Magic Johnson is one of the most notable figures in Los Angeles sports history, having won five NBA championships during his playing days with the Lakers, to now being tasked with everyday duties as Lakers president of basketball operations and Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner.
Johnson made headlines over the weekend when he successfully recruited the NBA’s best player in LeBron James to the Lakers during the opening hours of the free agency period.
The historic signing signifies the end of a long Lakers rebuild, with the hope that the franchise will resume competing for championships on a consistent basis.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts offered high praise for Johnson and opined that his charming personality was a pivotal factor in luring James to the Lakers, per Andy McCullough of the L.A. Times:
“There’s an aura about him that very few people have,” Roberts said. “The presence, positivity and trust. Obviously, if you’re courting a player like LeBron, those variable and opportunities, that’s a relationship I can see happening.”
Yasiel Puig was one of the many Dodgers players to express excitement in James joining the Lakers. He took to Twitter in welcoming the 14-time NBA All-Star to Los Angeles.
While Johnson is on track of returning the Lakers to their glory days, he has also seen the Dodgers return to prominence as well.
Since becoming a minority owner of the Dodgers in 2012, the organization has replenished its farm system as an effort to establish long-term sustainability going forward.
The results back that up, as the Dodgers have strung together five consecutive National League West titles, as well as participating in back-to-back trips NL Championship Series and its first World Series appearance in nearly three decades.
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