The 63-year-old former Los Angeles Lakers star, who now owns Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team, opened up on Jimmy Kimmel Live! about how he started in the NBA and how he could easily have had a different path.
When Johnson was heading out on his career as a basketball pro, there was a moment that he could have been drafted to the Bulls, which would have meant a different story for Jordan.
Kimmel asked his show guest: “I was thinking about this today about how close you came to being drafted by the Chicago Bulls and how the whole, not just the Lakers and your career, everything would have changed if that had happened.”
Johnson replied that this was the case, saying: “Jimmy, no question about it, can you believe that if I had went to the Bulls there would be no Michael Jordan in Chicago.”
Kimmel joked: “Yeah, he probably would have went right to the Wizards or something.”
Johnson laughed: “That’s a good one. But I’m glad that I ended up here [Los Angeles] and playing with Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] and all that.”
Kimmel then turned his attention to the beginning of Johnson’s career and asked about an NBA star that became a guiding light for the young Magic and how they influenced how he began as a pro.
Kimmel asked: “You were a young man before you were at college, deciding what you want to do, was there an NBA player that you consulted with, who advised you on your career?”
Johnson said: “I contacted Dr. J, Julius Erving, he had left school early and I was going to leave school early so I wanted to know the pros and cons on leaving school early.
“He thought I should leave. It was a bit weird as I idolized Dr. J, I wore the Dr. J shoes. So, I’m talking to him on the phone and I can’t believe I have got Dr. J on the phone.
“I said, what do you think, I am trying to decide whether to leave school and he said, well, I can do you one better, instead of talking to you on the phone, I’m going to fly you to Philly and you gonna stay with me.”
Johnson continued: “‘What did you just say?’ And so he said it again, and so I hung up the phone and I’m hollering and screaming, ‘guess what everybody, I’m going to Dr. J’s house.’”
“I’m going crazy, I couldn’t hold it. I’m running down the street telling everybody, ‘I’m going to be staying at Dr. J’s house.’”
“And so, I get there and he’s talking to me and I’m just mesmerized and I don’t care if I’m sleeping on the floor or on the couch, you know, I’d sleep anywhere.
“So, went to sleep, woke up and went to the game. He was in a playoff game and, who would have ever thought, this is how much of a blessing it is, I ended up playing him in the NBA championship, my first year as a rookie.
“Six, seven months later, I’m in the finals against Dr. J.”
Kimmel added: “And you beat Dr. J so he must have been mad that he gave you the advice.”
A delighted Johnson continued: “Yes, well I love the man but he was between me and that championship, I was not going to let him beat me.
“You know, that series, I’m still the only player in NBA history, as a rookie, to be named finals MVP. Isn’t that great?
“And, the greatest thing is, we played the game and I went back to my hotel and watched the game because it wasn’t live then. Taped delayed. How many people can say that? They won the game and then went back and watched myself on TV?”
Kimmel wound up the interview saying: “Dr. J, you screwed up, you made a mistake, there’s no two ways about it, he should have told you to stay [in school].”
