1 00:00:02,171 --> 00:00:07,223 JERRY BUSS: I think probably one of the longest 2 00:00:07,223 --> 00:00:10,312 American institutions there is, 3 00:00:10,312 --> 00:00:13,778 is when you look up on a sign in an old store, 4 00:00:13,778 --> 00:00:18,579 and it says "Peterson & Sons." 5 00:00:18,579 --> 00:00:22,086 That's a long tradition in American life, 6 00:00:22,086 --> 00:00:24,800 and exactly the same thing is happening here. 7 00:00:26,637 --> 00:00:29,601 This is now Buss, Sons, & Daughters. 8 00:00:29,601 --> 00:00:32,565 [uneasy music] 9 00:00:32,565 --> 00:00:34,695 JIM BUSS: My dad wanted us to grow up 10 00:00:34,695 --> 00:00:36,447 without the hardship that he had. 11 00:00:36,447 --> 00:00:38,201 - Very good. 12 00:00:39,746 --> 00:00:42,669 JIM: But he didn't want us to grow up with a silver spoon 13 00:00:42,669 --> 00:00:46,134 in our mouth. He wanted us to work. 14 00:00:49,348 --> 00:00:53,231 JEANIE BUSS: He never intended to build a kingdom, 15 00:00:53,231 --> 00:00:55,068 but that's what he did. 16 00:00:57,406 --> 00:01:00,872 It's bigger than any one person, any one owner, 17 00:01:00,872 --> 00:01:03,126 any one coach, any one player. 18 00:01:06,341 --> 00:01:08,345 He wanted the Lakers to be great 19 00:01:08,345 --> 00:01:13,438 for the city of Los Angeles that took him in 20 00:01:13,438 --> 00:01:18,824 and gave him the family that he had wanted so much. 21 00:01:21,872 --> 00:01:24,251 EMCEE: Okay, there he is now. 22 00:01:24,251 --> 00:01:27,424 Let's do it the way we have been doing it! 23 00:01:27,424 --> 00:01:31,474 Ladies and gentlemen, Jerry Buss, right there. 24 00:01:31,474 --> 00:01:34,230 [cheers and applause] 25 00:01:34,230 --> 00:01:36,568 JIM: Never did we think that it would involve 26 00:01:36,568 --> 00:01:39,533 into what it is today, not even close. 27 00:01:39,533 --> 00:01:41,494 You know, it wasn't even a thought. 28 00:01:43,373 --> 00:01:45,085 REPORTER: Time now for sports and a big shakeup 29 00:01:45,085 --> 00:01:47,131 for the LA Lakers front office. 30 00:01:47,131 --> 00:01:48,466 REPORTER: The Lakers are now caught 31 00:01:48,466 --> 00:01:50,680 in the middle of a family power struggle 32 00:01:50,680 --> 00:01:53,268 that is threatening to tear the team apart. 33 00:01:53,268 --> 00:01:55,690 REPORTER: There's a family feud brewing 34 00:01:55,690 --> 00:01:58,696 over who will run the Los Angeles Lakers. 35 00:01:58,696 --> 00:02:01,910 ♪ ♪ 36 00:02:01,910 --> 00:02:04,123 - Jerry Buss never would've expected that 37 00:02:04,123 --> 00:02:05,626 to happen from his own kids 38 00:02:05,626 --> 00:02:07,714 because he put them in a position. 39 00:02:07,714 --> 00:02:09,968 They knew what their jobs were. 40 00:02:09,968 --> 00:02:11,555 He put the plan in place. 41 00:02:11,555 --> 00:02:13,266 They just didn't want to follow it. 42 00:02:13,266 --> 00:02:17,609 ♪ ♪ 43 00:02:17,609 --> 00:02:20,238 ROGER TROUTMAN: ♪ California love ♪ 44 00:02:20,238 --> 00:02:21,658 ["California Love" playing] 45 00:02:21,658 --> 00:02:23,788 ♪ California ♪ 46 00:02:23,788 --> 00:02:28,004 ♪ Knows how to party ♪ 47 00:02:28,004 --> 00:02:30,843 ♪ California ♪ 48 00:02:30,843 --> 00:02:32,931 REPORTER: There he is, his first shot as an owner. 49 00:02:32,931 --> 00:02:34,058 Think he likes it? 50 00:02:34,058 --> 00:02:37,649 ROGER TROUTMAN: ♪ California ♪ 51 00:02:37,649 --> 00:02:41,155 COMMENTATOR: At this moment, I can't believe it. 52 00:02:41,155 --> 00:02:42,491 INTERVIEWER: What's the future? 53 00:02:42,491 --> 00:02:43,994 Want to replace your father at the top? 54 00:02:43,994 --> 00:02:45,121 - Yeah. 55 00:02:47,627 --> 00:02:49,421 BUSS: Between my daughters and my sons, 56 00:02:49,421 --> 00:02:52,512 there's certainly enough sports teams to go around. 57 00:02:52,512 --> 00:02:56,435 ♪ ♪ 58 00:02:56,435 --> 00:02:58,356 INTERVIEWER: Are you and the rest of the family-- 59 00:02:58,356 --> 00:02:59,609 are you guys all on the same page? 60 00:03:00,570 --> 00:03:02,072 ROGER TROUTMAN: ♪ We keep it rocking ♪ 61 00:03:02,072 --> 00:03:03,366 REPORTER: The Lakers caught in the middle 62 00:03:03,366 --> 00:03:04,995 of a family power struggle. 63 00:03:04,995 --> 00:03:09,838 ♪ ♪ 64 00:03:09,838 --> 00:03:12,009 BUSS: I think I've really left them with something. 65 00:03:17,311 --> 00:03:21,695 REPORTER: Five, four, three, two, one. 66 00:03:21,695 --> 00:03:25,745 And a happy 1979! 67 00:03:25,745 --> 00:03:28,751 [disco music] 68 00:03:28,751 --> 00:03:35,723 ♪ ♪ 69 00:03:40,357 --> 00:03:43,237 - And the winner is... The Deer Hunter. 70 00:03:43,237 --> 00:03:48,122 ♪ ♪ 71 00:03:48,122 --> 00:03:49,626 REPORTER: Well, if you were outside at all 72 00:03:49,626 --> 00:03:51,003 over the weekend, you know it. 73 00:03:51,003 --> 00:03:53,509 We had the worst smog situation in five years. 74 00:03:54,218 --> 00:03:56,013 REPORTER: Today, Governor Jerry Brown of California 75 00:03:56,013 --> 00:03:57,517 was at the White House, 76 00:03:57,517 --> 00:03:59,521 asking for help with his state's gas shortage. 77 00:03:59,521 --> 00:04:02,150 REPORTER: Gasoline is averaging 61¢ a gallon. 78 00:04:02,150 --> 00:04:03,946 REPORTER: Gang warfare in East Los Angeles 79 00:04:03,946 --> 00:04:06,450 is on the rise and is more violent than ever. 80 00:04:07,327 --> 00:04:10,291 - Welcome, everyone, to the ESPN SportsCenter. 81 00:04:10,291 --> 00:04:11,460 We'll be filling you in 82 00:04:11,460 --> 00:04:13,256 on the pulse of sporting activity, 83 00:04:13,256 --> 00:04:14,551 not only around the country, 84 00:04:14,551 --> 00:04:16,805 but around the world as well. 85 00:04:16,805 --> 00:04:17,974 ANNOUNCER: The Montreal Canadiens 86 00:04:17,974 --> 00:04:20,103 have won the Stanley Cup! 87 00:04:20,103 --> 00:04:21,648 ANNOUNCER: The Steelers have won it, 88 00:04:21,648 --> 00:04:23,861 the best Super Bowl game of them all. 89 00:04:23,861 --> 00:04:25,113 ANNOUNCER: Pittsburgh wins it. 90 00:04:25,113 --> 00:04:27,117 ANNOUNCER: The Seattle Super Sonics 91 00:04:27,117 --> 00:04:31,167 have won the NBA World Championship Series. 92 00:04:31,167 --> 00:04:38,181 ♪ ♪ 93 00:04:40,101 --> 00:04:43,107 [distant music] 94 00:04:43,107 --> 00:04:45,613 ♪ ♪ 95 00:04:45,613 --> 00:04:46,823 JAMAAL WILKES: The team was 96 00:04:46,823 --> 00:04:48,535 kind of in disarray at the time. 97 00:04:48,535 --> 00:04:53,336 We were searching for direction and leadership. 98 00:04:54,881 --> 00:04:56,300 KAREEM ABDUL-JABBAR: When I came to the Lakers, 99 00:04:56,300 --> 00:04:58,555 they placed so much responsibility on me 100 00:04:58,555 --> 00:05:01,227 because they paid a lot of money to get me. 101 00:05:01,227 --> 00:05:02,563 But once I got here, 102 00:05:02,563 --> 00:05:07,114 I--I delivered, uh, you know, MVP performances. 103 00:05:07,114 --> 00:05:08,282 ANNOUNCER: Come back in the game, 104 00:05:08,282 --> 00:05:10,078 and then sick man stayed rolling-- 105 00:05:10,078 --> 00:05:12,082 and oh, Kareem is upset. 106 00:05:12,082 --> 00:05:16,090 - Kareem will come in and take your team from winning 20 games 107 00:05:16,090 --> 00:05:17,425 to 50 games. 108 00:05:17,425 --> 00:05:20,473 He's 7'2". He's unstoppable. 109 00:05:20,473 --> 00:05:22,937 You know, he shuts the game down at the end of the game. 110 00:05:22,937 --> 00:05:24,231 Could pass the basketball, 111 00:05:24,231 --> 00:05:25,526 so he did carry a lot of the weight. 112 00:05:25,526 --> 00:05:27,195 He took a lot of the heat. 113 00:05:27,195 --> 00:05:29,116 So if you're not winning, it's Kareem's fault. 114 00:05:30,326 --> 00:05:33,207 - It certainly wasn't a championship-caliber team 115 00:05:33,207 --> 00:05:35,211 at that point in time 116 00:05:35,211 --> 00:05:37,800 because we had so many needs, 117 00:05:37,800 --> 00:05:41,182 and that changed almost overnight. 118 00:05:41,182 --> 00:05:44,188 [soft music] 119 00:05:44,188 --> 00:05:45,816 ♪ ♪ 120 00:05:45,816 --> 00:05:47,653 INTERVIEWER: Are you aware of what you've done this week? 121 00:05:47,653 --> 00:05:49,406 BUSS: I must admit, I'm kind of stunned. 122 00:05:49,406 --> 00:05:50,868 I'm in a daze. 123 00:05:50,868 --> 00:05:53,206 Uh, I think it's gonna take months 124 00:05:53,206 --> 00:05:56,630 before it slowly seeps in what has actually been done here. 125 00:05:57,715 --> 00:05:58,967 JOHNNY BUSS: Whether it was baseball 126 00:05:58,967 --> 00:06:00,763 or football or basketball, 127 00:06:00,763 --> 00:06:03,936 my dad was a huge sports fan. 128 00:06:03,936 --> 00:06:05,689 INTERVIEWER: What was your first meeting 129 00:06:05,689 --> 00:06:07,025 with Jabbar like? 130 00:06:07,025 --> 00:06:08,904 - To think that I could actually sit in a room 131 00:06:08,904 --> 00:06:10,699 with him and shake hands with him-- 132 00:06:10,699 --> 00:06:12,745 it was like a dream come true. 133 00:06:12,745 --> 00:06:15,668 It was more of a fan in admiration 134 00:06:15,668 --> 00:06:17,045 of his biggest idol 135 00:06:17,045 --> 00:06:20,468 than it was the owner/player relationship. 136 00:06:21,428 --> 00:06:24,894 JEANIE: He'd often talk about just having enough money 137 00:06:24,894 --> 00:06:28,735 so that we could have season tickets to the Lakers 138 00:06:28,735 --> 00:06:31,616 and the Dodgers and USC football. 