Magic Johnson is one of the greatest players of all time. There can be no denying just how amazing a player he was.
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Part of the reason why Johnson was so successful was because of his basketball IQ. Apart from his natural physical gifts, Magic was one of the smartest players on the court.
This was something a young rookie in Robert Horry learned during his Laker tryout. It’s important to have physical gifts as well as smarts.
Also Read: “You think I give a flying F****?”: Charles Barkley was Berated for his Magic Johnson Tribute
Robert Horry learned a lot from his just single one-on-one match with Magic Johnson
As a rookie, it is very rare for teams to go all out when they give you a tryout. However, that was not the case for Robert Horry back in 1992.
At the time, a young Big Shot Rob went to LA for his tryout with the Lakers. It was here that he was told he would be facing a player one-on-one. To his surprise, that player happened to be Magic Johnson, whom he learned a valuable lesson from.
Harry learned that it isn’t just physical attributes that make you a great player, but you have to be smart as well. Safe to say he took that to heart, considering he ended his career with five championships.
As for Johnson, his career was equally successful, both on and off the court. As a player and as a mentor to young stars.
Magic Johnson took an interest in helping young superstars, especially those on the Lakers
Following his retirement in 1991, Magic Johnson maintained a close relationship with the Lakers. Once serving as the president of basketball, Magic particularly focused on mentoring young stars, which once included Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal.
Shaq to this day still mentions Magic as a huge influence on his dealings in the business world. It truly is amazing just how influential Magic has been.
