00:02:11.298 to the owner of the Los Angeles Lakers. 00:02:11.381 --> 00:02:12.799 Jerry Buss, it's yours. 00:02:13.383 --> 00:02:16.470 For my dad, it was overwhelming to him. 00:02:16.553 --> 00:02:20.641 It was, you know, I think his proudest moment. 00:02:20.724 --> 00:02:23.310 I'm excited. I'm just happy for everybody. 00:02:23.393 --> 00:02:25.062 You wanted to buy a ball team. Look what you got. 00:02:25.479 --> 00:02:27.481 A world champion. Would you believe it? 00:02:27.564 --> 00:02:28.815 A world champion. 00:02:28.899 --> 00:02:30.609 -Right. -It's just unbelievable. 00:02:30.692 --> 00:02:33.904 Jerry Buss and I hugged each other and said, "Can you believe it?" 00:02:33.987 --> 00:02:37.658 In our first year together we win the NBA championship. 00:02:38.825 --> 00:02:44.164 They shared that moment, and that was intoxicating for both of them 00:02:44.248 --> 00:02:46.208 because a star was born. 00:02:51.004 --> 00:02:53.632 When we got home and the plane landed, 00:02:53.715 --> 00:02:58.387 Kareem, the big fella, got on the plane with his cowboy hat. 00:02:58.470 --> 00:03:00.514 Didn't even wait for your boy. 00:03:02.057 --> 00:03:03.517 I got everything waiting for y'all, man. 00:03:03.600 --> 00:03:07.396 -All the ladies, all the champagne. -For us. 00:03:07.479 --> 00:03:10.691 Are you afraid that you might lose your job for next year? 00:03:11.191 --> 00:03:13.944 Well, if I lose my job, I can always play guard, 00:03:14.027 --> 00:03:16.071 and we'll just trade positions. 00:03:16.154 --> 00:03:19.449 Why, after we won that championship, even Kareem kinda like, "Okay." 00:03:20.033 --> 00:03:22.035 He knew Magic was gonna be our leader. 00:03:22.536 --> 00:03:26.790 He's our new guy. He was Kareem and Magic put together. 00:03:27.291 --> 00:03:30.043 We didn't set off to win the ch-- We just wanted to play good basketball. 00:03:30.127 --> 00:03:32.337 But once we won that championship, 00:03:32.421 --> 00:03:37.384 that changed the whole dynamic of what Laker basketball was about. 00:03:37.467 --> 00:03:43.015 The first piece of merchandise I wanna show you is my Lakers championship trophy 00:03:43.098 --> 00:03:44.224 that match my tattoo. 00:03:44.308 --> 00:03:49.188 It has "Lakers" across the top of the ball because we own this *. 00:03:53.400 --> 00:03:57.696 When the Lakers win a championship, this city has a different glow to it. 00:04:00.532 --> 00:04:03.827 From the fan's standpoint and bringing them a championship 00:04:03.911 --> 00:04:06.330 where everybody thought, here in LA at least, you know, 00:04:06.413 --> 00:04:09.374 that this was gonna be very hard to do without Kareem. 00:04:09.458 --> 00:04:12.002 Earvin "Magic" Johnson went in there and delivered 00:04:12.085 --> 00:04:15.214 one of the most memorable games I have ever seen in my life. 00:04:20.427 --> 00:04:23.055 I mean, everybody was in awe. 00:04:23.138 --> 00:04:25.516 Magic! Magic! Magic! 00:05:26.535 --> 00:05:30.789 You know, every once in a while, an athlete comes along who brings new life 00:05:30.873 --> 00:05:32.984 and energy to a team and a sport. 00:05:33.067 --> 00:05:36.437 Earvin "Magic" Johnson! 00:05:36.531 --> 00:05:39.033 At only 20 years old, Earvin "Magic" Johnson 00:05:39.117 --> 00:05:40.368 has not only captivated 00:05:40.851 --> 00:05:43.396 the city of Los Angeles but has boosted the Lakers morale 00:05:43.479 --> 00:05:45.815 along with the team's box office figures. 00:05:45.898 --> 00:05:47.858 You're a celebrity in this town. 00:05:48.019 --> 00:05:49.312 My hero. 00:05:50.864 --> 00:05:54.951 It was one of those star-studded Hollywood premieres. 00:05:55.035 --> 00:06:00.582 And towering over stars and admirers alike was Earvin Johnson, 00:06:00.665 --> 00:06:04.544 known as Magic, a man-child in the promised land. 00:06:04.628 --> 00:06:09.674 The instantaneous success, celebrity endorsements, 00:06:09.758 --> 00:06:13.762 you know, all of those things-- Money came to us quickly, 00:06:13.845 --> 00:06:15.764 you know, when Magic showed up. 00:06:15.847 --> 00:06:17.057 Magic Johnson, yeah. 00:06:17.140 --> 00:06:18.558 Came to Earvin too. 00:06:18.642 --> 00:06:20.143 Who's Earvin Johnson? 00:06:20.227 --> 00:06:21.478 Who is Earvin Johnson? 00:06:21.561 --> 00:06:22.729 Never heard of her. 00:06:24.397 --> 00:06:25.440 Who is she? 00:06:27.234 --> 00:06:29.820 When you have a name like Magic, you gotta succeed. 00:06:30.821 --> 00:06:33.156 And so this whole transformation began 00:06:33.740 --> 00:06:38.286 when Dr. Buss realized, the key to everything was Magic Johnson. 00:06:38.870 --> 00:06:41.331 And Jerry used to take him with him a lot of places 00:06:41.414 --> 00:06:43.834 like his beautiful diamond ring. 00:06:44.584 --> 00:06:49.256 "Here's my big great basketball player. I want to show him off." 00:06:49.339 --> 00:06:54.719 We went to Disneyland and he saw, "This is the Magic Kingdom." 00:06:56.638 --> 00:06:59.057 Then he said, "They didn't have to do that." 00:07:00.475 --> 00:07:05.188 If you're Dr. Buss, of course you're gonna gravitate to Magic Johnson. 00:07:05.272 --> 00:07:08.483 Magic has taken Los Angeles by storm. 00:07:09.067 --> 00:07:13.655 Eight million that live in the Southern California area idolize this man. 00:07:14.364 --> 00:07:18.034 You're making me money. You're elevating my popularity. 00:07:18.118 --> 00:07:21.204 You're taking this Lakers brand to another level. 00:07:21.288 --> 00:07:24.749 I'd be a fool not to cultivate a relationship with you. 00:07:25.667 --> 00:07:29.171 The Los Angeles Lakers have given him a new contract 00:07:29.254 --> 00:07:31.464 covering 25 years, 00:07:31.548 --> 00:07:37.053 far beyond his playing career, for a reported $25 million. 00:07:39.139 --> 00:07:42.392 That much? Twenty-five years? 00:07:43.226 --> 00:07:46.188 The contract that left the athletic world gasping 00:07:46.271 --> 00:07:48.398 was the one Magic signed with the Lakers, 00:07:48.482 --> 00:07:51.485 making him the highest-paid professional athlete in the world. 00:07:51.568 --> 00:07:52.777 Who is this guy? 00:07:54.988 --> 00:07:57.157 How long has he played? What has he done? 00:07:58.200 --> 00:08:02.621 It certainly made headlines, which is the way my dad likes to do things. 00:08:03.371 --> 00:08:07.709 There was chatter amongst the players, "What does this mean?" 00:08:07.792 --> 00:08:12.339 We were all wondering if Earvin was a player or management. 00:08:13.423 --> 00:08:16.009 When you get a contract like that, you're management. 00:08:16.092 --> 00:08:18.428 Man, you They've adopted you. 00:08:20.013 --> 00:08:22.766 I think, you know, there was a little tension. Matter of fact, 00:08:22.849 --> 00:08:27.646 I'd be lying if I said there was a little tension. There was a lot. It was big. 00:08:28.729 --> 00:08:31.775 The Laker guys were not happy. Kareem was not happy. 00:08:32.483 --> 00:08:38.156 And then we get to training camp and Coach Westhead decided to change all the plays. 00:08:38.990 --> 00:08:44.120 I made some changes, and if that caused ruffles with the players, 00:08:44.204 --> 00:08:46.206 then I can live with that. 00:08:46.289 --> 00:08:48.250 The question flying around the Fabulous Forum 00:08:48.333 --> 00:08:51.920 after Friday night's loss to Phoenix, "What's wrong with the Lakers?" 00:08:52.003 --> 00:08:53.004 We weren't playing right. 00:08:53.088 --> 00:08:55.882 We weren't utilizing our best asset which was our ability to run. 00:08:55.966 --> 00:08:58.635 And Johnson has it with 19 seconds to go. 00:08:58.718 --> 00:09:02.055 Every time Magic got the basketball and head down, Coach Westhead was on the side. 00:09:02.139 --> 00:09:04.766 "Hold! Okay, and run this." 00:09:04.850 --> 00:09:07.018 And Magic spent most of his time looking over his shoulder. 00:09:08.228 --> 00:09:11.148 -Magic checks the clock. -Time-out! 00:09:11.231 --> 00:09:15.235 Paul had his own ideas. Those ideas didn't work out as well for us. 00:09:15.318 --> 00:09:17.404 So, you know, Magic started complaining about it. 00:09:18.613 --> 00:09:23.285 So we're playing in Utah, and-- So Utah calls a time-out. 00:09:23.994 --> 00:09:26.538 And I went to Coach and said, "Listen. 