139 00:06:31,616 --> 00:06:33,494 And he never lost sight of that. 140 00:06:33,494 --> 00:06:37,753 But it was pretty big risk for my dad to go all in 141 00:06:37,753 --> 00:06:41,385 and buy a team because at that time, 142 00:06:41,385 --> 00:06:43,849 no one in the NBA was making money. 143 00:06:45,769 --> 00:06:47,940 - In the 1970s, the NBA 144 00:06:47,940 --> 00:06:50,696 was not nearly as popular as it would become. 145 00:06:51,488 --> 00:06:53,660 Baseball was still very big, 146 00:06:53,660 --> 00:06:56,248 the NFL got to be hugely popular, 147 00:06:56,248 --> 00:07:00,883 and college football always had a huge audience. 148 00:07:00,883 --> 00:07:02,887 A lot of people in mainstream society 149 00:07:02,887 --> 00:07:05,058 were not paying so much attention to basketball. 150 00:07:05,058 --> 00:07:06,477 INTERVIEWER: When you bought the Lakers, 151 00:07:06,477 --> 00:07:08,815 were they making large profits at the time? 152 00:07:08,815 --> 00:07:10,778 - No. No, they were not. 153 00:07:11,863 --> 00:07:15,244 I think, at that time, the combined statement 154 00:07:15,244 --> 00:07:18,794 of the Lakers and the Kings, uh, broke even, if anything. 155 00:07:18,794 --> 00:07:20,463 Maybe showed a small loss. 156 00:07:20,463 --> 00:07:22,300 JIM: When we took over the Forum, 157 00:07:22,300 --> 00:07:24,387 I don't think the Lakers turned a profit, 158 00:07:24,387 --> 00:07:26,559 and the Kings definitely didn't turn a profit, 159 00:07:26,559 --> 00:07:28,563 and so the pressure was on. 160 00:07:32,696 --> 00:07:35,159 OFFICIAL: It is now exactly 12:00 noon. 161 00:07:35,159 --> 00:07:36,913 The draft is officially open. 162 00:07:36,913 --> 00:07:39,710 I want to welcome all the fans that are gonna join in 163 00:07:39,710 --> 00:07:41,171 and help make this draft a success. 164 00:07:45,054 --> 00:07:48,937 - We had to flip a coin to see who had the first draft choice. 165 00:07:48,937 --> 00:07:51,233 OFFICIAL: Chicago calls heads. We'll now make the flip. 166 00:07:57,287 --> 00:07:59,207 Tails it is. - Hey! 167 00:08:00,459 --> 00:08:02,338 Yeah! 168 00:08:02,338 --> 00:08:03,925 STEVE SPRINGER: Back in those days, 169 00:08:03,925 --> 00:08:06,598 the two worst teams, one in each conference-- 170 00:08:06,598 --> 00:08:08,685 they flipped a coin, whoever got the first pick. 171 00:08:08,685 --> 00:08:10,856 And so the Lakers had the pick 172 00:08:10,856 --> 00:08:12,985 because of a deal with the Jazz, 173 00:08:12,985 --> 00:08:16,450 and the Jazz had the worst record that year. 174 00:08:16,450 --> 00:08:20,291 - There's a lot of speculation who that pick will be, 175 00:08:20,291 --> 00:08:25,761 but my dad knew when he watched the NCAA tournament 176 00:08:25,761 --> 00:08:28,975 that there was a young player, Magic Johnson. 177 00:08:28,975 --> 00:08:31,271 [upbeat music] 178 00:08:31,271 --> 00:08:34,152 MAGIC JOHNSON: It was a dream come true, really, for me. 179 00:08:34,152 --> 00:08:37,075 Uh, I won the state title back in my home state, 180 00:08:37,075 --> 00:08:40,540 and then my next compliment was playing a game 181 00:08:40,540 --> 00:08:42,043 like tonight in the finals, 182 00:08:42,043 --> 00:08:45,424 and just hope we play our part and win the game. 183 00:08:45,424 --> 00:08:47,763 BUSS: Obviously, it's thrilling when you make 184 00:08:47,763 --> 00:08:49,600 the first pick in a draft, any year, 185 00:08:49,600 --> 00:08:52,355 but Earvin had that "it" factor. 186 00:08:52,355 --> 00:08:53,900 ANNOUNCER: Magic Johnson with the ball! 187 00:08:53,900 --> 00:08:55,444 Oh, he scores! 188 00:08:55,444 --> 00:08:58,450 And he is bound three on one. 189 00:08:58,450 --> 00:09:00,496 ANNOUNCER: Here it comes! The alley-oop! 190 00:09:00,496 --> 00:09:03,085 A great shot, sir! 191 00:09:03,085 --> 00:09:04,922 ANNOUNCER: Magic Johnson for 15, 192 00:09:04,922 --> 00:09:06,509 and he loves to hit that backboard. 193 00:09:06,509 --> 00:09:08,470 BUSS: Magic is somewhat unique 194 00:09:08,470 --> 00:09:09,932 compared to other players 195 00:09:09,932 --> 00:09:13,147 because he was a star when he was 19. 196 00:09:13,147 --> 00:09:17,865 Usually, you have to wait until somebody's 24, 26. 197 00:09:17,865 --> 00:09:20,328 Uh, in Magic's case, it was completely obvious 198 00:09:20,328 --> 00:09:25,129 that he was destined to become one of the game's superstars. 199 00:09:25,129 --> 00:09:28,427 OFFICIAL: The first pick, the Los Angeles Lakers 200 00:09:28,427 --> 00:09:32,435 select Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Michigan State. 201 00:09:32,435 --> 00:09:35,609 6'8", 200 pounds. 202 00:09:35,609 --> 00:09:37,403 INTERVIEWER: How do you see your role with the Lakers? 203 00:09:37,403 --> 00:09:39,575 MAGIC: I'll probably be a passer or a play maker, 204 00:09:39,575 --> 00:09:41,161 just setting up the team, 205 00:09:41,161 --> 00:09:42,998 trying to set up my players to score 206 00:09:42,998 --> 00:09:45,044 and just trying to run the show. 207 00:09:45,044 --> 00:09:46,547 INTERVIEWER: Excited about being a pro? 208 00:09:46,547 --> 00:09:49,679 - Definitely, definitely. I'm very excited, you know? 209 00:09:49,679 --> 00:09:52,475 I love the challenge and the-- 210 00:09:52,475 --> 00:09:54,020 you know, see what I can do. 211 00:09:54,020 --> 00:09:56,693 And, uh--and that's the main thing. 212 00:09:56,693 --> 00:09:59,699 [bright music] 213 00:09:59,699 --> 00:10:03,832 ♪ ♪ 214 00:10:03,832 --> 00:10:05,877 When I was first drafted, I was excited 215 00:10:05,877 --> 00:10:09,760 because it was the LA Lakers and it was Hollywood. 216 00:10:13,016 --> 00:10:15,229 You know, coming from a small town 217 00:10:15,229 --> 00:10:16,607 like Lansing, Michigan, 218 00:10:16,607 --> 00:10:18,695 I had never witnessed anything like this. 219 00:10:20,824 --> 00:10:23,036 SINGER: ♪ Sometimes it might seem ♪ 220 00:10:23,036 --> 00:10:25,458 ♪ That I'm neglecting you ♪ 221 00:10:25,458 --> 00:10:27,629 ♪ But I'd love to spend more time ♪ 222 00:10:27,629 --> 00:10:29,340 MAGIC: It was also a chance 223 00:10:29,340 --> 00:10:30,844 to play with the most dominant player 224 00:10:30,844 --> 00:10:32,514 at that time in our game, 225 00:10:32,514 --> 00:10:34,267 which was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 226 00:10:34,267 --> 00:10:36,773 ANNOUNCER: There's Kareem! The last time! 227 00:10:36,773 --> 00:10:38,902 MAGIC: Listen, he was the MVP of the league 228 00:10:38,902 --> 00:10:40,822 for many years before I got there. 229 00:10:42,074 --> 00:10:44,078 SINGER: ♪ Got so much work, yeah, yeah ♪ 230 00:10:44,078 --> 00:10:46,249 JEANIE: If that coin flip hadn't gone our way, 231 00:10:46,249 --> 00:10:48,671 we would've ended up with the second pick, 232 00:10:48,671 --> 00:10:49,965 David Greenwood, 233 00:10:49,965 --> 00:10:52,053 and we wouldn't be sitting here today. 234 00:10:53,305 --> 00:10:54,975 REPORTER: The LA Lakers had the number one pick. 235 00:10:54,975 --> 00:10:57,940 They took Earvin "Magic" Johnson of Michigan State. 236 00:10:57,940 --> 00:10:59,819 The only question is, who will coach Johnson? 237 00:10:59,819 --> 00:11:03,242 Jerry West announced he will not be returning next year. 238 00:11:03,242 --> 00:11:06,331 - Coaching, for me, was a very difficult chore. 239 00:11:06,331 --> 00:11:08,126 I'm an emotional person. 240 00:11:08,126 --> 00:11:10,632 And sometimes I don't hide that very well. 241 00:11:10,632 --> 00:11:12,678 I did not want to coach anymore. 242 00:11:12,678 --> 00:11:15,474 And, to me, you should respect players, 243 00:11:15,474 --> 00:11:18,063 and sometimes, then, I tried 244 00:11:18,063 --> 00:11:20,234 to ask them to do things they couldn't do. 245 00:11:21,529 --> 00:11:23,365 It was so frustrating for me. 246 00:11:24,535 --> 00:11:26,496 NORM NIXON: All great players aren't great coaches. 247 00:11:27,833 --> 00:11:29,837 They all have the tendency to judge you based 248 00:11:29,837 --> 00:11:32,843 on what they did when they played. 249 00:11:32,843 --> 00:11:35,515 ANNOUNCER: Los Angeles with the incomparable Jerry West. 250 00:11:35,515 --> 00:11:38,353 He drives around Don Nelson and lays it in. 251 00:11:38,353 --> 00:11:40,692 This time, Jerry does it all by himself. 252 00:11:40,692 --> 00:11:41,903 STEVE SPRINGER: All you have to say 253 00:11:41,903 --> 00:11:43,488 about Jerry West and how influential 254 00:11:43,488 --> 00:11:46,453 he is in the NBA is, he's the logo. 255 00:11:47,748 --> 00:11:49,500 The NBA logo. It's him. 256 00:11:50,377 --> 00:11:52,173 NORM: Everybody doesn't have the same work ethic. 257 00:11:52,173 --> 00:11:54,302 Everybody doesn't understand the game the same. 258 00:11:54,302 --> 00:11:56,515 So I think coaching was very difficult for Jerry. 259 00:11:56,515 --> 00:11:58,310 ANNOUNCER: Strong defense by Jerry West. 260 00:11:58,310 --> 00:12:00,481 MICHAEL COOPER: He couldn't understand how people couldn't make 261 00:12:00,481 --> 00:12:02,861 simple basketball plays. 