In 1979, the Lakers had the number one overall pick. It was not a difficult choice for the Lakers when they selected Earvin “Magic” Johnson out of Michigan State. Magic led the Lakers to five championships in the 1980’s, making the Lakers the team of the decade.
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Fast forward 36 years and the Lakers are hoping they can once again select the right player in the NBA Draft. This time around the Lakers have the second pick and all signs point them choosing Jahlil Okafor.
Magic no longer works with the Lakers, but that does not stop him from sharing his opinion, especially on Twitter. The three-time MVP was not shy to admit that he loves Okafor because he been at a champion at every level of his career:
I love Okafor because he's won a state championship in HS, NCAA Title at Duke and he can bring that championship pedigree to the Lakers.
— Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) June 10, 2015
Like Okafor, Johnson won a high school state title and an NCAA title, so they both understand what it takes to win a championship. The Lakers need a player who can live with championship expectations because this franchise only expects titles and anything less is considered a disappointment.
It’s no fluke that Okafor has had success at every level of his basketball career. Will he have the same success as a professional basketball player? That’s the question the Lakers need to answer in order to make a decision on June 25th. For now, Magic’s approval will have to do.