00:09:27.164 --> 00:09:31.209 Everybody's frustrated because we're not performing well. 00:09:31.293 --> 00:09:33.336 We're not shooting well. We're not playing well." 00:09:34.588 --> 00:09:36.882 Coach Westhead turns to me. "Shut the hell up." 00:09:38.550 --> 00:09:41.011 And I'm like shocked. Like, "What?" 00:09:42.929 --> 00:09:46.349 Yeah, well. So, I'll give you my version. 00:09:46.433 --> 00:09:50.520 Late in the game, at a time-out, he had drifted away. 00:09:50.604 --> 00:09:56.401 Like, whatever you're saying, it's okay but, you know, I'm not here. 00:09:56.485 --> 00:09:57.986 You know, right after the game, 00:09:58.069 --> 00:10:02.073 he called Earvin into a private room across from the locker room. 00:10:02.157 --> 00:10:05.702 And he just started, just, "I'm tired of your shit, 00:10:05.785 --> 00:10:07.913 and I'm tired--" And 00:10:07.996 --> 00:10:11.291 I said, "Magic, this cannot happen again." 00:10:11.374 --> 00:10:12.959 He barely said a word, like, 00:10:13.043 --> 00:10:15.921 nodding that, like, basically, "Are you finished?" 00:10:16.004 --> 00:10:21.134 I just can't take it no more, you know. So it's coming down to me or him. 00:10:21.218 --> 00:10:23.595 Last night, after the game, Magic Johnson said 00:10:23.678 --> 00:10:25.931 he was unable to play for Westhead any longer 00:10:26.014 --> 00:10:27.432 and wanted to be traded. 00:10:27.974 --> 00:10:29.935 I haven't been happy. I'm not happy. 00:10:30.018 --> 00:10:32.229 I just, you know, wanted to get out the situation. 00:10:32.771 --> 00:10:37.484 As soon as we landed, Jerry West and Dr. Buss told me to come in and see them. 00:10:37.567 --> 00:10:40.737 Earvin talked to Jerry about it because they were so close. 00:10:40.821 --> 00:10:43.573 And, "Jerry," he said, "we're going to make a change." 00:10:44.241 --> 00:10:47.160 I came back to have a conversation with Jerry Buss 00:10:47.244 --> 00:10:53.208 and tell him we need to discipline Earvin "Magic" Johnson right now. 00:10:53.291 --> 00:10:55.836 So then I go in and see Buss, and he 00:10:57.337 --> 00:10:58.713 he tells me right away. 00:10:58.797 --> 00:11:00.757 He didn't mix any words. 00:11:00.841 --> 00:11:04.427 Paul Westhead has been fired as the coach of the Los Angeles Lakers 00:11:04.511 --> 00:11:07.806 after the team's star, Magic Johnson, said he wanted to be traded. 00:11:08.431 --> 00:11:11.726 Dr. Jerry Buss insists he was not playing favorites 00:11:11.810 --> 00:11:13.395 with his million-dollar player. 00:11:13.478 --> 00:11:15.522 It really has nothing to do with that. 00:11:15.605 --> 00:11:17.315 Buss went on to say 00:11:17.399 --> 00:11:19.526 that Pat Riley will move from istant to head coach. 00:11:19.609 --> 00:11:23.613 You know, when Paul was fired, we were 7-3. And we were winning. 00:11:23.697 --> 00:11:26.658 Did it ever come down to a situation where you told management, 00:11:26.741 --> 00:11:29.619 -"Either he goes, or I go?" -No, I never told them that. 00:11:29.703 --> 00:11:32.873 It was clear he had more power than me. 00:11:34.541 --> 00:11:38.253 When the media blamed Earvin, Earvin became a villain. 00:11:38.336 --> 00:11:42.591 Fans don't like what they call, you know, "coach killers." 00:11:42.674 --> 00:11:44.676 You know, the-- And Magic got booed. 00:11:44.759 --> 00:11:47.888 Starting for Los Angeles. At guard. From Michigan State. 00:11:47.971 --> 00:11:50.557 Number 32. Magic Johnson. 00:11:51.808 --> 00:11:53.310 My first game as the head coach, 00:11:53.393 --> 00:11:56.354 Earvin was booed heavily when he got on the court. 00:11:58.273 --> 00:12:01.651 Man. It was like nobody liked me. 00:12:02.152 --> 00:12:05.280 "Don't speak to him. Don't say nothing to him." 00:12:05.363 --> 00:12:08.116 All that. Man, it's like I didn't have a friend in the world. 00:12:08.200 --> 00:12:13.330 And every time he got booed, I would say to him, "Just play harder. 00:12:13.413 --> 00:12:16.917 Just play harder. Just show 'em. They'll forgive you." 00:12:17.000 --> 00:12:20.086 Him and I bonded right away. 00:12:20.170 --> 00:12:24.007 I said, "Okay. Then I'm gonna just have to play great." 00:12:24.674 --> 00:12:26.301 When Coach Riley took over, 00:12:26.384 --> 00:12:29.846 we just went back to emphasizing the fast break, 00:12:29.930 --> 00:12:33.975 which is our best style of play, and we start to win again. 00:12:34.935 --> 00:12:38.563 That's the time. The Lakers will be crowned champions. 00:12:39.147 --> 00:12:43.652 And so, when we won the title again in 1982, it was electric. 00:12:44.736 --> 00:12:46.780 Pat Riley allowed Magic to be Magic. 00:12:46.863 --> 00:12:51.284 He allowed Magic to institute that showtime persona. 00:12:51.368 --> 00:12:55.163 The magic has returned. The Lakers' image gleaming again. 00:12:57.207 --> 00:12:58.208 Showtime. 00:13:00.168 --> 00:13:02.879 And welcome to the Fabulous Forum. 00:13:09.213 --> 00:13:12.675 one time before Earvin came to Hollywood. 00:13:12.759 --> 00:13:14.135 It was a different building. 00:13:14.386 --> 00:13:17.890 It was the difference between chicken shit and chicken salad, you know what I mean? 00:13:17.999 --> 00:13:21.071 the atmosphere of The Forum. 00:13:21.465 --> 00:13:26.219 Showtime at The Forum meant, like, opening night at the biggest concert. 00:13:26.409 --> 00:13:32.908 And you had a great owner, Dr. Buss, who consciously created this spectacle. 00:13:33.013 --> 00:13:35.182 His whole thing was changing things. 00:13:35.265 --> 00:13:40.187 And he felt there had to be more besides us playing against our opponent. 00:13:41.021 --> 00:13:43.648 Dancing Barry. Who thinks of that, you know? 00:13:44.941 --> 00:13:47.235 Got the neck going like this. 00:13:52.987 --> 00:13:57.033 I was living in Toledo at the time, working in fashion merchandising. 00:13:57.116 --> 00:13:59.285 And he lived in Los Angeles. 00:13:59.369 --> 00:14:02.246 You know, I had this dream, so I wanted to pursue that. 00:14:02.590 --> 00:14:04.175 She was doing her thing, she was-- 00:14:04.258 --> 00:14:06.927 She was doing her career and doing her thing. 00:14:07.011 --> 00:14:10.181 And we know how she felt. We knew her heart, and-- 00:14:10.264 --> 00:14:12.683 But we also know Earvin wasn't really going too far. 00:14:12.766 --> 00:14:15.269 We-- 'Cause we knew Earvin knew what he had. 00:14:15.853 --> 00:14:17.021 We were not together, 00:14:17.104 --> 00:14:20.816 but we were still talking and staying in touch with each other. 00:14:20.900 --> 00:14:27.198 It was just nice to be able to call and hear a friendly voice on the other end. 00:14:27.281 --> 00:14:29.366 'Cause I, you know, I was still in love with him, of course. 00:14:29.950 --> 00:14:32.286 But I kept thinking maybe we'll get back together. 00:14:32.369 --> 00:14:35.206 And he was like, "Well, you ought to just come out here and visit." 00:14:38.612 --> 00:14:41.823 I remember the first time I ever went to a game in LA, 00:14:42.365 --> 00:14:47.037 and I remember sitting in the seat going, "Oh, my God." 00:14:47.113 --> 00:14:49.699 I never saw that before. It was crazy. 00:14:50.700 --> 00:14:52.994 For the most part, when I came to visit him, 00:14:53.077 --> 00:14:56.372 we just quietly stayed in his apartment a lot. 00:14:56.456 --> 00:14:57.999 Because I worked so hard, 00:14:58.791 --> 00:15:02.003 I don't like to do nothing, you know, after I'm done. 00:15:02.086 --> 00:15:05.924 So we don't have to go out somewhere to have a good time. 00:15:07.008 --> 00:15:10.303 You know, when he was playing, he was very intense. 00:15:10.887 --> 00:15:13.181 You know, being the top player on the Lakers, 00:15:13.264 --> 00:15:17.060 and they were a very tight-knit unit. 00:15:18.603 --> 00:15:23.065 Pat Riley's rules were that the family couldn't travel with the team 00:15:23.149 --> 00:15:27.402 during the playoffs or during championships. The players would get fined 00:15:27.487 --> 00:15:31.032 if one of their wives were caught on the road with them. 00:15:31.866 --> 00:15:36.204 Pat told me that, you know, we're 12 plus two plus one. 00:15:36.287 --> 00:15:40.583 We're 12 players, two coaches, and me. 00:15:40.667 --> 00:15:44.128 Everyone else is a peripheral opponent 00:15:44.963 --> 00:15:48.216 who could distract you from your job. 00:15:49.842 --> 00:15:51.594 That included your family. 