Magic Johnson is synonymous with the five-time champion Showtime Lakers — the fast-break master with the no-look pass whose infectious smile belies one of the most competitive players ever to lace them up.
In his incredibly well-researched new biography on Earvin "Magic" Johnson, author Roland Lazenby dives into the complex personality of of Magic, the guy who never forgot his roots and always seemed grounded, but also continues to compete with Michael Jordan on the financial front. Kurt Helin of NBC Sports and Lazenby discuss how Magic and Larry Bird — along with David Stern — turned the NBA into a prime-time, must watch show (setting the stage for Michael Jordan).
They also delve into Magic's HIV announcement and how that was received domestically and internationally, his family and the influence of his mother and father on the man Magic would be, and how Magic the businessman made his billion dollars by focusing on building for underserved black communities in Los Angeles.
It's a full discussion of one of the NBA's greats with details not often discussed about the Magic man.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Cardiac Cowboys
The heart was always off-limits to surgeons. Cutting into it spelled instant death for the patient. That is, until a ragtag group of doctors scattered across the Midwest and Texas decided to throw out the rule book. Working in makeshift laboratories and home garages, using medical devices made from scavenged machine parts and beer tubes, these men and women invented the field of open heart surgery. Odds are, someone you know is alive because of them. So why has history left them behind? Presented by Chris Pine, CARDIAC COWBOYS tells the gripping true story behind the birth of heart surgery, and the young, Greatest Generation doctors who made it happen. For years, they competed and feuded, racing to be the first, the best, and the most prolific. Some appeared on the cover of Time Magazine, operated on kings and advised presidents. Others ended up disgraced, penniless, and convicted of felonies. Together, they ignited a revolution in medicine, and changed the world.
The Joe Rogan Experience
The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.