“What is He Doing?”: Magic Johnson’s Trust in Kobe Bryant’s Promise Vanished Following Lamar Odom’s Shopping Spree During 2008 NBA Finals

No one bleeds Purple and Gold like Magic Johnson does. Johnson, who retired as a Laker in 1996, has been involved with the Lakers as a fan and a well-wisher almost all his life. The Showtime legend also served as the President of Basketball Operations for the LA side until very recently. Back in 2008, Magic was in high spirits, as the Lakers had made the NBA Finals once again and a Championship was in sight.

What contributed to Magic’s confidence in the Lakers was Kobe’s promise of ensuring the Lakers’ unity and dedication. Kobe had declared to the media that the Lakers were ready and prepared for the upcoming finals against the loaded Boston Celtics. The Celtics were represented by the likes of Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, Rajon Rondo, and Kendrick Perkins, which required a battle-ready Lakers squad to defend the fort.

But Magic’s confidence didn’t last long. Before game 2, he spotted Lamar Odom returning from a shopping spree, just three hours before tip-off. Watching the Lakers star walking around in 95 degrees when he should be resting before the game irked the Lakers legend.

Magic, who was also staying at the hotel, decided to take up the matter with the Lakers coaching staff. The incident is described in detail in his book ‘When The Game Was Ours’. The book noted:

” Johnson rode down the elevator with the Lakers coaches and informed them of what he’d seen. ‘They don’t grasp the magnitude of this moment,’ said veteran assistant Frank Hamblen. ‘They don’t understand they might never have this chance again.’ “

Magic’s fears unfortunately turned out to be true as the Lakers would fall to the Boston Celtics in six games. The loss was a devastating one, as many had predicted the Lakers to take the chip home. As for Lamar Odam, he would eventually get the chance to redeem himself, winning back-to-back Championships in ’09 and ’10.

The Kobe Bryant-led Lakers weren’t the first team to fumble the ball in the NBA Finals and they wouldn’t be the last. Many teams, from the Charles Barkley-led Phoenix Suns to the Shaquille O’Neal-led Orlando Magic, have made the fatal mistake of taking it easy before preparing for the NBA Finals. The lights have been too bright for many teams, including the 2008 Lakers, who had the stone cold Kobe Bryant as their leader. However, the Lakers would get a chance to redeem themselves the very next year.

Kobe and the Lakers bounced back

Magic had predicted the downfall of the Lakers in the 2008 Finals, which was inevitable. The Lakers lacked coordination and Kobe would look like a one-man show during the entire series. Not only did Boston dominate the series, but they did so in a manner that lit a fire under Kobe and the Lakers.

The Lakers would come back the next two years, hungrier than ever before. The following two Championships would possibly be the toughest back-to-back Championships ever earned. The Lakers would also get their revenge against Garnett and the Celtics in the 2010 Fimals, as the contest would culminate in an epic game 7 face-off.

Kobe would take home Finals MVP honors, averaging 28.6 points, 8 rebounds and almost 4 assists a game. But it wasn’t just Kobe who showed up to play that year, as Pau Gasol anchored the Lakers on both ends of the floor. The Lakers would have to wait until 2020 to see another Championship, something that unfortunately Kobe never got to witness.