00:15:51.678 --> 00:15:54.430 You take responsibility for your greatness 00:15:54.514 --> 00:15:57.433 by making sure that these things aren't going to get in the way. 00:15:59.018 --> 00:16:03.731 I don't like to be bothered during game days. I'm moody. I'm cranky. 00:16:04.899 --> 00:16:11.447 So, how do I give her all of me when I'm giving basketball all of me? 00:16:13.199 --> 00:16:17.036 That's when I started seeing, like, there was a difference. 00:16:18.204 --> 00:16:20.790 And basically, he-- From the time he started playing with the Lakers, 00:16:20.873 --> 00:16:25.537 he had a split kind of personality. There was Magic, and then there was Earvin. 00:16:25.721 --> 00:16:27.681 -Well. -You're a movie star. 00:16:28.849 --> 00:16:32.227 You know, it's fun being Magic Johnson for eight months. 00:16:32.311 --> 00:16:35.439 And then it's great being Earvin Johnson for the other three. 00:16:41.278 --> 00:16:44.573 Every summer, Magic came back to Lansing 00:16:45.282 --> 00:16:48.994 to be around his family, his friends. 00:16:49.578 --> 00:16:54.041 And it was like, you know, "Man, that's Magic." You know? 00:16:55.334 --> 00:16:59.296 And I'll never forget, Earvin had this gold Benz. 00:17:00.797 --> 00:17:05.344 Tires, Armor All. The tinted blue windows. 00:17:05.427 --> 00:17:08.388 And I was like, "Wow." 00:17:09.640 --> 00:17:13.644 I looked at Magic Johnson as someone who made it. 00:17:15.938 --> 00:17:21.026 He used to come from Chicago to hang out, train. 00:17:21.610 --> 00:17:23.278 I mean, we loved to hoop. 00:17:25.822 --> 00:17:29.201 We would hoop all day to 2:00 in the morning. 00:17:30.077 --> 00:17:33.747 Get up. Run. Work out. Hoop some more. 00:17:34.623 --> 00:17:37.417 Get something to eat. Take a nap. Go hoop some more. 00:17:37.501 --> 00:17:42.130 I mean, we would just play basketball, and that's what I needed. 00:17:42.214 --> 00:17:48.053 I needed this friend that loved the game as much as I did. 00:17:48.136 --> 00:17:54.226 At guard. 6'1". 185. From Indiana. Number 11. Isiah Thomas. 00:17:54.309 --> 00:17:56.228 He ends up getting drafted by the Pistons. 00:17:57.104 --> 00:17:59.940 So now we're in the NBA together. 00:18:00.649 --> 00:18:04.027 He's one of the greatest point guards to ever play this game. 00:18:04.820 --> 00:18:08.532 Coming into the league, my team was starting at the bottom, 00:18:09.199 --> 00:18:10.951 and his team was on top. 00:18:11.535 --> 00:18:15.122 And fortunately enough for me, you know, and Magic was so open. 00:18:15.872 --> 00:18:17.457 Seeing how they did things. 00:18:17.541 --> 00:18:20.752 They're in the championship world of the NBA. 00:18:21.878 --> 00:18:28.302 And also as friends. As brothers. Those Midwest values that people talk about. 00:18:28.802 --> 00:18:33.807 That trust. You know, it's like your word really is like your bond. 00:18:33.890 --> 00:18:36.518 If I give you my word, okay, we good. You know? 00:18:36.602 --> 00:18:38.937 Yeah, that was there. 00:18:39.521 --> 00:18:43.275 We both needed each other because he's the only one 00:18:43.358 --> 00:18:44.943 could understand what I was going through. 00:18:45.027 --> 00:18:48.280 I'm the only one could understand him at the same time too. 00:18:49.281 --> 00:18:53.285 When you talk about Black men and Black boys, you know, in America, 00:18:53.368 --> 00:18:56.997 in the game of basketball, that was the pathway out. 00:18:57.831 --> 00:19:03.170 And Earvin and I just-- We had a pretty good understanding of that. 00:19:15.807 --> 00:19:20.938 sexton High School was right in the Black community on the west side. 00:19:21.021 --> 00:19:25.859 I knew all the players because I played against them since I was a young kid. 00:19:25.943 --> 00:19:29.238 And I wanted to be a Sexton Big Red. 00:19:30.822 --> 00:19:35.327 Sexton was dominant. That's all we knew growing up was Sexton High School. 00:19:35.410 --> 00:19:37.120 And knowing all those players, 00:19:37.204 --> 00:19:40.082 'cause a lot of 'em stay-- played in-- lived in our neighborhood. 00:19:40.165 --> 00:19:45.587 The gym was packed. The band went and you be like-- 00:19:51.176 --> 00:19:56.014 I wanted to come out into that music, you know? 00:19:56.098 --> 00:19:57.182 The kid's coming up. 00:19:57.266 --> 00:20:01.103 You want him to go to that neighborhood school to keep that tradition going. 00:20:01.186 --> 00:20:04.731 I mean, I was waiting for my turn. It was my turn. 00:20:04.815 --> 00:20:08.694 And all of a sudden they said, "No, you can't go. 00:20:08.777 --> 00:20:11.780 You can't walk ten, 15 minutes from your house. 00:20:12.656 --> 00:20:16.201 You've got to get bused across town to go to Everett High School." 00:20:16.285 --> 00:20:20.122 A unanimous Supreme Court today affirmed the principle of busing 00:20:20.205 --> 00:20:22.708 school children to desegregate school. 00:20:22.791 --> 00:20:26.795 The busing issue that has Americans in an uproar, pro and con, across the country 00:20:26.878 --> 00:20:31.091 is perhaps nowhere more dramatically present than in Michigan. 00:20:33.468 --> 00:20:37.806 I was so mad, I cried for two, three straight weeks. 00:20:37.889 --> 00:20:41.727 That I had-- now had to catch a bus across town 00:20:41.810 --> 00:20:44.271 to a school that wasn't known for basketball either. 00:20:45.343 --> 00:20:48.805 That bus would pull up. They was throwing rocks and sticks at our bus. 00:20:53.059 --> 00:20:55.186 They didn't want us. They were calling us names. 00:20:57.313 --> 00:20:59.398 That just added fuel to the fire. 00:20:59.482 --> 00:21:03.194 When I got to Everett the fights were starting right-- Day one. 00:21:03.277 --> 00:21:06.030 There was a couple kids on the basketball team. 00:21:06.113 --> 00:21:10.409 The white kids didn't really accept this as well as I thought they should've. 00:21:11.619 --> 00:21:15.414 That third week our principal was waiting for the bus as we pulled up. 00:21:15.998 --> 00:21:18.417 He just said, "Earvin Johnson, come to my office." 00:21:18.501 --> 00:21:20.461 I thought I had gotten into trouble or something. 00:21:20.545 --> 00:21:22.255 I didn't know what was going on. 00:21:22.338 --> 00:21:27.510 So he said, "Listen, you're gonna stop the Black kids from fighting." 00:21:27.593 --> 00:21:33.015 I said, "Wait a minute. I'm 15 years old. I just got here." 00:21:34.142 --> 00:21:35.351 He said, "No 00:21:37.436 --> 00:21:38.729 They will follow you." 00:21:40.940 --> 00:21:45.695 I was just like, "I wanna fight." I'm-- You know, I'm gonna get my respect. 00:21:45.778 --> 00:21:49.115 He did it the other way. He did it on the basketball court. 00:22:00.376 --> 00:22:02.336 It is the Boston Celtics and Larry Bird 00:22:02.420 --> 00:22:04.755 against Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers. 00:22:04.839 --> 00:22:09.302 It is a confrontation that basketball fans have been waiting a long time for 00:22:09.385 --> 00:22:11.762 in the NBA, and now it is here. 00:22:11.846 --> 00:22:17.059 The attitude of the country was, the Lakers were Black America's team, 00:22:17.143 --> 00:22:19.395 and the Celtics was white America's team. 00:22:19.479 --> 00:22:23.441 My advice to the Lakers is, "Beware. Watch out." 00:22:23.524 --> 00:22:25.693 You're just gonna get a beating. I'm a Boston guy. 00:22:25.776 --> 00:22:27.487 Just gonna get the beating of your life. 00:22:27.570 --> 00:22:30.364 I hated Boston. Hated Boston. 00:22:30.448 --> 00:22:32.283 Where did this come from? Where'd it come from? 00:22:32.366 --> 00:22:34.285 It came from people having bricks thrown 00:22:34.368 --> 00:22:37.288 through their windows. It came from the busing footage you see 00:22:37.371 --> 00:22:40.291 in the late '60s and early '70s. It came from all that shit. 00:22:40.374 --> 00:22:46.047 I knew I had that anger and hate built up in me 00:22:46.130 --> 00:22:49.717 for the Celtics. So I was ready to go. 00:22:50.426 --> 00:22:53.596 And Bob McAdoo gave me a Malcolm X tape. 00:22:53.679 --> 00:22:56.432 Malcolm's speech, "The Ballot or the Bullet." 