Earvin “Magic” Johnson knows better than most just how much pressure comes with playing sports professionally. An athlete not only has to help their team reach certain goals but, as individuals, they also have to continue to hone their own skills. Of course, there’s also the potential anxiety that can come with playing in front of a crowd. In Johnson’s case, he had to play in front of a bevy of celebrities, like Jack Nicholson and Sally Field. The hall of famer, of course, rose to the occasion, but it was never lost on him that he was playing in front of such major stars. He recently reflected on what that was like and recalled partying with Nicholson.
The “Showtime” Lakers of the 1980s were amongst the most glamorous teams in the NBA. They had great players, an exciting owner in Dr. Jerry Buss and plenty of style. Thanks to Buss and his colleagues’ efforts, The Forum was the place to be, which is why so many A-listers frequented it so often. Some may think that the vivacious Magic Johnson was able to shrug off any jitters he had due to their being so many stars in attendance. However, when he spoke with Jake Hamilton of our own ReelBlend podcast, the revered former point guard revealed that even he was in awe of the situation he’d been thrust into:
I come from a small town, Lansing, Michigan. So now I go to Hollywood, and there is Jack Nicholson sitting there, right? And you know, you’re sitting there saying, ‘Wow, he’s really here.’ [laughs] And so now, you’re nervous and excited at the same time. We had Bruce Willis, we had Eddie Murphy. We had all the guys who were on the top of their game at that time, right? Don Johnson – Miami Vice – remember? Everybody wanted to be cool. And so we had all the superstars there, and what you said was, ‘You know what? They’re here to see us play. Let’s put on a show for them.’
It’s hard to imagine being in Magic Johnson’s shoes. Being a professional athlete and being expected to perform at a high level every night is challenging enough. However, the thought of having to do that in front of a cavalcade of famous faces is just downright daunting. However, he managed to play through the pressure – and win five NBA championships and other various accolades in the process. Johnson also became good friends with some of the stars that showed up to the game, including Jack Nicholson (who’s given amazing performances). The basketball great further explained to Jake’s Takes just how tight the three-time Oscar winner became with the team:
But the best moments were when we won those five championships, and Jack Nicholson came to all our afterparties. Right when we won, then we had a big party, and then we had an afterparty to that party. And Jack was in there partying with us. Man, we thought we were the coolest dudes on the face of the earth to have Jack partying and having fun on the dance floor with us. … Nobody can keep up with [Jack]. [laughs] It was the coolest thing for us to know the man, not the actor but the man. And he became a friend of ours, and it was just so much fun.
Much of the glamor and excitement of this time period was depicted in HBO’s Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty (which is streamable with a Max subscription). On the show, an actor even briefly portrayed the Chinatown legend, who appeared during a game day sequence. Critics and viewers praised the series for staying true to such elements (though Magic Johnson didn’t check it out).
While I was one of the people who found the dramedy compelling, I’d imagine that the experience of watching it can’t compare to actually having lived it. Oh, to have been at one of the games and to have been a fly on the wall during those parties. I suppose I’ll just have to live vicariously through the memories that the Lakers icon shares.
You can learn more about Magic Johnson by grabbing a Hulu subscription and streaming the docuseries Legacy: The True Story of the LA Lakers. Apple TV+ subscribers can also check out Johnson’s biographic docuseries They Call Me Magic.