262 00:12:02,861 --> 00:12:06,326 "Michael, these motherfuckers can't even catch the ball." 263 00:12:07,078 --> 00:12:09,415 JERRY WEST: The players-- I felt sorry for them, 264 00:12:09,415 --> 00:12:10,919 having to play for me. 265 00:12:10,919 --> 00:12:13,048 I did. 266 00:12:13,048 --> 00:12:16,722 INTERVIEWER: Do you have ideas on who might be a replacement? 267 00:12:16,722 --> 00:12:19,853 - Well, I have a theory that I will apply, 268 00:12:19,853 --> 00:12:22,316 and that is that I want a coach 269 00:12:22,316 --> 00:12:24,863 with a really heavy winning record behind him. 270 00:12:26,909 --> 00:12:31,001 I received a phone call asking me to meet Victor Weiss, 271 00:12:31,001 --> 00:12:35,050 the man who represented Jerry Tarkanian. 272 00:12:35,050 --> 00:12:37,346 STEVE: Jerry Tarkanian was a very famous coach 273 00:12:37,346 --> 00:12:41,312 at Long Beach State. He moved to Vegas to UNLV, 274 00:12:41,312 --> 00:12:44,193 and he became a legend in that town. 275 00:12:44,193 --> 00:12:46,031 Before anybody ever envisioned 276 00:12:46,031 --> 00:12:47,743 there being pro teams in Vegas, 277 00:12:47,743 --> 00:12:49,454 UNLV was the team, 278 00:12:49,454 --> 00:12:51,917 and Jerry Tarkanian was the coach. 279 00:12:53,880 --> 00:12:55,717 His representative was Vic Weiss. 280 00:12:55,717 --> 00:12:57,846 He was a--a gambler in Vegas. 281 00:12:57,846 --> 00:13:00,476 There were stories that he was connected to the mob. 282 00:13:00,476 --> 00:13:02,063 Well, whatever. 283 00:13:02,814 --> 00:13:04,693 BUSS: Victor Weiss and I had talked 284 00:13:04,693 --> 00:13:07,490 for 45 minutes to an hour or so. 285 00:13:07,490 --> 00:13:12,542 And then he left, and the next day or two days 286 00:13:12,542 --> 00:13:14,630 or three days later, somewhere in there, 287 00:13:14,630 --> 00:13:16,759 it was reported that he was missing. 288 00:13:16,759 --> 00:13:18,136 STEVE: When the meeting broke up, 289 00:13:18,136 --> 00:13:20,099 Vic Weiss was gonna go back to Tarkanian 290 00:13:20,099 --> 00:13:22,604 and say, "This job's yours if you want it." 291 00:13:22,604 --> 00:13:26,194 Unfortunately, they never spoke because Vic Weiss was murdered. 292 00:13:26,194 --> 00:13:29,117 REPORTER: Homicide detectives found him dead. 293 00:13:29,117 --> 00:13:30,620 He'd been shot in the head 294 00:13:30,620 --> 00:13:33,416 and bundled into the trunk of a red Rolls Royce. 295 00:13:33,416 --> 00:13:36,966 - All of a sudden, we had to have police protection 296 00:13:36,966 --> 00:13:38,511 because they didn't know 297 00:13:38,511 --> 00:13:41,725 if the hit was intended for my dad, 298 00:13:41,725 --> 00:13:44,230 because he drove a similar car. 299 00:13:45,315 --> 00:13:47,571 STEVE: I'm sure Jerry Buss was spooked by the murder, 300 00:13:47,571 --> 00:13:49,575 but Jerry was always a cool customer. 301 00:13:49,575 --> 00:13:51,579 - Well, I didn't know him, and I didn't even know 302 00:13:51,579 --> 00:13:54,751 what he did other than just those 45 minutes. 303 00:13:54,751 --> 00:13:56,922 I've heard all different kinds of rumors. 304 00:13:56,922 --> 00:13:58,843 He was involved with some people 305 00:13:58,843 --> 00:14:00,470 that he owed money to 306 00:14:00,470 --> 00:14:04,186 and various things. I--I just have no idea. 307 00:14:04,186 --> 00:14:05,690 JEANIE: My dad was like, 308 00:14:05,690 --> 00:14:08,738 "Don't answer the phone. Don't open the door. 309 00:14:08,738 --> 00:14:12,494 We have to now think that we're under attack." 310 00:14:13,204 --> 00:14:17,589 This isn't what owning the Lakers was supposed to be. 311 00:14:17,589 --> 00:14:20,595 - There's all kinds of stories that Vic Weiss was murdered 312 00:14:20,595 --> 00:14:23,559 for something mob-related or gambling or whatever, 313 00:14:23,559 --> 00:14:25,647 but it got into Tarkanian's head 314 00:14:25,647 --> 00:14:28,151 that the mob didn't want Tarkanian to leave Vegas, 315 00:14:28,151 --> 00:14:30,531 so he was really shaken by that. 316 00:14:30,531 --> 00:14:32,034 - Were you ever offered officially 317 00:14:32,034 --> 00:14:33,788 the head coaching job of the Los Angeles Lakers? 318 00:14:33,788 --> 00:14:35,290 - Yeah, I was offered that, yes. 319 00:14:35,290 --> 00:14:36,585 INTERVIEWER: Did you turn it down? 320 00:14:36,585 --> 00:14:38,088 - Yes. INTERVIEWER: Why? 321 00:14:38,088 --> 00:14:39,675 - Well, at the time, there was a lot of reasons, 322 00:14:39,675 --> 00:14:40,802 but, uh, you know, at the time, 323 00:14:40,802 --> 00:14:42,681 I still had a court case pending, 324 00:14:42,681 --> 00:14:45,060 and I was very impressed with Jerry Buss, 325 00:14:45,060 --> 00:14:47,607 but it was just-- it was--the timing was wrong. 326 00:14:47,607 --> 00:14:49,276 It was the wrong time, and I just-- 327 00:14:49,276 --> 00:14:50,989 - I'm confident he would've been the coach 328 00:14:50,989 --> 00:14:53,201 if that murder hadn't happened. 329 00:14:53,201 --> 00:14:56,374 BUSS: Well, uh, I'm a little disappointed about it, Gil. 330 00:14:56,374 --> 00:14:58,713 Uh, I met with Jerry a couple of days ago, 331 00:14:58,713 --> 00:15:01,802 and I certainly understand the position he's in, 332 00:15:01,802 --> 00:15:04,223 but, uh, we'll try to make some decisions 333 00:15:04,223 --> 00:15:07,062 and see if we can't get a coach here very shortly. 334 00:15:07,062 --> 00:15:08,356 CHUCK HEARN: We're just delighted 335 00:15:08,356 --> 00:15:10,360 to, um, be here this morning. 336 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:11,739 The presentation we're going to make, I think, 337 00:15:11,739 --> 00:15:14,703 is one that will not only arouse your interest, 338 00:15:14,703 --> 00:15:17,416 your respect, today, but I think it'll continue 339 00:15:17,416 --> 00:15:19,880 for many, many years with this man's ability. 340 00:15:19,880 --> 00:15:24,180 Mr. Jack McKinney, new coach of the Los Angeles Lakers. 341 00:15:24,180 --> 00:15:25,767 JACK MCKINNEY: Very, very appreciative 342 00:15:25,767 --> 00:15:28,313 of Mr. Buss for offering me 343 00:15:28,313 --> 00:15:32,112 this job of coaching the Los Angeles Lakers. 344 00:15:32,112 --> 00:15:35,578 I think it's a tremendous opportunity for me 345 00:15:35,578 --> 00:15:36,997 because I'm coming 346 00:15:36,997 --> 00:15:40,838 into what has the makings of an outstanding team. 347 00:15:40,838 --> 00:15:45,765 And, eventually, we intend to win an NBA Championship. 348 00:15:47,226 --> 00:15:50,733 JAMAAL: You have the new owner, 349 00:15:50,733 --> 00:15:52,904 the new first draft choice, 350 00:15:52,904 --> 00:15:54,616 and new coach, 351 00:15:54,616 --> 00:16:00,628 which is kind of unusual, and it was inspiring. 352 00:16:00,628 --> 00:16:02,381 Which you never quite know how good a player 353 00:16:02,381 --> 00:16:04,636 will turn out to be on the next level. 354 00:16:05,220 --> 00:16:08,476 So there's always questions going in. 355 00:16:13,612 --> 00:16:16,702 ANNOUNCER: This is ABC Sports Beat. 356 00:16:16,702 --> 00:16:18,413 The NBA faces a crucial season, 357 00:16:18,413 --> 00:16:21,628 with a number of teams in serious financial trouble. 358 00:16:21,628 --> 00:16:24,676 The NBA going for broke? 359 00:16:24,676 --> 00:16:27,974 On ABC Sports Beat. 360 00:16:27,974 --> 00:16:31,397 - There are serious problems that clearly make this 361 00:16:31,397 --> 00:16:34,863 a critical year for the NBA. 362 00:16:34,863 --> 00:16:37,409 Larry O'Brien is commissioner of the NBA. 363 00:16:37,409 --> 00:16:38,829 He knows there are problems. 364 00:16:38,829 --> 00:16:40,583 Collective losses in the league 365 00:16:40,583 --> 00:16:43,421 went from $8 million to $13 million last year. 366 00:16:43,421 --> 00:16:45,175 - The National Basketball Association 367 00:16:45,175 --> 00:16:48,348 would be better off with 16 teams. 368 00:16:48,348 --> 00:16:50,477 - If we crowd too many games into a week, 369 00:16:50,477 --> 00:16:52,439 and I think the NBA fans see 370 00:16:52,439 --> 00:16:54,318 some poor games, unfortunately. 371 00:16:54,318 --> 00:16:57,700 BUSS: Their advertising, in most cases, is amateurish. 372 00:16:58,619 --> 00:17:02,669 Uh, I think there is a great lack of effort 373 00:17:02,669 --> 00:17:06,425 and ability to merchandise property. 374 00:17:07,762 --> 00:17:09,933 JIM: My dad and I went to a game 375 00:17:09,933 --> 00:17:12,689 at the very beginning, after he bought the team. 376 00:17:12,689 --> 00:17:14,233 New York came in to play, 377 00:17:14,233 --> 00:17:17,364 and they scored a bucket, and the place went nuts. 378 00:17:18,534 --> 00:17:21,832 And he was like, "What in the world are you doing? 379 00:17:21,832 --> 00:17:25,589 Why--this should be boos, not cheers." 380 00:17:25,589 --> 00:17:27,259 He was livid about it. 381 00:17:27,259 --> 00:17:28,512 JOHNNY: And I think that's what 382 00:17:28,512 --> 00:17:30,348 really started the ball rolling. 383 00:17:34,106 --> 00:17:37,614 MAGIC: When I first got to the Lakers, 384 00:17:37,614 --> 00:17:39,450 we were on the third page. 385 00:17:40,578 --> 00:17:43,124 We hadn't won a championship in a long time. 386 00:17:43,124 --> 00:17:47,007 And so we were behind everybody. 