00:22:56.516 --> 00:22:59.727 That's the truth. You know, I wanted the other guys to hear it. 00:22:59.811 --> 00:23:03.022 So what you and I have got to do, is get involved. 00:23:03.105 --> 00:23:06.108 You and I have to be right there breathing down their throat. 00:23:06.192 --> 00:23:09.737 Every time they look over their shoulder, we want them to see us. 00:23:11.197 --> 00:23:14.742 Bob McAdoo rebelled against racism and he-- 00:23:14.826 --> 00:23:17.370 he wanted you to be proud that you were Black 00:23:17.453 --> 00:23:22.250 and stand up for other Black athletes, just like all those before you. 00:23:22.333 --> 00:23:25.503 And he stayed on me about it. 00:23:25.586 --> 00:23:28.673 He said, "Earvin, you're in such a unique position. 00:23:28.756 --> 00:23:32.885 Everything that you do, you've gotta be a proud Black man." 00:23:33.928 --> 00:23:37.473 On top of that, damn it, I was playing Larry Bird. 00:23:37.557 --> 00:23:41.894 He was put up by the media as "the white savior." 00:23:42.770 --> 00:23:46.691 And all the fans and everybody that worked 00:23:46.774 --> 00:23:50.820 for the Laker organization reminded us that we hadn't beat the Celtics 00:23:51.529 --> 00:23:53.447 ever in the NBA Finals. 00:23:53.531 --> 00:23:57.785 So, you know, you got all this pressure. 00:23:57.869 --> 00:24:00.163 Beat LA! Beat LA! 00:24:00.246 --> 00:24:04.458 Already in the background they're starting to chant, "Beat LA." 00:24:10.006 --> 00:24:13.176 The buzz and electricity going into them games was 00:24:13.968 --> 00:24:15.636 as high as I've ever seen it. 00:24:17.722 --> 00:24:22.351 I wanted to shut the crowd up. I wanted to beat them in Boston Garden. 00:24:22.435 --> 00:24:25.521 I wanted to beat Larry Bird in Boston Garden. 00:24:25.605 --> 00:24:28.649 Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, they are battling it out. 00:24:29.901 --> 00:24:33.905 Magic's been successful so far hitting from outside, and he continues to be so. 00:24:33.988 --> 00:24:35.823 It's been all Los Angeles so far. 00:24:38.576 --> 00:24:42.038 In Boston, we won that first game, and we've-- Man, we said, 00:24:42.121 --> 00:24:44.874 "Okay, we know we can beat this team." 00:24:44.957 --> 00:24:47.210 The Celtics will be in white with Kelly green, 00:24:47.293 --> 00:24:50.796 and the Lakers in their-- They call Forum blue with gold. 00:24:52.840 --> 00:24:54.592 Magic. 00:24:54.675 --> 00:24:56.886 Cooper and the fast break. Going to town and-- 00:24:56.969 --> 00:24:59.305 and they are running the Celtics, at this point, 00:24:59.388 --> 00:25:00.807 off the Boston Garden court. 00:25:00.890 --> 00:25:04.644 We were about ready in game two to go up 2-nothing. 00:25:04.727 --> 00:25:06.771 I think it was about ten seconds to go. 00:25:06.854 --> 00:25:10.066 You watch the clock at the lower part of your screen. 00:25:10.149 --> 00:25:11.818 They're looking for Kareem. 00:25:11.901 --> 00:25:14.237 Magic Johnson keeps looking inside. 00:25:14.320 --> 00:25:17.365 I was the guy guarding him. Like, "What is this * guy doing?" 00:25:17.448 --> 00:25:20.993 I'm looking at the clock and looking at him. He's just dribbling. 00:25:21.077 --> 00:25:24.413 Two seconds. One second. And they don't get it off. 00:25:25.289 --> 00:25:26.749 The Lakers don't get it. 00:25:28.125 --> 00:25:29.710 We didn't even get a shot off. 00:25:32.213 --> 00:25:35.424 And we end up losing that game in overtime. 00:25:35.508 --> 00:25:37.218 A game that we should've won. 00:25:39.345 --> 00:25:42.890 They should have been up 2-0, and we should have been down. 00:25:42.974 --> 00:25:44.684 And probably the series would have been over. 00:25:45.268 --> 00:25:48.479 But instead, we were going back to LA for game three. 00:25:48.947 --> 00:25:51.241 He's the magic man, Earvin Johnson. 00:25:51.324 --> 00:25:52.951 And the Lakers want more. 00:25:55.120 --> 00:25:57.956 So we go out to LA, and they blow us out. 00:25:58.039 --> 00:25:59.249 Put it in. 00:26:02.252 --> 00:26:05.046 Magic Johnson has set a championship series record 00:26:05.130 --> 00:26:06.715 with 21 assists. 00:26:07.340 --> 00:26:09.426 Our mentality was, "we gotta do whatever we can 00:26:09.509 --> 00:26:10.844 to change the tempo of this game." 00:26:10.927 --> 00:26:13.430 And that's probably playing a little more physical 00:26:13.513 --> 00:26:15.307 and doing some things they didn't like. 00:26:15.390 --> 00:26:17.517 And I remember Kevin McHale and Larry said, 00:26:17.601 --> 00:26:19.769 "We've gotta take these guys out. 00:26:19.853 --> 00:26:23.315 Someone's gotta take a really hard foul." And I said to Kevin, 00:26:23.398 --> 00:26:27.152 "Why don't you foul somebody hard one time? 00:26:27.235 --> 00:26:30.530 Like, I do that every game and I'm booed in every city in America." 00:26:32.157 --> 00:26:36.411 So what they decided to do, was body slam you and hard foul you, 00:26:36.495 --> 00:26:38.705 and play physical and mean. 00:26:38.788 --> 00:26:41.249 We gotta wipe that smile off his * face. 00:26:41.333 --> 00:26:42.709 That's what we have to do. 00:26:43.877 --> 00:26:46.171 Cooper to Kareem to Worthy to Rambis. 00:26:46.254 --> 00:26:48.298 He should go the distance. Oh! Look out. 00:26:48.381 --> 00:26:51.092 McHale clotheslines him and takes him out. All hell breaks loose. 00:26:52.594 --> 00:26:54.471 And now the bench is empty. 00:26:55.722 --> 00:27:00.185 That's just a dirty play. I was going to find a way to kill him. 00:27:00.268 --> 00:27:02.896 When Kevin McHale took Kurt out, 00:27:02.979 --> 00:27:05.357 we started fighting instead of playing. 00:27:06.149 --> 00:27:09.486 Bird fights. Kareem swings the elbow 00:27:09.569 --> 00:27:11.279 and now is yelling at Larry Bird. 00:27:11.363 --> 00:27:14.115 "White boy, I'll kick your *," and-- 00:27:14.199 --> 00:27:17.160 If we could have clotheslined every last one of them, 00:27:17.244 --> 00:27:18.245 we would have done it. 00:27:18.328 --> 00:27:21.915 We're in overtime. Tied at 123. 00:27:26.461 --> 00:27:27.462 He misses the first. 00:27:29.339 --> 00:27:30.674 Johnson misses them both. 00:27:35.512 --> 00:27:37.097 My whole life, 00:27:38.056 --> 00:27:42.936 I had performed well under pressure, in every championship moment. 00:27:44.062 --> 00:27:48.525 And I just don't know what happened. 00:27:51.528 --> 00:27:53.363 We went back and they won game five. 00:27:53.446 --> 00:27:57.409 The Lakers look like they're exhausted. 00:27:57.492 --> 00:27:59.494 Game six, we came home and won. 00:27:59.578 --> 00:28:01.997 We're gonna go to Boston for game seven. 00:28:02.080 --> 00:28:04.624 That is going to be Magic and Larry Bird. 00:28:10.213 --> 00:28:11.506 Larry Bird. 00:28:11.590 --> 00:28:13.425 The man the Celtics will live or die with. 00:28:13.508 --> 00:28:15.218 With a minute and a half now remaining. 00:28:17.345 --> 00:28:19.473 Magic Johnson goes up but lost the ball. 00:28:21.224 --> 00:28:25.562 Cedric Maxwell steals the ball from me, knocks it away, 00:28:25.645 --> 00:28:27.731 now they go down and score, 00:28:27.814 --> 00:28:30.984 and so it just took the air out of the Lakers. 00:28:31.067 --> 00:28:33.945 It just really hurt our team. 00:28:34.029 --> 00:28:37.324 Now Johnson with the ball. The Lakers try to cut him to one. 00:28:40.285 --> 00:28:41.578 And he loses it. 00:28:41.661 --> 00:28:43.121 Final seconds. 00:28:45.207 --> 00:28:46.708 Cooper going for three. 00:28:46.791 --> 00:28:47.792 It's over. 00:28:52.464 --> 00:28:54.841 Man, you talking about devastation. 00:28:55.675 --> 00:28:59.054 I cost us that series. Tragic. 00:29:00.222 --> 00:29:01.973 We really relished that, 00:29:02.057 --> 00:29:05.310 the fact that we gave him that label at that time. 00:29:05.393 --> 00:29:09.064 To hear "Tragic Magic," to see that in the newspaper, 00:29:09.147 --> 00:29:13.485 to see "I don't compare to Larry Bird," "he's a better player." 