Magic Johnson, Who Had a Regret Involving LeBron James, Revealed 1 Thing ‘The King’ Had to Do to Become a Lakers Icon in 2021

Magic Johnson has been one of the most iconic athletes in the NBA. The Los Angeles Lakers legend played a crucial role in reviving the league in the 1980s due to his rivalry with Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics. After his untimely retirement, Johnson went back to his community and established businesses to create jobs and bring change. Moreover, Johnson remained connected with the Lakers franchise and acted as the president of basketball operations under Jeanie Buss. Back in 2021, Johnson shared his regrets involving LeBron James during his tenure. The 12-time All-Star also revealed one thing that King James needed to do in order to become a Lakers icon.

On the court, Johnson won five championships with the Lakers in a short term before being diagnosed with HIV in 1991. He also represented the USA at the 1992 Summer Olympics with the Dream Team and won a gold medal for his country.

After retiring, Johnson remained one of the most faithful advisors for the Lakers. He also took over as the president of basketball operations in 2017. The same year, the Lakers front office bid goodbye to GM Mitch Kupchak and welcomed Rob Pelinka in the position. 

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Further, Johnson played a crucial role in bringing a superstar like LeBron James to the Lakers. He was the one who convinced the four-time NBA champ to leave Cleveland and come to LA in 2018.

Johnson’s invaluable advice to LeBron James

During an interview in 2021, Johnson praised how well LeBron James had done with the Los Angeles Lakers. The three-time Finals MVP pointed out that James had already won a championship with the Lakers. Moreover, Johnson suggested that LeBron James needed to win more championships with the Lakers like other legends who won multiple championships. 

Magic Johnson said, “Just win another one, Then it’s not just about the Lakers. It’s all about his legacy here, and it’s not just here- it’s Hollywood.”

The Lakers legend claimed that King James needed to win one more championship with the Lakers to establish himself as an icon in LA. He stated that James was the biggest celebrity in the town of celebrities, apart from being a formidable basketball player.

Magic Johnson shared his regrets involving James

Magic Johnson shared one regret he had during his tenure as a basketball operations president with the Lakers. After taking up the responsibilities in 2017, Johnson shockingly made a public announcement about his decision to step down from his position in 2019, without informing Jeanie Buss or LeBron James.

Magic Johnson said, “The only thing I probably would’ve did was probably talked to LeBron before I stepped down because I felt like I owed him that.”

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The NBA Hall of Famer felt like he made a mistake by not informing Jeanie Buss and LeBron James about his decision to step down.