387 00:17:47,007 --> 00:17:51,390 USC football were king, Dodgers were king, 388 00:17:51,390 --> 00:17:53,646 and so we had some work to do to convince 389 00:17:53,646 --> 00:17:58,739 the fans of Los Angeles that they should support us. 390 00:18:00,492 --> 00:18:02,830 CLAIRE: Prior to Jerry's coming 391 00:18:02,830 --> 00:18:05,085 and Magic joining the team, 392 00:18:05,085 --> 00:18:10,680 they almost never had more than 9,000 people at a game. 393 00:18:11,556 --> 00:18:16,107 Jerry thought he could make it better. 394 00:18:16,107 --> 00:18:19,071 He could make it profitable. 395 00:18:21,075 --> 00:18:24,456 JIM: When I first started working at the Forum, 396 00:18:24,456 --> 00:18:27,087 I was in ticket sales. 397 00:18:27,087 --> 00:18:28,882 Ticket sales was basically your-- 398 00:18:28,882 --> 00:18:30,135 not your bottom level, 399 00:18:30,135 --> 00:18:32,264 but that's--that's how everything works. 400 00:18:32,264 --> 00:18:34,519 If you don't sell tickets, you don't have anything. 401 00:18:34,519 --> 00:18:36,815 - We operated, you know, what my dad called 402 00:18:36,815 --> 00:18:39,738 the boiler room, like a--a phone center. 403 00:18:39,738 --> 00:18:42,033 - We called it the "dungeon" of the Forum 404 00:18:42,033 --> 00:18:43,202 because it had no windows. 405 00:18:43,202 --> 00:18:45,916 All our offices were in the dungeon. 406 00:18:45,916 --> 00:18:47,545 JIM: We had, you know, maybe, I think, 407 00:18:47,545 --> 00:18:48,797 four people working for us. 408 00:18:48,797 --> 00:18:50,175 They would do cold calls, 409 00:18:50,175 --> 00:18:51,720 I would be on the phone, doing the same thing. 410 00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:54,517 "Hi, this is Jim Buss from the Lakers, 411 00:18:54,517 --> 00:18:55,895 "and I was wondering 412 00:18:55,895 --> 00:18:58,065 if you would be interested in buying tickets." 413 00:18:58,065 --> 00:19:01,656 I don't remember my spiel, but I probably had one. 414 00:19:01,656 --> 00:19:04,328 JEANIE: Selling tickets is the hardest thing to do, 415 00:19:04,328 --> 00:19:07,334 so it became a competitive atmosphere. 416 00:19:09,254 --> 00:19:12,762 JANIE: I was too young to work there. 417 00:19:12,762 --> 00:19:14,682 I was still in high school. 418 00:19:14,682 --> 00:19:18,356 But it was my dad's way to get little workers in his own, 419 00:19:18,356 --> 00:19:20,026 you know, family business. 420 00:19:20,026 --> 00:19:23,241 Who else could he trust except for his own children? 421 00:19:23,241 --> 00:19:25,495 JEANIE: We would tease him like, 422 00:19:25,495 --> 00:19:27,207 "Oh, yeah, you just have us working 423 00:19:27,207 --> 00:19:28,417 because we're cheap." 424 00:19:28,417 --> 00:19:30,338 But my dad wanted to see 425 00:19:30,338 --> 00:19:31,842 who was interested 426 00:19:31,842 --> 00:19:34,806 in being part of the family business. 427 00:19:34,806 --> 00:19:36,308 - Oh, I loved it. 428 00:19:36,308 --> 00:19:37,854 Absolutely loved being at the Forum 429 00:19:37,854 --> 00:19:39,398 and working with the Lakers 430 00:19:39,398 --> 00:19:43,782 and trying to achieve what my dad wanted, his goals. 431 00:19:43,782 --> 00:19:46,245 - They wanted to please him. 432 00:19:46,245 --> 00:19:48,750 You know, they had his attention. 433 00:19:48,750 --> 00:19:51,631 They were part of what he was doing. 434 00:19:51,631 --> 00:19:54,846 - The family business became an opportunity for us 435 00:19:54,846 --> 00:19:57,142 to spend time with my father. 436 00:19:57,142 --> 00:19:59,731 [pensive music] 437 00:19:59,731 --> 00:20:04,616 CLAIRE: He started to think about a legacy, 438 00:20:04,616 --> 00:20:07,997 what he could do for his children 439 00:20:07,997 --> 00:20:11,337 that he hadn't done in the past, 440 00:20:11,337 --> 00:20:14,134 because he hadn't spent a lot of time with them 441 00:20:14,134 --> 00:20:16,806 in their growing-up years. 442 00:20:18,518 --> 00:20:21,983 - There was one story that my dad would tell 443 00:20:21,983 --> 00:20:24,071 that when I was young, 444 00:20:24,071 --> 00:20:26,576 I ask him if he was Superman. 445 00:20:26,576 --> 00:20:29,916 And because it's kind of like he drops by 446 00:20:29,916 --> 00:20:31,836 when, you know, something is happening, 447 00:20:31,836 --> 00:20:33,674 and that's kind of how my dad was. 448 00:20:33,674 --> 00:20:36,387 ♪ ♪ 449 00:20:36,387 --> 00:20:39,644 - He worked a lot. He wasn't home all the time. 450 00:20:39,644 --> 00:20:42,858 - I remember asking a lot, "Where's Dad?" 451 00:20:42,858 --> 00:20:45,238 You know? "Where's our dad?" 452 00:20:45,238 --> 00:20:47,325 - He didn't go to the sporting events, you know, 453 00:20:47,325 --> 00:20:49,664 or--or our little things that we had. 454 00:20:49,664 --> 00:20:51,250 JOHNNY: Not once. 455 00:20:51,250 --> 00:20:53,797 Not once for the baseball, not once for the basketball. 456 00:20:53,797 --> 00:20:55,425 Not once for Boy Scouts. 457 00:20:55,425 --> 00:20:57,345 JANIE: My high school graduation, 458 00:20:57,345 --> 00:21:01,228 you know, my recital in fourth grade. 459 00:21:01,228 --> 00:21:04,610 JIM: John was probably privy to a lot more than we were. 460 00:21:04,610 --> 00:21:06,280 Jeanie and I were the middle children, 461 00:21:06,280 --> 00:21:08,577 and it seemed like we were protected 462 00:21:08,577 --> 00:21:13,587 from all the emotions that were going on in our family. 463 00:21:13,587 --> 00:21:15,339 JOHNNY: I don't know if she ever talked 464 00:21:15,339 --> 00:21:18,012 to any of the other siblings about it, 465 00:21:18,012 --> 00:21:23,189 but at 12 years old, my mom did actually let me know 466 00:21:23,189 --> 00:21:27,615 that, uh--"Your father and I are not together anymore." 467 00:21:27,615 --> 00:21:31,121 JEANIE: They were trying to not portray 468 00:21:31,121 --> 00:21:34,962 that they were separated. 469 00:21:34,962 --> 00:21:39,889 JANIE: My mom did the best she could with chaos. 470 00:21:39,889 --> 00:21:41,851 JOHNNY: She was very good at hiding it. 471 00:21:43,354 --> 00:21:45,149 Just always trying to be there. 472 00:21:46,611 --> 00:21:48,949 She would say, "Always love your father. 473 00:21:48,949 --> 00:21:50,702 Always love your father. 474 00:21:50,702 --> 00:21:54,334 And when he does come home, you know, make the best of it." 475 00:21:55,461 --> 00:21:59,219 JEANIE: I think we all were giddy when he was home. 476 00:21:59,219 --> 00:22:02,142 You know, we all, I guess vied for his attention 477 00:22:02,142 --> 00:22:04,312 and, you know, we'd play Monopoly, 478 00:22:04,312 --> 00:22:06,358 or we'd go get ice cream, 479 00:22:06,358 --> 00:22:09,030 or we'd go get a toy at the dime store. 480 00:22:09,030 --> 00:22:11,619 Um, it was always like, 481 00:22:11,619 --> 00:22:13,915 "What are we gonna do as a family?" 482 00:22:13,915 --> 00:22:17,338 - We were attracted to my father as this magnate. 483 00:22:18,550 --> 00:22:20,554 JANIE: I learned to accept it, 484 00:22:20,554 --> 00:22:22,725 but I'm sure it was hard on my dad 485 00:22:22,725 --> 00:22:25,856 to see us all growing up and he's not there. 486 00:22:27,442 --> 00:22:30,991 CLAIRE: Jerry was busy becoming a millionaire, 487 00:22:30,991 --> 00:22:34,832 and they didn't see that much of him. 488 00:22:35,918 --> 00:22:39,382 He wanted them involved with him. 489 00:22:39,382 --> 00:22:43,349 I think he wanted to fill a role. 490 00:22:43,349 --> 00:22:45,269 He wanted to be their father. 491 00:22:49,361 --> 00:22:52,367 [upbeat music] 492 00:22:53,118 --> 00:22:54,789 JOHNNY: Magic was put up initially 493 00:22:54,789 --> 00:22:56,918 at one of our real estate holdings, 494 00:22:56,918 --> 00:23:01,051 so we were the first to greet Magic into Los Angeles. 495 00:23:01,051 --> 00:23:03,430 We would hang out with him. We would take him places 496 00:23:03,430 --> 00:23:05,351 because he was new to Los Angeles. 497 00:23:06,103 --> 00:23:09,192 We always loved going to Fatburger. 498 00:23:09,192 --> 00:23:10,862 I didn't know much about college basketball, 499 00:23:10,862 --> 00:23:14,620 so I didn't know popular he really was, 500 00:23:14,620 --> 00:23:16,541 except, when we went to Fatburger, 501 00:23:16,541 --> 00:23:19,714 everybody knew who he was already. 502 00:23:19,714 --> 00:23:26,728 ♪ ♪ 503 00:23:27,353 --> 00:23:28,857 MAGIC: When we signed the contract, they said, 504 00:23:28,857 --> 00:23:30,819 "We got a plane ticket for you tomorrow. 505 00:23:30,819 --> 00:23:32,113 "You got to fly out. 506 00:23:32,113 --> 00:23:34,660 We want you to play next week in one game." 507 00:23:36,246 --> 00:23:38,334 MICHAEL COOPER: First time I met Magic was in training camp. 508 00:23:38,334 --> 00:23:39,670 And I'll never forget this. 509 00:23:39,670 --> 00:23:41,340 He was like "You know what team means?" 510 00:23:41,340 --> 00:23:43,260 I said "Yeah, that's why everybody is here, we're all--" 511 00:23:43,260 --> 00:23:46,893 He said "Team means, 'Together Everyone Achieves More.'" 512 00:23:48,228 --> 00:23:50,274 That's when I knew that this guy had 513 00:23:50,274 --> 00:23:51,736 something special about him 514 00:23:51,736 --> 00:23:53,113 because it wasn't just about him. 515 00:23:53,113 --> 00:23:54,784 It was about the team. 516 00:23:59,960 --> 00:24:02,674 MAGIC: I practiced with the team for two days. 517 00:24:02,674 --> 00:24:04,344 Now it's time to perform. 