00:29:13.568 --> 00:29:15.737 It was just a huge disappointment. 00:29:16.404 --> 00:29:19.783 The trophies and the rings and all that didn't matter. 00:29:19.866 --> 00:29:21.910 It was all about beating the Lakers and Earvin. 00:29:21.993 --> 00:29:23.537 That's all that mattered. 00:29:24.120 --> 00:29:29.084 For me not to execute, not to play well, I'm still mad. 00:29:29.167 --> 00:29:33.505 Even as I sit here talking to you about it right now, I'm just upset, 00:29:33.588 --> 00:29:38.218 replaying all those moments that I normally excel at, 00:29:38.301 --> 00:29:40.220 and I didn't for some reason. 00:29:41.096 --> 00:29:43.932 And after losing that game-- I'll never forget, 00:29:44.015 --> 00:29:49.229 we were just in the hotel room, and you could hear him crying and sobbing. 00:29:49.813 --> 00:29:54.901 And we were just sitting on the floor in silence for, you know, 00:29:54.985 --> 00:29:56.570 literally the whole night. 00:29:56.653 --> 00:29:58.321 I was devastated. 00:29:58.405 --> 00:30:01.283 That was probably one of my darkest moments 00:30:01.366 --> 00:30:02.993 as a basketball player. 00:30:03.994 --> 00:30:05.829 Emotionally, man, 00:30:05.912 --> 00:30:09.583 he was in one of his most vulnerable and weakest positions. 00:30:20.135 --> 00:30:23.180 I was first introduced to basketball by my father. 00:30:23.263 --> 00:30:27.309 Watching games with him on Saturdays and Sundays. 00:30:27.893 --> 00:30:31.730 If four games came on on Saturday, we watched all four together. 00:30:33.064 --> 00:30:35.650 I'm getting four hours with my hero, 00:30:35.734 --> 00:30:38.945 with the guy that I always wanted to be like. 00:30:39.029 --> 00:30:44.242 He would always explain why the play happened 00:30:44.868 --> 00:30:47.996 and why the guy made that decision. 00:30:48.079 --> 00:30:51.750 So he wanted me to be smart at the game of basketball. 00:30:51.833 --> 00:30:55.128 As a kid, was your dream to play someday in the NBA? 00:30:55.212 --> 00:30:57.422 Oh, yeah. The biggest dream. 00:30:57.506 --> 00:31:01.510 And also my father's dream for me being here. So it's nice. 00:31:03.303 --> 00:31:05.222 My father's from Mississippi, 00:31:05.305 --> 00:31:09.684 and when I went down south to the place that everybody hung out, 00:31:09.768 --> 00:31:11.603 in the city that he grew up in, 00:31:12.437 --> 00:31:17.234 these guys were sitting there telling me, "Your father was really good." 00:31:17.317 --> 00:31:22.447 And they would tell me the stories of, you know, how he used to score 00:31:22.531 --> 00:31:26.159 and he was a pretty good player and-- 00:31:26.243 --> 00:31:29.246 So all of them said, "That's why we knew 00:31:29.329 --> 00:31:33.333 when you started playing and you were good, 00:31:33.416 --> 00:31:35.502 we already knew the reason that you were good. 00:31:35.585 --> 00:31:36.962 It's because of your father." 00:31:37.462 --> 00:31:42.175 And I was like-- I started looking at him, like, "Dad, you didn't tell me." 00:31:42.259 --> 00:31:47.222 He said, "Boy, you know, I didn't-- I couldn't continue to play. 00:31:47.305 --> 00:31:50.057 I had to work in the fields to support my family. 00:31:50.142 --> 00:31:52.185 I had to quit basketball." 00:31:55.188 --> 00:31:57.816 And that just tore me up. 00:32:06.533 --> 00:32:09.202 Then '84, I wasn't ready. 00:32:09.910 --> 00:32:13.164 Mentally, I wasn't tough enough and that's why we lost that series. 00:32:14.166 --> 00:32:17.544 But I'm not going to come back and repeat the same mistake twice. 00:32:18.503 --> 00:32:22.883 I had to redeem myself, I had to get back to being Magic again. 00:32:25.510 --> 00:32:26.845 That summer 00:32:29.305 --> 00:32:33.392 he was on a hundred every single workout. 00:32:34.728 --> 00:32:37.606 "I got to work on this shot, I got to work on this shot. 00:32:39.483 --> 00:32:42.027 Throw it to me again, right here. No, no, that ain't good enough. 00:32:42.110 --> 00:32:43.945 Throw it to me again." It's like, "Damn, man, 00:32:44.029 --> 00:32:45.989 we've been out here three hours." 00:32:46.072 --> 00:32:49.576 He was just like, "I'm not giving up. I'm not quitting. 00:32:49.659 --> 00:32:50.952 I'm coming back." 00:32:51.453 --> 00:32:54.623 And finally, you know, one time, you know, we were playing 00:32:54.706 --> 00:32:59.753 and he shot me with the ball, and I was like, "Look, I wear number 11. 00:32:59.836 --> 00:33:02.839 I don't wear number 33. I don't play for the Celtics. 00:33:02.923 --> 00:33:05.842 I don't have on a green jersey right now." 00:33:05.926 --> 00:33:08.553 Boston once again hosts Los Angeles 00:33:08.637 --> 00:33:09.971 in the NBA finals starting today. 00:33:10.055 --> 00:33:13.141 Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics has the ultimate perch, 00:33:13.225 --> 00:33:15.101 he's won his second straight MVP award. 00:33:15.185 --> 00:33:17.479 This is a great honor for me. I can't say it's better 00:33:17.562 --> 00:33:19.981 than the one last year, because I guess they're all the same. 00:33:20.565 --> 00:33:24.903 Only thing I wanted to do was beat him. Get back at him in '85. That was it. 00:33:24.986 --> 00:33:28.448 They call this one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports, 00:33:28.532 --> 00:33:29.658 the Celtics and the Lakers. 00:33:29.741 --> 00:33:32.994 It is the most one-sided rivalry in all of sports. 00:33:33.078 --> 00:33:35.622 There was an albatross that we were carrying on our back. 00:33:35.705 --> 00:33:37.624 The Lakers had never beaten the Celtics. 00:33:37.707 --> 00:33:39.251 Eight consecutive losses. 00:33:39.334 --> 00:33:40.669 Okay, come on. Bring it on. 00:33:40.752 --> 00:33:44.047 We're underway. The championship on the line. 00:33:47.676 --> 00:33:49.419 Everything that could go wrong went wrong. 00:33:49.614 --> 00:33:51.992 We get killed. We got beat by 34 points. 00:33:52.075 --> 00:33:55.078 It's known today as the Memorial Day massacre. 00:33:55.162 --> 00:33:59.875 The media, The Boston Globe, all of the Boston papers were blasting us. 00:34:01.460 --> 00:34:03.962 I just have to say we just wasn't ready to play. 00:34:08.133 --> 00:34:12.179 And the next day, it's, like, you know, two minutes before 6:00, 00:34:12.262 --> 00:34:13.597 and Kareem's not on the bus. 00:34:13.680 --> 00:34:18.560 Here comes Kareem, and behind him is Mr. Alcindor, 00:34:18.643 --> 00:34:19.853 Kareem's father. 00:34:19.936 --> 00:34:21.480 His dad gets on. 00:34:22.147 --> 00:34:25.275 And the bus, that's sacred. 00:34:25.358 --> 00:34:27.903 Can't nobody get on that bus. 00:34:27.986 --> 00:34:30.947 Like, that's a Pat Riley rule, like, 00:34:31.031 --> 00:34:34.284 don't even think about entering that bus. 00:34:34.367 --> 00:34:35.994 It was an accident, you know. 00:34:38.288 --> 00:34:40.791 At the time, my father was dealing with dementia, 00:34:40.874 --> 00:34:42.501 it was just starting. 00:34:42.584 --> 00:34:45.670 And I saw my Dad wandering around in the lobby. 00:34:46.379 --> 00:34:48.090 "What are you doing here?" I went and got him 00:34:48.173 --> 00:34:49.966 and put him on the bus. 00:34:50.050 --> 00:34:52.677 He looked at Riles and said, "Can my dad ride the bus?" 00:34:52.761 --> 00:34:54.096 I said, "Sure, absolutely." 00:34:54.179 --> 00:34:56.765 If he needed the solace of his father, 00:34:57.349 --> 00:34:59.976 I ain't going to say, "No" to your dad. 00:35:03.105 --> 00:35:05.941 When we finally got to the arena, 00:35:06.024 --> 00:35:09.069 Riley was working on his pre-game talk. 00:35:10.070 --> 00:35:12.364 Kareem getting on the bus with his father, 00:35:13.615 --> 00:35:16.493 that changed my thought process about what I wanted to talk about. 00:35:18.453 --> 00:35:20.163 My father said to me, 00:35:20.914 --> 00:35:23.291 "When it gets tough, you know, when it gets really tough, Pat, 00:35:23.375 --> 00:35:26.670 and it will get tough, you know, you've got to plant your feet, stand firm, 00:35:26.753 --> 00:35:29.089 make a point about who you are and what you believe in. 00:35:29.172 --> 00:35:31.174 And when that time comes, son, you do it." 00:35:32.551 --> 00:35:34.302 Those were the last words 00:35:34.386 --> 00:35:39.266 that basically I had heard my father say to me. 00:35:39.349 --> 00:35:41.017 You know, I think we all felt it. 00:35:41.101 --> 00:35:44.187 And we all wanted to go out there and play for Cap's dad, 00:35:44.271 --> 00:35:46.773 play for our dads, you know, play for Riles's dad. 00:35:47.482 --> 00:35:51.486 I owe everything that I am as a man to my father. 