SantaFeToday.com Santa Fe’s Hometown News
By Arnie Leshin
Well, what do you know, Magic Johnson is thinking cross country, not to run mind you, but to consider possible ownership of the National Basketball Association New York Knicks.
Through the years, the hoops superstar with the talent and the personality has shown his love for the formerly owned Los Angeles Lakers, and that has kept him from considering ownership of any other NBA franchise.
He spoke of it in New York Tuesday.
“I think it would be intriguing,” he said. “The only team I would actually probably give thought to that would be the Knicks.”
The ultra-popular Johnson arrived in New York for a speaking engagement at a YMCA, coming from D.C. where the members of the NBA commissioners’ new ownership group watched his NFL-owned Washington team lose to the Buffalo Bills.
Once back in Los Angeles, he will gear up for his also Dodgers’ owned team to begin play in baseball’s post-season. But the basketball Hall of Famer has repeatedly passed on opportunities for the sport he follows most.
Johnson previously named the franchises he turned down — the Golden State Warriors, Detroit Pistons, and Atlanta Hawks, obviously rather than finding himself in competition with the Lakers he still devotes time to.
The Knicks though offer something different. Remember, Johnson played his All-America college ball at Michigan, where he turned back Larry Bird and Indiana State for the national championship. He then turned professional with the Lakers.
“I think of the way fans love basketball you might have to think of New York because I always came to the Garden, and still to, to watch the Knicks play,” he said in an interview with the Associated Press. “I just love being with fans who are so passionate about their team, and the Knick fans are, and they are smart.
“And so I would have to think about it, and I think that other than that, I would never think about ever being about being part of another NBA franchise.”
Johnson said he hasn’t spoke with Madison Square Garden executive officials about the idea, and isn’t looking for an opportunity, content to watch the Lakers as a fan after serving as their president of basketball operations for two seasons before resigning in 2019.
But if the conversation did occur, he said he would gladly listen.
“Of course I’m happy with the Lakers,” he said, “and I do bleed purple and gold, but the Knicks are the Knicks, New Yorkers are super fans, yeah they’ve always been on my mind, so we will see.”