518 00:24:04,344 --> 00:24:06,431 Now it's time to play. 519 00:24:06,431 --> 00:24:08,018 JAMAAL: I figured "Well, I'm gonna go ahead 520 00:24:08,018 --> 00:24:09,688 and say hello to him." I walk up, 521 00:24:09,688 --> 00:24:12,110 and, well, I went out there, and maybe a few thousand 522 00:24:12,110 --> 00:24:13,362 other people were out there. 523 00:24:13,362 --> 00:24:15,199 It was bedlam. It was crazy. 524 00:24:16,034 --> 00:24:18,790 MICHAEL: We had been playing there several, several games, 525 00:24:18,790 --> 00:24:20,376 and all those games were only averaging 526 00:24:20,376 --> 00:24:22,840 about maybe 500 people, 600 people. 527 00:24:22,840 --> 00:24:25,344 This particular game, they had opened up both floors, 528 00:24:25,344 --> 00:24:26,973 opened up both sides of the gym, 529 00:24:26,973 --> 00:24:28,810 and it was probably about 2,000 people in there. 530 00:24:31,524 --> 00:24:33,695 MAGIC: This PR guy for the Lakers come in. 531 00:24:33,695 --> 00:24:35,239 He's telling me, you know, 532 00:24:35,239 --> 00:24:37,786 "There's hundreds and hundreds of people out there!" 533 00:24:37,786 --> 00:24:39,164 And I said, "In the gym?" 534 00:24:39,164 --> 00:24:40,750 You know? I was sitting up here. 535 00:24:40,750 --> 00:24:42,880 You know, I'm 19, so I don't know what's happening. 536 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,802 He said, "Yes, and they've come to see you." 537 00:24:45,802 --> 00:24:47,346 So, oh, man. 538 00:24:47,346 --> 00:24:51,898 Once he said that, I just started shaking. 539 00:24:51,898 --> 00:24:53,943 [laughs] 540 00:24:53,943 --> 00:25:00,957 ♪ ♪ 541 00:25:01,959 --> 00:25:03,378 BUSS: Magic is truly magic. 542 00:25:03,378 --> 00:25:05,090 He's going to pack them in wherever he goes. 543 00:25:05,090 --> 00:25:07,930 But perhaps the best part about him is, 544 00:25:07,930 --> 00:25:09,934 every time he's in an arena, 545 00:25:09,934 --> 00:25:11,436 everyone has a smile on their face. 546 00:25:11,436 --> 00:25:12,898 It's contagious. 547 00:25:12,898 --> 00:25:14,944 He sets it off, and it spreads around the crowd. 548 00:25:14,944 --> 00:25:18,952 So Magic is going to be a very, very exciting player 549 00:25:18,952 --> 00:25:20,580 for us here in Los Angeles. 550 00:25:20,580 --> 00:25:23,210 - Especially if the fans be as beautiful as they were tonight. 551 00:25:23,210 --> 00:25:24,295 INTERVIEWER: The fans are gonna be here? 552 00:25:24,295 --> 00:25:25,715 FANS: Yeah! 553 00:25:25,715 --> 00:25:30,642 - To have a sold-out crowd for summer league games, 554 00:25:30,642 --> 00:25:34,107 and I said "Man, if this is how it's gonna be when I come play 555 00:25:34,107 --> 00:25:36,236 for the Lakers, I'm gonna love this." 556 00:25:39,242 --> 00:25:41,747 JEANIE: A few days later, the general manager 557 00:25:41,747 --> 00:25:43,918 brought him over to my dad's house, 558 00:25:43,918 --> 00:25:46,298 where I happened to be staying, 559 00:25:46,298 --> 00:25:49,012 and the doorbell rings... [doorbell rings] 560 00:25:49,012 --> 00:25:51,266 And here's Magic. 561 00:25:52,603 --> 00:25:55,482 I was so overwhelmed opening that door 562 00:25:55,482 --> 00:25:58,363 and seeing this smile. 563 00:25:58,363 --> 00:26:01,996 His teeth were like stars. 564 00:26:01,996 --> 00:26:04,334 MAGIC: She was like, "Oh, you're gonna have a great time. 565 00:26:04,334 --> 00:26:06,046 "You're going to be with the Lakers for a long time. 566 00:26:06,046 --> 00:26:07,716 You and I together." 567 00:26:07,716 --> 00:26:10,262 I said "No, I'm going to play my five years, 568 00:26:10,262 --> 00:26:12,350 and I'm going back home to play for the Pistons." 569 00:26:12,350 --> 00:26:15,105 She said, "What?" 570 00:26:15,105 --> 00:26:18,070 - I went "Okay, I'll be right back." 571 00:26:18,070 --> 00:26:20,784 And I ran upstairs. I'm like, "Dad, 572 00:26:20,784 --> 00:26:23,497 "you won't believe--you won't believe what he just said. 573 00:26:23,497 --> 00:26:26,837 He said he's going to play for the Detroit Pistons." 574 00:26:26,837 --> 00:26:30,386 And my dad didn't miss a beat. He just looked at me, 575 00:26:30,386 --> 00:26:37,149 and he said, "Jeanie, as soon as he puts on a Laker jersey 576 00:26:37,149 --> 00:26:40,030 "and walks out on the floor at the Forum, 577 00:26:40,030 --> 00:26:41,867 he's never going to leave." 578 00:26:42,201 --> 00:26:44,748 [upbeat music] 579 00:26:45,709 --> 00:26:47,378 ANNOUNCER: Wilson on the inbound to Nixon, 580 00:26:47,378 --> 00:26:49,758 and he gives it off outside to Spencer Haywood. 581 00:26:49,758 --> 00:26:52,597 Magic Johnson with the ball. 582 00:26:52,597 --> 00:26:54,016 The defensive assignment 583 00:26:54,016 --> 00:26:56,229 drawn initially against Johnson by Theo 584 00:26:56,229 --> 00:26:59,235 and the Magic man hits his first shot. 585 00:26:59,235 --> 00:27:00,697 PAT RILEY: I was in the booth 586 00:27:00,697 --> 00:27:03,870 as a broadcaster with Chick at the time. 587 00:27:03,870 --> 00:27:05,790 - He had three fouls early, so Adrian Daly 588 00:27:05,790 --> 00:27:08,629 took him to the laundry. Parrish had 12-- 589 00:27:08,629 --> 00:27:09,882 - He took his shorts to the laundry? 590 00:27:09,882 --> 00:27:11,594 - Took his shorts to the laundry. 591 00:27:11,594 --> 00:27:17,438 Magic was so unique and out of the box, he just took over. 592 00:27:17,438 --> 00:27:19,568 See us on the drive, rejected cleanly 593 00:27:19,568 --> 00:27:21,781 by Abdul-Jabbar. 594 00:27:21,781 --> 00:27:24,953 Johnson leads the Laker break, Nixon off the will. 595 00:27:24,953 --> 00:27:29,337 - With that basketball, he was simply just a maestro. 596 00:27:29,337 --> 00:27:32,176 ANNOUNCER: You look at Magic Johnson, you must remember one thing, 597 00:27:32,176 --> 00:27:34,347 The man is 6'8", but he moves like a little man. 598 00:27:35,390 --> 00:27:38,648 - I would start looking sooner than I would with most guards 599 00:27:38,648 --> 00:27:41,361 because if you were open, he would get to the ball. 600 00:27:41,361 --> 00:27:44,116 ANNOUNCER: One open straight to 96 with 15 seconds. 601 00:27:44,116 --> 00:27:47,541 Johnson to Cooper and another reverse layup! 602 00:27:51,464 --> 00:27:52,926 MAGIC: When I got to this town, 603 00:27:52,926 --> 00:27:56,517 they thought that Kareem and I couldn't co-exist. 604 00:27:59,021 --> 00:28:00,775 STEVE: When I first started covering the Lakers 605 00:28:00,775 --> 00:28:02,361 in 1979 and '80, 606 00:28:02,361 --> 00:28:05,242 I flew out on the plane, I went on the team bus, 607 00:28:05,242 --> 00:28:08,039 and so that gave me incredible access to the team. 608 00:28:08,039 --> 00:28:10,670 And when Magic came along, Kareem was resentful, 609 00:28:10,670 --> 00:28:12,464 like "This snot-nosed kid. 610 00:28:12,464 --> 00:28:14,343 "Everybody loves him, everybody hugs him, 611 00:28:14,343 --> 00:28:16,097 "everybody praises him, and what about me? 612 00:28:16,097 --> 00:28:19,020 I'm the star of the team." And really, it bothered him. 613 00:28:19,938 --> 00:28:23,529 - There were some personality differences. 614 00:28:23,529 --> 00:28:26,242 Kareem is one way, and Magic is another way. 615 00:28:27,161 --> 00:28:28,496 STEVE: They lived different lives. 616 00:28:28,496 --> 00:28:30,167 Kareem was more than a basketball player. 617 00:28:30,167 --> 00:28:31,754 He was an activist. 618 00:28:31,754 --> 00:28:34,342 He was part of that group of African-American athletes 619 00:28:34,342 --> 00:28:37,181 who got together to talk about social justice 620 00:28:37,181 --> 00:28:38,350 in the late '60s. 621 00:28:39,477 --> 00:28:40,730 BUSS: And you had Earvin, 622 00:28:40,730 --> 00:28:42,942 who was effervescent personality. 623 00:28:42,942 --> 00:28:45,447 You know, every day was bigger than yesterday. 624 00:28:46,449 --> 00:28:48,704 JAMAAL: Kareem preferred jazz, and Magic liked, 625 00:28:48,704 --> 00:28:51,125 I don't know what, R&B or soul music. 626 00:28:52,169 --> 00:28:53,756 STEVE: I'm imagining they didn't spend 627 00:28:53,756 --> 00:28:57,514 a lot of time bar-hopping together. 628 00:28:57,514 --> 00:28:59,392 MAGIC: There was a lot of chatter out there 629 00:28:59,392 --> 00:29:02,982 that I wanted to make sure that I squashed, 630 00:29:02,982 --> 00:29:04,903 so the first thing I did was say, 631 00:29:04,903 --> 00:29:06,865 "Hey, man, where do you like the ball?" 632 00:29:06,865 --> 00:29:11,165 KAREEM: I said "Look, Earvin, see what side the guy is on. 633 00:29:11,165 --> 00:29:12,501 Just put it to my other hand." 634 00:29:12,501 --> 00:29:14,046 - "No problem." 635 00:29:14,046 --> 00:29:16,134 ANNOUNCER: Magic waiting, shot clock down at seven, 636 00:29:16,134 --> 00:29:19,140 six, five, four, three-- 637 00:29:20,852 --> 00:29:23,398 MAGIC: "What else you like?" "I don't like it low. 638 00:29:23,398 --> 00:29:24,568 I don't want to be bending down." 639 00:29:24,568 --> 00:29:25,987 "You got it." 640 00:29:25,987 --> 00:29:27,197 ANNOUNCER: Handing it off to Magic Johnson, 641 00:29:27,197 --> 00:29:29,661 cross court, looks good, Kareem! 