Magic Johnson has seen just about every version of the Lakers imaginable. He apparently likes what he sees coming next.
Johnson offered a ringing endorsement of incoming Lakers owners Josh Kushner and Bob Iger on Wednesday, one the day of the stunning agreement to purchase controlling interest in the franchise at a record $12.5 billion valuation.
It’s safe to say that Magic didn’t exactly hedge.
“Laker fans, you couldn’t have two better owners,” Johnson wrote on X. “I’ve known Bob personally for over 40 years. He has always loved the Lakers and basketball and he will bring championships back to LA.”
Well, there you go.
Johnson obviously knows a little something about championships in Los Angeles. He won five of them during his Hall of Fame career with the Lakers and later served as the franchise’s president of basketball operations.
He’s also plenty familiar with the ownership side of professional sports as part of the group that purchased the Dodgers in 2012.
His comments come after Luka Doncic offered an enthusiastic response of his own to the sale, saying there is “no limit to the potential” of the Lakers and that he’s looking forward to meeting Kushner and Iger.
That’s two pretty significant endorsements from two pretty significant Lakers.
Kushner and Iger are set to take over from Mark Walter, who purchased controlling interest from the Buss family just last year at a valuation of roughly $10 billion. Walter’s business empire also remains the subject of an unrelated federal investigation, though no charges have been filed and there’s been no indication the investigation played a role in the sale.
The deal still requires approval from the NBA Board of Governors. Magic, apparently, has already cast his vote.
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