00:35:51.570 --> 00:35:56.241 Because of what he gave up for me, and I'm living for him. 00:35:56.324 --> 00:35:59.828 Rebounds to McHale, stolen by Magic. Underneath, slam dunk. 00:36:00.996 --> 00:36:04.541 McHale and Magic going at it. 00:36:04.624 --> 00:36:09.379 And then that's when I start playing Magic Johnson basketball. 00:36:09.463 --> 00:36:10.589 Fearless. 00:36:10.672 --> 00:36:14.634 Four on one, to Magic. Magic to Kareem. Slam dunk. 00:36:19.181 --> 00:36:23.059 It is 3-2 in favor of Los Angeles as we go back to Boston. 00:36:24.311 --> 00:36:26.521 By the time we went to game six 00:36:26.605 --> 00:36:28.607 and we're heading back to Boston, 00:36:28.690 --> 00:36:30.400 there was tremendous confidence. 00:36:30.484 --> 00:36:32.486 We're gonna win. I told the team, 00:36:32.569 --> 00:36:36.490 "Pack one suit. There's not going to be game seven." 00:36:36.573 --> 00:36:38.575 The Lakers are one victory away 00:36:38.658 --> 00:36:42.079 from a world championship and ending one of the longest jinxes 00:36:42.162 --> 00:36:43.622 in the history of professional sport. 00:36:43.705 --> 00:36:45.749 I knew we were better than them. 00:36:46.458 --> 00:36:48.543 I knew it. We just had to go out and prove it. 00:36:53.048 --> 00:36:56.760 Two-man game. Magic and Kareem. Inside. Kareem. 00:36:57.344 --> 00:36:58.428 Well, Magic Johnson. 00:37:00.430 --> 00:37:01.848 Magic sees an opening. 00:37:01.932 --> 00:37:04.184 And the Lakers can smell it right now. 00:37:04.267 --> 00:37:07.604 And their bench is up. The Lakers are winning it. 00:37:08.230 --> 00:37:09.773 Three in six years. 00:37:09.856 --> 00:37:12.609 LA comes to Boston and wins the world title. 00:37:16.738 --> 00:37:19.366 Wow, We finally did it. 00:37:19.950 --> 00:37:23.286 Beat them on their home court and to celebrate in their city. 00:37:23.370 --> 00:37:25.080 One of the greatest feelings in the world. 00:37:25.163 --> 00:37:28.083 You came out here early today ahead of all your teammates, 00:37:28.166 --> 00:37:30.502 and you were out taking jump shots, set shots. 00:37:30.585 --> 00:37:32.546 The look of determination on your face. 00:37:32.629 --> 00:37:34.965 No question about it. It's a long year last year 00:37:35.048 --> 00:37:36.716 to wait for this moment right now. 00:37:36.800 --> 00:37:40.637 What a great moment for me to redeem myself, 00:37:41.471 --> 00:37:44.558 to beat my rival, to do it in Boston Garden. 00:37:44.641 --> 00:37:48.979 No team has ever won a championship on that parquet floor. 00:37:51.189 --> 00:37:52.816 We're never going to forget that, 00:37:52.899 --> 00:37:55.652 'cause we were in that together as brothers. 00:37:55.736 --> 00:37:56.737 The run is over, 00:37:56.820 --> 00:38:00.866 and that's when Dr. Buss held up the trophy and he said-- 00:38:00.949 --> 00:38:02.743 It can never again be said 00:38:02.826 --> 00:38:05.662 that the Lakers have never beaten the Celtics. 00:38:06.663 --> 00:38:08.790 You couldn't tell me nothing, man. 00:38:08.874 --> 00:38:11.251 I mean, I was too happy. 00:38:12.878 --> 00:38:16.840 Some may have thought that the Celtics title was an immovable object, 00:38:16.923 --> 00:38:20.302 but does America believe in magic? You bet we do. 00:38:26.349 --> 00:38:29.770 After we won that championship, I went to his birthday party. 00:38:32.016 --> 00:38:35.228 I go, "Earv, why don't you have Cookie out?" 00:38:35.311 --> 00:38:39.941 He said, "Coop, she's allowing me to be me, but that's where my heart is." 00:38:41.275 --> 00:38:44.487 I mean, he's my brother, so I just had to make sure that, 00:38:44.570 --> 00:38:49.158 you know, he's with someone who cares about him and who loves him. 00:38:49.242 --> 00:38:52.453 So I invited her to the party. 00:38:53.037 --> 00:38:55.832 I went to the party and, you know, I remember him, 00:38:55.915 --> 00:38:59.377 when I walked in, he goes, "What are you doing here?" 00:38:59.460 --> 00:39:01.754 You know, kind of like, "How did you even get here?" 00:39:02.463 --> 00:39:06.467 And that whole night it's like he came over and danced with me. 00:39:06.551 --> 00:39:08.553 That ignited it again. 00:39:09.262 --> 00:39:12.265 I would see him more and more, and spend a little more time with him. 00:39:13.391 --> 00:39:15.810 And he would come and visit in the summer. 00:39:15.893 --> 00:39:17.186 And that was nice. 00:39:18.021 --> 00:39:21.190 That summer, we would go to Cedar Rapids. 00:39:21.274 --> 00:39:22.984 To the amusement park. 00:39:23.484 --> 00:39:24.902 You know, just like kids. 00:39:24.986 --> 00:39:27.697 You know, we wanted to ride the roller coaster 00:39:30.408 --> 00:39:34.704 and then we wanted to win as many stuffed animals 00:39:34.787 --> 00:39:37.582 for our girls as we could. You know? 00:39:37.992 --> 00:39:41.245 Isiah got married, and not just Isiah, 00:39:41.328 --> 00:39:44.165 all our friends were married, the circle, 00:39:44.248 --> 00:39:46.917 and I was the only one that was not married. 00:39:47.001 --> 00:39:49.128 And I used to say to Earvin all the time, 00:39:49.211 --> 00:39:51.297 "I know there's a lot of other people out here, 00:39:51.380 --> 00:39:56.010 but ain't no one ever going to love you like this woman here." 00:39:57.428 --> 00:40:00.598 He was at his parents' house, and I came up 00:40:02.057 --> 00:40:03.684 to spend some time with him. 00:40:05.102 --> 00:40:08.230 And I walk in, you know, talking to the family and everything, 00:40:08.314 --> 00:40:11.025 and then Earvin leaves, 'cause he does that a lot. 00:40:11.108 --> 00:40:13.486 He'll just leave and come back, and, You know, 00:40:13.569 --> 00:40:16.655 I'm best friends with one of his sisters and I love his mother, so I'm-- 00:40:16.739 --> 00:40:19.617 I'm just, you know, visiting with them. 00:40:19.700 --> 00:40:22.203 And then he comes back and he gets out the car, 00:40:22.286 --> 00:40:23.746 and this little boy is with him. 00:40:24.789 --> 00:40:27.458 He came in with the little boy and 00:40:28.501 --> 00:40:31.128 the little boy's looking terrified. 00:40:31.212 --> 00:40:32.797 He's standing there, like 00:40:33.506 --> 00:40:35.883 And they're all like, "This is Andre." 00:40:35.966 --> 00:40:39.553 And I'm looking at Earvin, I'm looking at Andre, 00:40:39.637 --> 00:40:42.932 and then finally he goes, "Yep, it's my son." 00:40:43.849 --> 00:40:46.435 And I said, "It was just a night. 00:40:46.519 --> 00:40:49.772 We slept together and I just had never thought, 00:40:49.855 --> 00:40:52.775 you know, that she was pregnant." 00:40:53.359 --> 00:40:57.029 And so I found out later, and he was mine. 00:40:58.155 --> 00:41:00.699 That was important for her to meet Andre. 00:41:04.161 --> 00:41:05.371 You know, 00:41:05.454 --> 00:41:08.624 it's always still awkward and tough, no matter what. 00:41:08.707 --> 00:41:12.670 I was shocked. It was shocking for a minute. 00:41:12.753 --> 00:41:14.046 And I told her, I said, 00:41:14.130 --> 00:41:17.174 "One thing I'm going to always do is be in his life, 00:41:17.258 --> 00:41:20.177 and I'm going to always take care of my son." 00:41:20.928 --> 00:41:23.639 And again, this was the point where we were, 00:41:23.722 --> 00:41:25.724 you know, just getting back together. 00:41:26.934 --> 00:41:29.061 The second thought was, 00:41:29.145 --> 00:41:33.149 "Well, he is his son, what can you do?" You know? 00:41:34.150 --> 00:41:37.945 You just-- I just decided to see how this plays out. 00:41:41.157 --> 00:41:45.077 Right before he was about to go back to go to LA 00:41:45.161 --> 00:41:49.331 and get ready for training camp, we were in the living room, 00:41:49.415 --> 00:41:50.583 you know, saying goodbye, 00:41:50.666 --> 00:41:53.502 'cause I was going to drive back to Toledo. 