642 00:29:29,661 --> 00:29:33,251 - I wanted him to know that, "Listen, I'm not coming here, 643 00:29:33,251 --> 00:29:35,255 "trying to take over this team, 644 00:29:35,255 --> 00:29:37,301 "because this is your team, Kareem. 645 00:29:37,301 --> 00:29:39,221 "I just want to play my role and fit in, 646 00:29:39,221 --> 00:29:41,727 and the only thing I want to do is win." 647 00:29:45,108 --> 00:29:47,321 REPORTER: It was not business as usual 648 00:29:47,321 --> 00:29:49,158 this morning at the Forum. 649 00:29:49,158 --> 00:29:50,870 The Lakers played Denver tonight 650 00:29:50,870 --> 00:29:53,082 only because it's on the schedule. 651 00:29:53,082 --> 00:29:55,671 At this moment, the concern of the team centers 652 00:29:55,671 --> 00:29:57,299 around the health and well-being 653 00:29:57,299 --> 00:30:00,138 of Jack McKinney. 654 00:30:00,138 --> 00:30:02,309 JAMAAL: When I first heard, I didn't know how bad, 655 00:30:02,309 --> 00:30:05,775 but the way I heard it, it sounded bad, you know? 656 00:30:05,775 --> 00:30:07,152 Like, people were really concerned. 657 00:30:07,152 --> 00:30:09,533 It wasn't just a bicycle accident. 658 00:30:09,533 --> 00:30:13,498 But no one was talking much about the extent of it, 659 00:30:13,498 --> 00:30:15,711 when he would come back. 660 00:30:15,711 --> 00:30:17,715 REPORTER: The Lakers will need representation 661 00:30:17,715 --> 00:30:19,845 on the bench tonight and will have it 662 00:30:19,845 --> 00:30:22,349 in the person of assisting coach Paul Westhead. 663 00:30:23,686 --> 00:30:25,355 PAUL WESTHEAD: Jack McKinney was the guy 664 00:30:25,355 --> 00:30:26,900 who brought me out here, 665 00:30:26,900 --> 00:30:30,282 and we were friends, so I went down to the hospital, 666 00:30:30,282 --> 00:30:32,745 and they said they were going to run some tests on him 667 00:30:32,745 --> 00:30:35,208 and, you know, they wouldn't know 668 00:30:35,208 --> 00:30:36,962 for at least a day or two, 669 00:30:36,962 --> 00:30:39,718 you know, the depth of his injury. 670 00:30:39,718 --> 00:30:41,680 So the next day, 671 00:30:41,680 --> 00:30:45,813 I went to the shoot around, like, 10:00 in the morning. 672 00:30:45,813 --> 00:30:49,236 Back then, in the NBA, there was only one assistant. 673 00:30:49,236 --> 00:30:53,913 If I don't go, there isn't a shoot around. 674 00:30:53,913 --> 00:30:57,044 It was my first season in the NBA. 675 00:30:57,044 --> 00:30:59,173 Had nine years of head coaching 676 00:30:59,173 --> 00:31:00,885 at LaSalle College, 677 00:31:00,885 --> 00:31:03,097 but I had no experience 678 00:31:03,097 --> 00:31:05,226 in coaching professional players 679 00:31:05,226 --> 00:31:06,730 and what all that meant. 680 00:31:07,857 --> 00:31:11,364 And I don't have an assistant coach. 681 00:31:11,364 --> 00:31:17,710 The only person that I know in the NBA is Pat Riley. 682 00:31:19,338 --> 00:31:21,969 He had been in the NBA as a player, 683 00:31:21,969 --> 00:31:25,183 hadn't ever coached anybody. 684 00:31:25,183 --> 00:31:27,187 - I learned from my pro coaches, 685 00:31:27,187 --> 00:31:28,732 college coaches, and high school coaches, 686 00:31:28,732 --> 00:31:31,822 and I just had a way about Xs and Os 687 00:31:31,822 --> 00:31:33,701 that I knew what they were talking about 688 00:31:33,701 --> 00:31:36,665 and where to go and how they moved down the court. 689 00:31:36,665 --> 00:31:39,169 - I went to Jerry Buss, and I said "I think I'd like 690 00:31:39,169 --> 00:31:42,927 to offer Pat Riley the job to be the assistant." 691 00:31:42,927 --> 00:31:46,308 And he, in his classic way, said, 692 00:31:46,308 --> 00:31:48,396 "Well, why don't we think it over?" 693 00:31:48,396 --> 00:31:52,362 When Jerry Buss says to you "think it over," that means, 694 00:31:52,362 --> 00:31:54,826 "I don't think it's a very good idea, 695 00:31:54,826 --> 00:31:56,747 but I don't want to tell you that." 696 00:31:56,747 --> 00:31:59,501 But a week or two went by, 697 00:31:59,501 --> 00:32:05,096 and finally, he said "Okay, if that's what you want." 698 00:32:05,096 --> 00:32:07,727 He made it very clear, "If that's what you want." 699 00:32:09,814 --> 00:32:13,404 Jack McKinney was not physically fit to return, 700 00:32:13,404 --> 00:32:18,414 so I smartly just followed his offensive scheme. 701 00:32:19,584 --> 00:32:22,172 MAGIC: Paul Westhead inherited what Coach McKinney 702 00:32:22,172 --> 00:32:24,259 had already put in place. 703 00:32:24,259 --> 00:32:25,513 He had the ball moving 704 00:32:25,513 --> 00:32:28,226 and the players moving at the same time, 705 00:32:28,226 --> 00:32:31,566 so you couldn't stop us. It was a beautiful offense. 706 00:32:31,566 --> 00:32:34,071 And Westhead did a wonderful job 707 00:32:34,071 --> 00:32:35,365 of maintaining that. 708 00:32:40,458 --> 00:32:41,962 ANNOUNCER: 10 seconds to go till half-time, 60 to 42. 709 00:32:41,962 --> 00:32:44,676 Son's trying it. Lakers from 20 feet, no good, 710 00:32:44,676 --> 00:32:46,470 and it's half-time at the Forum. 711 00:32:46,470 --> 00:32:47,890 We'll be right back. 712 00:32:47,890 --> 00:32:49,727 ROB LOWE: I went to one Laker game 713 00:32:49,727 --> 00:32:51,857 before Magic showed up, 714 00:32:51,857 --> 00:32:53,610 and there was no sense of occasion. 715 00:32:53,610 --> 00:32:55,823 I don't think there even was a half-time show. 716 00:32:55,823 --> 00:32:59,079 Half-time was when you went and got a hot dog. 717 00:32:59,079 --> 00:33:02,043 Dr. Buss created a sense of occasion. 718 00:33:02,043 --> 00:33:04,298 JEANIE: You know, my dad-- when he bought the team, 719 00:33:04,298 --> 00:33:08,181 he wanted to create the atmosphere that he liked. 720 00:33:08,181 --> 00:33:11,270 "If I like it, then other people must like it too." 721 00:33:11,270 --> 00:33:12,982 REPORTER: There he is, his first shot as an owner. 722 00:33:12,982 --> 00:33:14,569 You think he likes it? 723 00:33:14,569 --> 00:33:16,656 JEANIE: One of the places he used to like to go 724 00:33:16,656 --> 00:33:18,075 was in Santa Monica. 725 00:33:18,075 --> 00:33:20,496 EMCEE: Welcome to Live at the Horn, 726 00:33:20,496 --> 00:33:22,250 right here at the Horn, 727 00:33:22,250 --> 00:33:24,756 Los Angeles' oldest cabaret and nightclub. 728 00:33:24,756 --> 00:33:26,760 JEANIE: They would put on a show, 729 00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:29,599 and they would turn down the lights, 730 00:33:29,599 --> 00:33:32,145 and they'd say, "It's showtime." 731 00:33:32,145 --> 00:33:34,483 So that's what he wanted to create. 732 00:33:34,483 --> 00:33:37,405 He wanted all the focus on the show 733 00:33:37,405 --> 00:33:38,992 while it was happening. 734 00:33:38,992 --> 00:33:40,788 So it became "Showtime." 735 00:33:41,455 --> 00:33:44,461 [strutting music] 736 00:33:44,461 --> 00:33:51,141 ♪ ♪ 737 00:33:51,141 --> 00:33:53,145 SINGER: ♪ I said upside down you turn me ♪ 738 00:33:53,145 --> 00:33:55,943 ANNOUNCER: You are going to see the game's finals, 739 00:33:55,943 --> 00:33:59,909 so sit back and relax. It's showtime. 740 00:33:59,909 --> 00:34:01,663 MAGIC: On the court, we were creating 741 00:34:01,663 --> 00:34:04,544 the movement of showtime. 742 00:34:04,544 --> 00:34:06,589 And then guess what happened. 743 00:34:06,589 --> 00:34:10,973 Dr. Buss said, "Let me start something sexy and hot." 744 00:34:10,973 --> 00:34:13,060 And he came up with the Laker Girls. 745 00:34:14,187 --> 00:34:17,027 - My dad came up with the idea for the Laker Girls 746 00:34:17,027 --> 00:34:20,408 because he was a big college football fan. 747 00:34:20,408 --> 00:34:22,329 ANNOUNCER: He gets the pass along 748 00:34:22,329 --> 00:34:24,499 just as he is hit in the end zone. 749 00:34:24,499 --> 00:34:26,128 JEANIE: When the game was going on, 750 00:34:26,128 --> 00:34:27,798 the men got the center stage. 751 00:34:27,798 --> 00:34:29,510 When they took a break, 752 00:34:29,510 --> 00:34:32,349 now let women have the center stage. 753 00:34:34,269 --> 00:34:37,610 The Lakers were the first team in the NBA 754 00:34:37,610 --> 00:34:39,781 to have dancers perform. 755 00:34:45,166 --> 00:34:46,711 ROB: The Laker Girls were extraordinary. 756 00:34:46,711 --> 00:34:53,474 I mean, to be a single guy in LA in those days, 757 00:34:53,474 --> 00:34:54,811 a lot of your attention 758 00:34:54,811 --> 00:34:58,150 was not on the actual game of basketball. 759 00:34:58,150 --> 00:35:00,739 JOHN SALLEY: I remember one time, I got fined $50. 760 00:35:00,739 --> 00:35:04,162 I was on the Detroit Pistons, and I'm bent over 761 00:35:04,162 --> 00:35:06,083 like I'm looking into the huddle 762 00:35:06,083 --> 00:35:09,172 while I'm looking up at the Laker Girls. 763 00:35:09,172 --> 00:35:10,926 And then they were like "Sal?" and I looked up, 764 00:35:10,926 --> 00:35:13,807 and everybody was staring at me. 765 00:35:13,807 --> 00:35:15,644 Coach was like, "That's $50." 766 00:35:15,644 --> 00:35:18,232 - My dad wanted to do entertainment. 767 00:35:18,232 --> 00:35:20,361 He wanted to have the spectacle. 