New biography by author Roland Lazenby goes in depth on one of basketball’s greatest.
Lazenby has penned dozens of sports books including volumes on Johnny Unitas, Jerry West, Phil Jackson, Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan: The Life, perhaps the definitive bio of another of the best players in NBA history.
I first met Lazenby when he was in Chicago researching his Jordan book. He was kind enough to join me via zoom for a discussion of his newest book.
We had a wide-ranging discussion of Magic’s early days in Lansing, Michigan, how Johnson and Larry Bird resuscitated the moribund NBA, his competitive relationship with Jordan, and how he’s become a successful businessman.
Some other notable things you will hear: Magic ended up in LA as a result of winning a coin flip over Chicago. Scouts, GM’s, and pundits didn’t think Johnson would succeed after his early struggles at playing point guard in the NBA. The similarities between Johnson and Jordan’s mothers, as well as the history of the feud between the two superstars.
Here’s a link to the book on Amazon.