00:41:53.586 --> 00:41:58.549 And he was-- I noticed he was a little nervous-y. 00:41:59.133 --> 00:42:00.342 He said, 00:42:00.968 --> 00:42:06.474 "Cookie, I love you and I want to marry you." 00:42:06.557 --> 00:42:08.142 And I'm thinking, "What?" 00:42:08.726 --> 00:42:10.603 You know, and it came out of nowhere. 00:42:10.686 --> 00:42:14.148 You know, like he wanted to do it, he didn't know if he wanted to do it, 00:42:14.231 --> 00:42:15.399 and then he just did it. 00:42:15.483 --> 00:42:17.526 -And we was all geeked and gung ho. -Absolutely. 00:42:17.610 --> 00:42:21.314 Like, "Oh, this is great. Finally came around and saw what he had." 00:42:21.349 --> 00:42:26.312 I could get engaged to her, 'cause was the easy part. 00:42:26.396 --> 00:42:28.064 The hard part was following through. 00:42:28.147 --> 00:42:31.984 And he said, "I just can't do it, 00:42:32.068 --> 00:42:33.945 and I just want to break the engagement." 00:42:34.028 --> 00:42:38.116 And I thought-- I said, "Well, you know, after all we've been through, 00:42:38.199 --> 00:42:39.784 that's not-- I can't do that. 00:42:39.867 --> 00:42:42.286 So if you're gonna break the engagement, we're breaking up." 00:42:45.707 --> 00:42:46.916 Here's Magic Johnson. 00:42:48.876 --> 00:42:51.087 Is there a special lady in your life yet? 00:42:51.170 --> 00:42:53.506 No. Not anymore. Remember the last time, 00:42:53.589 --> 00:42:55.758 we talked about how I was thinking about getting married, 00:42:55.842 --> 00:42:56.701 but 00:42:58.165 --> 00:43:02.753 Johnson averaged a career-best 23.9 points a game and led the league in assists. 00:43:02.836 --> 00:43:04.629 This is a special award, 00:43:04.713 --> 00:43:09.259 and I dedicate it to my dad, and I hope he's as proud and happy as I am tonight. 00:43:09.968 --> 00:43:12.971 The Lakers are looking for their third title of the past five years. 00:43:13.055 --> 00:43:16.224 The Celtics are making their fourth consecutive appearance in the finals. 00:43:16.308 --> 00:43:20.103 First time in ten years, the Celtics have not had a home-court edge 00:43:20.187 --> 00:43:21.188 in the playoff series. 00:43:21.271 --> 00:43:24.775 Eighty-seven. It was nothing they can do with us. 00:43:24.858 --> 00:43:28.612 Five seconds left. Magic Johnson a hook shot at 12. Yes! 00:43:28.695 --> 00:43:33.450 The Lakers take the lead on Magic Johnson's stunning sky-hook. 00:43:33.533 --> 00:43:36.745 It was the baby sky-hook. The invention, they said, of the baby sky-hook. 00:43:36.828 --> 00:43:39.831 Pat Riley, as the Lakers dance off the court. 00:43:40.415 --> 00:43:44.086 One of us was gonna take the Championship lead over each other. 00:43:45.879 --> 00:43:48.006 That's between Larry and I, right? 00:43:48.090 --> 00:43:52.469 And I had to make sure that was going to be my team being up 2-1. 00:43:52.552 --> 00:43:55.180 'Cause I had to have the edge. 00:44:08.902 --> 00:44:14.241 Man, we were a fine-tuned machine. 00:44:16.868 --> 00:44:22.165 And that was our best team, if not the greatest team ever in NBA history. 00:44:22.249 --> 00:44:26.336 Jerry, around the world more people saw this Finals than any other in our history. 00:44:26.420 --> 00:44:27.629 They saw quite a show. 00:44:30.382 --> 00:44:37.013 And all I want you to do, like we've been doing, is just party and have a good time. 00:44:40.434 --> 00:44:43.186 And there aren't any more people in this world 00:44:43.270 --> 00:44:47.399 that deserve a World Championship again, 00:44:47.482 --> 00:44:49.443 more than the people in Inglewood here. 00:44:50.026 --> 00:44:54.614 And I'm guaranteeing everybody here, next year we're gonna win it again. 00:44:58.118 --> 00:45:04.541 Magic was a champion. You know, the MVP of the league. He was the best player. 00:45:05.208 --> 00:45:07.627 And, for me as a friend, 00:45:07.711 --> 00:45:12.132 watching the championship path to winning 00:45:12.716 --> 00:45:17.804 confirmed in my mind, in '88 I wanted to win. 00:45:18.597 --> 00:45:22.476 The Lakers and Detroit Pistons begin their NBA Championship series. 00:45:22.559 --> 00:45:24.644 I think in the first game what we're going to see 00:45:24.728 --> 00:45:26.772 is going to be like a heavyweight championship fight. 00:45:26.855 --> 00:45:30.525 the fact that Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas are the best of friends, 00:45:30.609 --> 00:45:32.944 except when they compete against each other. 00:45:33.028 --> 00:45:34.196 Now, we saw you go over 00:45:34.279 --> 00:45:37.032 and give your good friend Isiah Thomas a little kiss on the cheek. 00:45:37.115 --> 00:45:40.660 Is that kind of a ritual you guys have gone through. 00:45:40.744 --> 00:45:41.953 You've been friends for many years. 00:45:42.037 --> 00:45:45.165 Yes, we always greet each other, any time we see each other, 00:45:45.248 --> 00:45:47.542 we greet each other with the kiss on the cheek. 00:45:48.251 --> 00:45:51.630 I don't think our players liked that. I know I didn't like it. 00:45:51.713 --> 00:45:54.424 I don't like fraternizing or any of this stuff. 00:45:55.467 --> 00:45:57.469 You have no other friends. 00:45:57.552 --> 00:46:00.555 If they don't have a purple and gold jersey on, you have no other friends. 00:46:00.639 --> 00:46:01.932 And he was serious about that. 00:46:03.100 --> 00:46:06.103 Pat Riley did not like that friendship. 00:46:06.186 --> 00:46:07.229 He came to me, he said, 00:46:07.312 --> 00:46:13.443 "Hey," would I go after Isiah if that situation presented itself? 00:46:13.527 --> 00:46:18.949 And I remember everybody looking like, "We're going to see what he going to do." 00:46:19.032 --> 00:46:21.576 They're friends before and after, not during. 00:46:22.953 --> 00:46:25.080 Thomas Magic Johnson. 00:46:25.163 --> 00:46:27.874 And Magic went after him there with the forearm. 00:46:27.958 --> 00:46:30.335 That was a bad play by Magic Johnson. 00:46:30.419 --> 00:46:32.629 Before I knew it, he was-- Boom. 00:46:32.713 --> 00:46:34.381 I was like, "Okay. All right." 00:46:34.464 --> 00:46:38.343 He jumps up and swung at me. So, that's when it started. 00:46:40.095 --> 00:46:42.639 And now we see Magic Johnson getting an in-- 00:46:43.515 --> 00:46:46.268 When we talk about winning, we talking about dominance. 00:46:46.893 --> 00:46:48.520 Can I mentally break you? 00:46:49.438 --> 00:46:55.527 That elicits emotions and passion and love and hate. 00:47:03.785 --> 00:47:07.122 That was the start of us not being friends. 00:47:07.873 --> 00:47:11.376 And not, you know, really talking anymore. 00:47:14.254 --> 00:47:15.881 Our relationship, 00:47:16.590 --> 00:47:18.717 it came apart because 00:47:18.800 --> 00:47:22.304 the Championship journey is about 00:47:23.180 --> 00:47:26.683 the insatiable appetite for wanting to win. 00:47:28.727 --> 00:47:29.770 No mercy. 00:47:31.688 --> 00:47:33.482 The game ends. 00:47:33.565 --> 00:47:34.775 The Lakers have won it. 00:47:37.778 --> 00:47:41.490 For me it's just-- it's always been winning at all costs. 00:47:43.033 --> 00:47:46.370 If it costs me friendships, it just cost me that. 00:47:47.621 --> 00:47:49.956 It's party time once again. 00:47:51.833 --> 00:47:55.796 I always followed him, of course, and, you know, was always happy for him. 00:47:55.879 --> 00:47:57.464 How do you like us now? 00:47:58.715 --> 00:48:00.425 Whenever he won a Championship or something, 00:48:00.509 --> 00:48:02.469 I would call him and congratulate him. 00:48:05.472 --> 00:48:08.100 I started dating a guy in Chicago, 00:48:08.183 --> 00:48:11.436 but then Earvin was always in the back of my mind. 00:48:11.937 --> 00:48:14.815 By that time, we started talking a little more on the phone. 00:48:16.316 --> 00:48:20.404 One day he called and the guy was over, he was like, "Well why can't you talk?" 00:48:20.487 --> 00:48:23.740 I'm like, "'Cause I have company." He's like, "Why do you have company?" 00:48:24.658 --> 00:48:27.744 I'm like, "What? We're not together, what are you talking about?" 