768 00:35:20,361 --> 00:35:24,662 He wanted the three-ring circus that worked. 769 00:35:24,662 --> 00:35:26,373 - He made it fun. 770 00:35:26,373 --> 00:35:30,047 And of course we became a very successful team. 771 00:35:32,845 --> 00:35:36,561 NORM: Sexy entertainment and our style of play-- 772 00:35:36,561 --> 00:35:38,105 it goes together. 773 00:35:38,105 --> 00:35:41,361 When you put that together, it's just exploding. 774 00:35:42,071 --> 00:35:45,077 CLAIRE: Jerry changed everything. 775 00:35:45,077 --> 00:35:48,960 Floor seats were $10.50. 776 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:53,637 And he said to me, "I think we ought to raise it." 777 00:35:53,637 --> 00:35:56,099 We raised it to $65.00. 778 00:35:57,435 --> 00:35:59,565 JEANIE: Other owners around the league 779 00:35:59,565 --> 00:36:02,947 thought for sure we would lose fans. 780 00:36:02,947 --> 00:36:08,332 JIM GOLDSTEIN: I have attended over 5,000 NBA games. 781 00:36:08,332 --> 00:36:13,133 So Dr. Buss probably cost me 782 00:36:13,133 --> 00:36:15,597 millions of dollars. 783 00:36:16,306 --> 00:36:18,435 He was the first owner 784 00:36:18,435 --> 00:36:24,907 to realize he could raise the prices 400%, 785 00:36:24,907 --> 00:36:30,627 and people as crazy as me would still buy the tickets. 786 00:36:32,297 --> 00:36:35,219 LOU ADLER: In '72, Jack Nicholson and I 787 00:36:35,219 --> 00:36:36,556 started going to Laker games. 788 00:36:36,556 --> 00:36:38,267 We were sitting way up at the top, 789 00:36:38,267 --> 00:36:39,854 and then a couple of hit albums, 790 00:36:39,854 --> 00:36:42,233 a couple of hit movies, we kept moving down, 791 00:36:42,233 --> 00:36:44,530 and all of a sudden, we found ourselves on the floor. 792 00:36:45,908 --> 00:36:48,078 We were sitting court-side in '79, 793 00:36:48,078 --> 00:36:49,832 when he raised the price, 794 00:36:49,832 --> 00:36:52,462 but don't forget, he gave us the Laker Girls. 795 00:36:52,462 --> 00:36:55,259 So that sort of compensated. 796 00:36:56,428 --> 00:36:59,977 - My dad said "Okay, I'll charge more down here 797 00:36:59,977 --> 00:37:02,023 "and charge less up here 798 00:37:02,023 --> 00:37:04,862 so that everybody could enjoy showtime." 799 00:37:05,906 --> 00:37:09,287 CLAIRE: It was so thrilling, and so exciting. 800 00:37:09,287 --> 00:37:11,626 We sold out. 801 00:37:11,626 --> 00:37:13,253 ROB: Jerry Buss was the director, 802 00:37:13,253 --> 00:37:14,632 Magic's the star, 803 00:37:14,632 --> 00:37:18,263 the movie is Showtime, and it was a huge hit. 804 00:37:18,263 --> 00:37:19,600 EDDIE DOUCETTE: You have got to be very excited 805 00:37:19,600 --> 00:37:20,978 with the way your club has played. 806 00:37:20,978 --> 00:37:22,105 You like excitement, 807 00:37:22,105 --> 00:37:23,399 you've got an exciting atmosphere 808 00:37:23,399 --> 00:37:24,735 for basketball here, 809 00:37:24,735 --> 00:37:27,365 and your Lakers are certainly an exciting team. 810 00:37:27,365 --> 00:37:28,994 - Well, I think, first and foremost, you know, 811 00:37:28,994 --> 00:37:31,039 all of these things have to be entertainment, Eddie. 812 00:37:31,039 --> 00:37:32,793 And, uh, I'm very pleased 813 00:37:32,793 --> 00:37:35,799 because obviously, we have a packed house, and the fact 814 00:37:35,799 --> 00:37:39,264 that we're on television, uh, pleases me to no end. 815 00:37:39,264 --> 00:37:43,105 MAGIC: Dr. Buss always thought outside the box. 816 00:37:43,105 --> 00:37:45,151 See, all the owners were like this. 817 00:37:45,151 --> 00:37:47,990 "Okay, you do it like this, you wear a tie." 818 00:37:47,990 --> 00:37:50,161 Dr. Buss said, "I'm not wearing a tie." 819 00:37:50,161 --> 00:37:51,706 Everybody say, "You got to wear a suit." 820 00:37:51,706 --> 00:37:54,044 Dr. Buss said, "I'm wearing blue jeans." 821 00:37:54,044 --> 00:37:55,672 "Well, you got to date somebody your age." 822 00:37:55,672 --> 00:37:59,722 "I'm dating somebody who's 20." 823 00:37:59,722 --> 00:38:01,224 Dr. Buss was like, 824 00:38:01,224 --> 00:38:04,899 "I don't care what you guys do. This is who I am." 825 00:38:05,567 --> 00:38:08,573 [upbeat music] 826 00:38:08,573 --> 00:38:15,044 ♪ ♪ 827 00:38:15,044 --> 00:38:17,674 JEANIE: My parents were separated, 828 00:38:17,674 --> 00:38:19,385 so my dad soaked up 829 00:38:19,385 --> 00:38:22,433 every minute of the life he had. 830 00:38:22,433 --> 00:38:26,316 He just wanted to enjoy it and use whatever time he had 831 00:38:26,316 --> 00:38:28,905 to, you know, make his mark. 832 00:38:28,905 --> 00:38:31,619 ♪ ♪ 833 00:38:31,619 --> 00:38:34,917 MAGIC: Dr. Buss and I had the same personality. 834 00:38:34,917 --> 00:38:36,838 He loved people. I loved people. 835 00:38:36,838 --> 00:38:39,175 He loved to talk. I loved to talk. 836 00:38:39,175 --> 00:38:41,597 And he saw this innocent kid, 837 00:38:41,597 --> 00:38:44,477 and he saw that I didn't have anybody out here. 838 00:38:44,477 --> 00:38:46,314 And I think that he looked up and said, 839 00:38:46,314 --> 00:38:48,903 "Hey, I'm gonna play a role, 840 00:38:48,903 --> 00:38:51,408 if he wants me to play a role, in his life." 841 00:38:51,408 --> 00:38:53,078 And I wanted him to play a role. 842 00:38:53,078 --> 00:38:54,414 ANNOUNCER: First up, 843 00:38:54,414 --> 00:38:55,917 offensive possession of the ball, game-- 844 00:38:55,917 --> 00:38:57,880 MAGIC: We would meet every Saturday at his house, 845 00:38:57,880 --> 00:38:59,174 have breakfast, 846 00:38:59,174 --> 00:39:01,888 go to a USC football game together. 847 00:39:03,808 --> 00:39:06,062 He took me to the race track. 848 00:39:06,062 --> 00:39:08,985 I didn't know nothing about horse racing or any of that. 849 00:39:08,985 --> 00:39:10,487 ANNOUNCER: Eighth of a mile to go, 850 00:39:10,487 --> 00:39:12,033 There's four horses battling for the lead-- 851 00:39:12,033 --> 00:39:14,162 - He loved Italian food. I loved Italian food, 852 00:39:14,162 --> 00:39:16,834 so we'd meet at his favorite Italian restaurant 853 00:39:16,834 --> 00:39:19,005 all the time. 854 00:39:19,005 --> 00:39:22,011 He took me to the Playboy mansion that first time, 855 00:39:22,011 --> 00:39:24,516 and I was like a kid in a candy store, 856 00:39:24,516 --> 00:39:26,478 like "Ah." 857 00:39:27,188 --> 00:39:29,526 He said "Calm down, Earvin." 858 00:39:30,946 --> 00:39:32,532 He might've been older than me, 859 00:39:32,532 --> 00:39:34,118 but he was young at heart. 860 00:39:34,118 --> 00:39:36,039 Always, always. 861 00:39:37,291 --> 00:39:40,422 He actually became like a second father to me. 862 00:39:41,801 --> 00:39:44,848 - I don't know that my dad ever treated him like a son. 863 00:39:44,848 --> 00:39:46,017 You know, that's different, 864 00:39:46,017 --> 00:39:48,397 and I know that from first-hand. 865 00:39:48,397 --> 00:39:52,321 But the amount of women that would come up to them, 866 00:39:52,321 --> 00:39:55,077 it was like Elvis Presley or the Beatles 867 00:39:55,077 --> 00:39:57,290 had walked into the room. 868 00:39:57,290 --> 00:40:00,212 Was I a little jealous of that? Maybe. 869 00:40:00,212 --> 00:40:02,341 - When we went to the Playboy mansion, 870 00:40:02,341 --> 00:40:03,720 we would sit back, 871 00:40:03,720 --> 00:40:06,809 and he was just studying "Which one do I want?" 872 00:40:06,809 --> 00:40:08,186 You know? 873 00:40:08,186 --> 00:40:10,525 And then it was the chase to get her, right? 874 00:40:10,525 --> 00:40:13,740 And he would always end up with the one he wanted. 875 00:40:15,159 --> 00:40:17,455 SINGER: ♪ Please take me home ♪ 876 00:40:17,455 --> 00:40:19,375 ♪ He wears the finest clothes ♪ 877 00:40:19,375 --> 00:40:21,630 ♪ The best designers heaven knows ♪ 878 00:40:21,630 --> 00:40:24,636 JEANIE: It's like dating on hyper speed, 879 00:40:24,636 --> 00:40:27,099 and a lot of the girls were modeling, 880 00:40:27,099 --> 00:40:31,107 so they'd always make sure that he got pictures, 881 00:40:31,107 --> 00:40:33,028 and so he started keeping a book. 882 00:40:34,072 --> 00:40:37,537 BUSS: Most of the girls that you would date in Los Angeles 883 00:40:37,537 --> 00:40:41,294 typically want to be either a model or an actress. 884 00:40:41,294 --> 00:40:44,133 And if you go out with them, of course, they have 885 00:40:44,133 --> 00:40:46,471 those 8-by-10 glossies they send out all the time. 886 00:40:46,471 --> 00:40:48,601 And so I just thought, "Wouldn't it be nice 887 00:40:48,601 --> 00:40:51,565 to memorialize each one of the dates with a picture?" 888 00:40:52,984 --> 00:40:55,573 REPORTER: He's a very almost shy man, 889 00:40:55,573 --> 00:40:56,700 which surprised me. 890 00:40:56,700 --> 00:40:58,203 He's very reticent about--he lives 891 00:40:58,203 --> 00:41:00,834 this flamboyant lifestyle with all this stuff around him, 892 00:41:00,834 --> 00:41:03,255 including the models and the girlfriends and so on, 893 00:41:03,255 --> 00:41:05,008 and the big, flashy car, 894 00:41:05,008 --> 00:41:07,388 but I found him surprisingly reserved 895 00:41:07,388 --> 00:41:08,933 in his personal demeanor and so on. 896 00:41:09,601 --> 00:41:13,358 JANIE: I learned really quick about the playboy lifestyle, 897 00:41:13,358 --> 00:41:16,489 but it didn't change the way I felt about my father. 