It’s no secret that Magic Johnson’s journey to superstardom started on the basketball court. Winning the National Championship with Michigan State in 1979 and five NBA titles with the LA Lakers during the Showtime era made him a household name. But his transformation from athlete to a billionaire is what truly sets him apart. Only four athletes have so far joined the billionaire club—Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Magic Johnson, and LeBron James. Over the years, Johnson has often shared that Kobe Bryant could have followed a similar path if not for the tragic helicopter crash that cut his life short.

Johnson joined Jim Hill on KCAL News, sharing stories about the current state of the Lakers and reflecting on his own incredible journey. But the moment that really struck a chord was when he recalled a conversation with the Black Mamba. “Kobe told me he wanted to be like me and Michael Jordan,” Johnson said. “But not just in basketball—he wanted to dominate in business too.” This wasn’t just empty talk; Kobe was determined, and according to Johnson, “he was heading in that direction.”

However, everything changed in January 2020, when Kobe, along with his 13-year-old daughter Gianna, and 9 others died in a helicopter crash, leaving the world stunned. But Johnson has no doubts about what could have been. “I always wondered, Jim, he would have been one of the biggest businessmen in the world if he had been still here,” Johnson mused during the interview.

Bryant’s ventures were already making waves long before his untimely death. He founded Kobe Inc. to invest in sports-related brands and launched Granity Studios, which produced films, TV shows, and novels. Kobe also co-founded Bryant-Stibel, a venture capital firm. He also accumulated $680 million in career earnings—the most ever by a team athlete at the time of his retirement, according to Forbes.

And it’s not the first time Magic has expressed this sentiment. Last year, as Johnson celebrated his own billionaire status, he didn’t shy away from saying the same thing.

Magic Johnson on Kobe Bryant’s unfinished business ambitions

On the day Forbes announced that Johnson joined the billionaire club, Magic sat down with The Times, visibly proud of his accomplishment. “To join those three guys—MJ, Tiger, LeBron—who have accomplished a lot and to get here just makes me feel so good,” Johnson shared.

But the 65-year-old couldn’t help but think of one more name that deserved to be on that list—Kobe Bryant. “You know who would have been the fifth guy as a billionaire? Kobe Bryant,” Johnson said, reflecting on his late friend and Lakers legend. “He was heading in that direction already,” he added.

Back in 2022, Magic Johnson sat down with Undefeated, reflecting on everything from being named to the NBA75 to the Lakers’ rocky season. When the topic shifted to Kobe, the 5x champ shared a special moment between them after Bryant’s retirement. “He wanted to meet with me and said, ‘I just want to be like you and Michael. That’s it, That is, he’s talking about after his career,’” Johnson recalled.

Magic further said that Kobe wanted to follow his and Jordan’s footsteps into the business world. “He was about to be one of the biggest businessmen we’ve ever seen,” Johnson added, recognizing Kobe’s sharp vision and drive to conquer the business world.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.