00:48:28.245 --> 00:48:32.916 So, I think that really, kind of, snapped him back. 00:48:32.999 --> 00:48:34.334 Like, "Wait a minute, 00:48:34.418 --> 00:48:37.713 she might not just be sitting there waiting all this time for me." 00:48:37.796 --> 00:48:42.134 It's hard seeing somebody you love be with somebody else, right? 00:48:42.217 --> 00:48:44.261 And we got back together. 00:48:44.876 --> 00:48:47.129 Yeah, I think that was their make up song. 00:48:48.797 --> 00:48:51.091 I know I used it before, so-- 00:48:51.174 --> 00:48:53.468 A lot of making up that went on too. 00:48:54.136 --> 00:49:00.308 He rented out, like, this little soul food restaurant. The entire restaurant. 00:49:00.392 --> 00:49:03.812 He had all the family come. 00:49:05.230 --> 00:49:08.733 And I was trying to do the right thing. I'm always trying to do the right thing. 00:49:09.234 --> 00:49:13.363 Then he had this ring in his hand in the box, 00:49:13.447 --> 00:49:17.409 and he said-- He turned to me and he said, "Cookie, will you marry me?" 00:49:19.536 --> 00:49:24.040 I just jumped up and ran over and hugged him, and he gave me the ring. 00:49:24.708 --> 00:49:27.335 So part of me thought, "Is it the same ring?" 00:49:28.587 --> 00:49:30.714 But it wasn't. It was definitely bigger. 00:49:32.966 --> 00:49:35.218 Engagement number two became 00:49:36.761 --> 00:49:40.348 planning the wedding around the season, 00:49:40.432 --> 00:49:46.021 practice, early practice, getting to-- getting ready for the season, the season. 00:49:46.563 --> 00:49:50.442 It just became, "Well I think-- Okay, we're going to do it this time, 00:49:50.525 --> 00:49:53.153 but I can only fit it in--" 00:49:53.236 --> 00:49:56.782 -We had to get it in here. -this week or this week." 00:49:56.865 --> 00:50:00.660 I call it the roller coaster, because it was just up, you know. 00:50:00.744 --> 00:50:01.953 Up and it's like, "Whatever." 00:50:03.580 --> 00:50:08.835 And if I'm going to be completely honest, Earvin and I had had a conversation, 00:50:08.919 --> 00:50:14.424 and I don't know if he remembers this, but he was-- He wasn't sure. 00:50:14.508 --> 00:50:17.677 And I had told him, I said, "You know what, if you're not sure, don't do it." 00:50:17.761 --> 00:50:19.221 I didn't want him to hurt her. 00:50:20.597 --> 00:50:25.560 Once I got the plan again, it just became hard 00:50:26.144 --> 00:50:31.316 to get me to the aisle and to the church, right? 00:50:31.399 --> 00:50:32.859 And walk down that aisle. 00:50:33.527 --> 00:50:36.196 After going back and forth, I said, "Well, I tell you what. 00:50:36.863 --> 00:50:40.617 We can postpone the wedding, but we're not breaking the engagement. 00:50:40.700 --> 00:50:42.119 So, we're staying engaged." 00:50:42.702 --> 00:50:45.038 "Cookie, you know, stop playing. Give me the ring." 00:50:46.123 --> 00:50:50.544 I opened the door at the same time and I said, "No, this time is different." 00:50:50.627 --> 00:50:52.087 And I just slammed the door. 00:50:54.131 --> 00:50:57.008 I was getting ready for Isiah. 00:50:57.926 --> 00:51:02.848 The Pistons were so good, we had to be at full strength to beat them. 00:51:03.640 --> 00:51:06.184 So now we play them again in '89. 00:51:06.726 --> 00:51:08.979 Magic Johnson may have pulled a hamstring. 00:51:11.857 --> 00:51:15.777 It was bad. I cried in the shower. 00:51:15.861 --> 00:51:19.406 They had to basically pull me out of the shower. 00:51:20.282 --> 00:51:23.910 By the time we went home, he tried to play. He just couldn't play. 00:51:23.994 --> 00:51:27.831 It was like blood in the water and they just wore us down. 00:51:28.498 --> 00:51:34.754 We were a little beat-up, a little older and, you know, that era was over. 00:51:34.838 --> 00:51:36.798 Yeah, we ended up getting swept. 00:51:38.800 --> 00:51:42.429 For a long time I've always wanted to say, number one. 00:51:44.222 --> 00:51:46.183 You know, it was Kareem's last year. 00:51:46.266 --> 00:51:49.102 One of the most memorable careers in American sports history 00:51:49.186 --> 00:51:51.938 ended last night when the Pistons beat the Lakers. 00:51:52.022 --> 00:51:54.691 It was the final game for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 00:51:55.192 --> 00:51:58.653 That's when I kind of knew that the-- Like the Celtics had done, 00:51:58.737 --> 00:52:01.948 had made them early runs in '80, ours was just coming to an end. 00:52:02.991 --> 00:52:06.620 In the next year, I could see this thing unwinding. 00:52:09.623 --> 00:52:10.707 And that was it. 00:52:10.791 --> 00:52:13.835 Speculation laid to rest, Pat Riley, of his own doing, 00:52:13.919 --> 00:52:15.629 resigned as coach of the Lakers. 00:52:15.712 --> 00:52:19.216 Riley said he's ready for a new challenge after more than meeting the old one. 00:52:19.299 --> 00:52:23.261 I remember the day he came to my house to tell me that he was leaving, 00:52:23.929 --> 00:52:27.766 and I said, "No, you can't." And we both just started crying, 00:52:27.849 --> 00:52:30.143 and I told him, 00:52:31.812 --> 00:52:34.106 "I'm not going to be Magic without you." 00:52:35.107 --> 00:52:36.233 This is the Forum. 00:52:36.316 --> 00:52:39.736 You may not recognize it. The Lakers don't, but in fact, 00:52:39.820 --> 00:52:43.073 the Lakers are having a hard time recognizing themselves these days. 00:52:43.156 --> 00:52:46.576 The sounds of silence this time of year are rather eerie here. 00:52:46.660 --> 00:52:49.538 Showtime is gone, the magic is over. 00:52:49.621 --> 00:52:51.873 The real worry is, will it ever return? 00:52:52.582 --> 00:52:55.836 Riley's gone and Kareem's gone, 00:52:56.962 --> 00:53:00.340 and now '91, here come the Bulls. 00:53:00.423 --> 00:53:02.968 Jordan to the hoop. Big in the air. Score! 00:53:03.051 --> 00:53:05.178 I got into the league in '84. 00:53:05.262 --> 00:53:08.974 In the '80s it was only the Celtics against the Lakers. 00:53:09.057 --> 00:53:14.521 As big a star as Magic Johnson was, Michael Jordan was coming on the scene. 00:53:14.604 --> 00:53:18.316 Nobody like him. Point-blank, I never seen nobody play like he plays. 00:53:19.276 --> 00:53:22.988 He comes in and he got all the endorsement deals. 00:53:23.071 --> 00:53:27.075 He's Air Jordan on the court and a bona fide commodity for brands. 00:53:27.159 --> 00:53:29.911 Jordan now rakes in the richest commercial earnings 00:53:29.995 --> 00:53:31.580 in the history of team sports. 00:53:31.663 --> 00:53:32.873 You better eat your Wheaties. 00:53:33.415 --> 00:53:35.834 Magic Johnson should've had that way before me. 00:53:35.917 --> 00:53:38.295 You know, his personality, his persona, 00:53:39.421 --> 00:53:42.549 and I think that's where the jealousy grew between me and him. 00:53:42.632 --> 00:53:45.385 Yes, I was mad. Yes, I was jealous, you know. 00:53:45.469 --> 00:53:47.137 Yeah, I'm a competitor, I'm gonna be mad. 00:53:48.513 --> 00:53:52.392 You know, I may have had my McDonald's commercial, Jordan brand, 00:53:52.476 --> 00:53:53.685 you know, blah, blah, blah. 00:53:54.186 --> 00:53:58.648 But in terms of winning, which is to me the most important part about it is, 00:53:58.732 --> 00:53:59.941 he had that. 00:54:00.025 --> 00:54:02.944 And I wanted it, and I wanted to go through him, 00:54:03.028 --> 00:54:05.447 I didn't want to go around him. I wanted to go through him. 00:54:06.364 --> 00:54:09.826 We had heard a lot about Michael Jordan and what he was doing, 00:54:09.910 --> 00:54:14.998 but you want to take on Magic and you want to start winning championships. 00:54:15.081 --> 00:54:16.458 You're looking for rings? 00:54:16.541 --> 00:54:19.211 Okay, all right, let's see what you can do. 00:54:19.836 --> 00:54:24.549 In '91, when people had doubted us, that got me motivated. 00:54:25.467 --> 00:54:29.137 Without Riley and Abdul-Jabbar, the showtime era might be over, 00:54:29.221 --> 00:54:32.307 but Magic's leadership of the Lakers continues. 00:54:32.390 --> 00:54:35.477 The team has the best record in the league this year. 00:54:35.560 --> 00:54:38.146 I wanted to prove to people that, you know, 00:54:38.230 --> 00:54:41.066 we could still be successful without Kareem. 00:54:43.360 --> 00:54:46.446 And I wanted to face the Chicago Bulls.