898 00:41:17,576 --> 00:41:20,582 JEANIE: He enjoyed the company of attractive women, 899 00:41:20,582 --> 00:41:23,671 and I think a lot of women fell in love with him. 900 00:41:23,671 --> 00:41:26,009 But as time went on, then, you know, 901 00:41:26,009 --> 00:41:28,723 there'd be a new girl and then another new girl. 902 00:41:28,723 --> 00:41:33,148 - I don't necessarily appreciate the collectibles 903 00:41:33,148 --> 00:41:37,699 in his gallery of beauty. 904 00:41:37,699 --> 00:41:40,914 You know, he does not look at women as some-- 905 00:41:40,914 --> 00:41:43,084 as Greek statues as he collects them. 906 00:41:43,084 --> 00:41:44,880 It's-- 907 00:41:44,880 --> 00:41:46,675 - No, and I raised that with him, as a matter of fact. 908 00:41:46,675 --> 00:41:48,011 I said-- one of the things I asked him, 909 00:41:48,011 --> 00:41:49,305 I said, "Would you want your daughter"-- 910 00:41:49,305 --> 00:41:50,390 who I think was about 20, I think-- 911 00:41:50,390 --> 00:41:51,894 "to date somebody like you?" 912 00:41:51,894 --> 00:41:53,355 And he said, "Well, as a matter of fact, I think I would." 913 00:41:53,355 --> 00:41:54,691 He said "Because, for instance, 914 00:41:54,691 --> 00:41:56,110 "I'm interested in having my daughter 915 00:41:56,110 --> 00:41:57,864 "come up in the organization as an executive, 916 00:41:57,864 --> 00:42:00,745 "the kind of Christy Hefner- Hugh Hefner split 917 00:42:00,745 --> 00:42:02,832 "that you see in Playboy magazine exists there." 918 00:42:02,832 --> 00:42:04,753 And he's very close to Hugh Hefner, it turns out, 919 00:42:04,753 --> 00:42:06,256 and I get the impression his daughter 920 00:42:06,256 --> 00:42:07,801 is very much like Christy Hefner, 921 00:42:07,801 --> 00:42:09,470 that she's interested in the business side, 922 00:42:09,470 --> 00:42:11,057 what's going on in the Jerry Buss organization. 923 00:42:11,057 --> 00:42:12,561 - I mean, her IQ is higher than 10. 924 00:42:12,561 --> 00:42:16,359 - Well, the generations, there is a big split. 925 00:42:16,359 --> 00:42:18,196 22 past the hour now. This is Today on NBC. 926 00:42:21,745 --> 00:42:24,751 [dramatic music] 927 00:42:24,751 --> 00:42:26,755 ♪ ♪ 928 00:42:26,755 --> 00:42:30,012 ANNOUNCER: The Los Angeles Lakers are the new champions 929 00:42:30,012 --> 00:42:31,640 of the western conference, 930 00:42:31,640 --> 00:42:36,149 as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar pours in 38 points and now-- 931 00:42:36,149 --> 00:42:37,234 REPORTER: Magic, get over here. 932 00:42:37,234 --> 00:42:38,613 Hey, man, congratulations. 933 00:42:38,613 --> 00:42:40,157 MAGIC: Thank you. 934 00:42:40,157 --> 00:42:41,827 - You seem like you're a little bit out of breath. 935 00:42:41,827 --> 00:42:43,831 - I am. I'm so happy, know? 936 00:42:43,831 --> 00:42:46,920 And elated that I get a chance to play for the championship. 937 00:42:46,920 --> 00:42:48,298 It's beautiful. 938 00:42:48,298 --> 00:42:49,885 - Now you got Philadelphia and Dr. J. 939 00:42:49,885 --> 00:42:51,555 Do you guard him on that series? 940 00:42:51,555 --> 00:42:52,932 - Yeah, I'll be guarding Julius. 941 00:42:52,932 --> 00:42:54,519 - Better go get your rest, huh? 942 00:42:54,519 --> 00:42:56,481 - Well, yeah, I'll get my rest, but I'm not gonna worry 943 00:42:56,481 --> 00:42:58,443 about it just yet. I'm gonna savor this. 944 00:42:58,443 --> 00:42:59,988 - Are you ready for Dr. J? 945 00:42:59,988 --> 00:43:02,786 - Yeah, I'm ready for Dr. J, but hi, Mom. Hi, Dad. 946 00:43:02,786 --> 00:43:04,372 - All right. All right, great, good luck. 947 00:43:04,372 --> 00:43:05,583 We'll see you Sunday. 948 00:43:05,583 --> 00:43:07,169 NORM: We knew we had a special team. 949 00:43:07,169 --> 00:43:09,633 We didn't know if we was going to win a championship, 950 00:43:09,633 --> 00:43:11,219 but we knew we had a great shot. 951 00:43:11,219 --> 00:43:13,557 - We were on a roll. We were together. 952 00:43:13,557 --> 00:43:17,356 We knew that we can win, but when you play 953 00:43:17,356 --> 00:43:20,153 Julius Erving and company, 954 00:43:20,153 --> 00:43:21,740 you know you're in for trouble. 955 00:43:22,701 --> 00:43:25,205 REPORTER: They call him the Doctor, Dr. J, 956 00:43:25,205 --> 00:43:27,418 Julius Erving, who always surprised 957 00:43:27,418 --> 00:43:28,713 and delighted his fans 958 00:43:28,713 --> 00:43:30,340 with his flashy and unpredictable moves 959 00:43:30,340 --> 00:43:31,719 on the way to the basket. 960 00:43:31,719 --> 00:43:34,140 Now the Doctor operates out of Philadelphia 961 00:43:34,140 --> 00:43:37,438 as the floor leader and captain of the Sixers. 962 00:43:37,438 --> 00:43:40,068 JULIUS ERVING: When we got to the matchup, 963 00:43:40,068 --> 00:43:44,076 we knew where the positions were where we had an advantage 964 00:43:44,076 --> 00:43:45,705 and where we didn't have an advantage. 965 00:43:45,705 --> 00:43:47,959 And we didn't have an advantage in the center position. 966 00:43:47,959 --> 00:43:51,007 I mean, Kareem was the force to be reckoned with, 967 00:43:51,007 --> 00:43:52,510 and, you know, 968 00:43:52,510 --> 00:43:55,975 he's the guy who I pick as the greatest of all time. 969 00:43:55,975 --> 00:43:57,520 - I'm looking for us to win. 970 00:43:57,520 --> 00:44:00,025 I have a lot of confidence we can beat the 76ers, 971 00:44:00,025 --> 00:44:03,824 but all of that will not mean anything if we don't go out 972 00:44:03,824 --> 00:44:06,162 and put it into real terms on the court. 973 00:44:06,162 --> 00:44:07,372 REPORTER: Ladies and gentlemen, 974 00:44:07,372 --> 00:44:08,793 welcome to the NBA 975 00:44:08,793 --> 00:44:10,838 World Championship Series. 976 00:44:10,838 --> 00:44:12,049 REPORTER: It's been eight seasons 977 00:44:12,049 --> 00:44:13,426 since the NBA Championship 978 00:44:13,426 --> 00:44:14,930 has been a part of the LA sports scene. 979 00:44:14,930 --> 00:44:16,474 Remember, it was back in 1972 980 00:44:16,474 --> 00:44:18,061 when the Lakers beat the Nicks for the title. 981 00:44:18,061 --> 00:44:19,856 Well, today, the Lakers have started out 982 00:44:19,856 --> 00:44:21,359 with every intention 983 00:44:21,359 --> 00:44:24,031 of winning that championship again. 984 00:44:24,031 --> 00:44:26,703 ANNOUNCER: Up and three and it will be underway. 985 00:44:26,703 --> 00:44:29,041 Controlled by Dawkins here. Great point. 986 00:44:33,258 --> 00:44:36,723 STEVE: That series was evenly matched all the way down. 987 00:44:36,723 --> 00:44:39,729 It was a seesaw, two teams going back and forth, 988 00:44:39,729 --> 00:44:43,278 had no idea who was going to win this thing. 989 00:44:43,278 --> 00:44:45,741 Going into game five, they were tied 2-2, 990 00:44:45,741 --> 00:44:49,373 and could've gone either way. 991 00:44:49,373 --> 00:44:51,043 ANNOUNCER: Mike and Jim Caper is the alternate, 992 00:44:51,043 --> 00:44:52,839 he'll be over at the scores table, 993 00:44:52,839 --> 00:44:55,260 and here is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 994 00:44:55,260 --> 00:44:56,805 and Caldwell Jones. 995 00:44:56,805 --> 00:44:59,811 [dramatic music] 996 00:44:59,811 --> 00:45:02,232 Into Kareem, James for shot. 997 00:45:02,232 --> 00:45:03,611 ANNOUNCER: 42. 998 00:45:03,611 --> 00:45:06,365 ANNOUNCER: Skyhook, Kareem. Take that. 999 00:45:06,365 --> 00:45:08,537 Julius matched against Cooper. 1000 00:45:08,537 --> 00:45:11,710 Kareem smooth with a jump shot to the left. 1001 00:45:11,710 --> 00:45:13,923 Whoa. 1002 00:45:13,923 --> 00:45:15,175 Everybody thought he was going left. 1003 00:45:15,175 --> 00:45:16,427 Kareem's hurt. 1004 00:45:16,427 --> 00:45:17,972 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is injured. 1005 00:45:17,972 --> 00:45:20,561 There's no question about it. 1006 00:45:20,561 --> 00:45:22,523 KAREEM: You know when you sprain your ankle. 1007 00:45:22,523 --> 00:45:25,195 It's not like something you find out a day or two later. 1008 00:45:26,782 --> 00:45:29,119 I went in to the locker room, and they said, 1009 00:45:29,119 --> 00:45:30,790 "You sprained it pretty bad." 1010 00:45:31,415 --> 00:45:34,129 MAGIC: When you lose somebody like Kareem 1011 00:45:34,129 --> 00:45:37,804 in a pivotal game five, you're devastated. 1012 00:45:37,804 --> 00:45:39,306 He was the most valuable player 1013 00:45:39,306 --> 00:45:40,893 in the league that year, 1014 00:45:40,893 --> 00:45:43,022 and he was dominating the series. 1015 00:45:43,022 --> 00:45:45,987 - I looked at centers. 1016 00:45:45,987 --> 00:45:48,993 I'm like, "We got an advantage here." 1017 00:45:48,993 --> 00:45:53,126 But my coaches-- they always taught me, 1018 00:45:53,126 --> 00:45:55,840 "You can't celebrate 1019 00:45:55,840 --> 00:45:59,096 till the game's over and you got the W." 1020 00:45:59,681 --> 00:46:03,354 - And mid-fourth quarter, here comes Kareem back. 1021 00:46:03,354 --> 00:46:05,358 ANNOUNCER: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is now 1022 00:46:05,358 --> 00:46:08,782 just returning for the final period. 1023 00:46:08,782 --> 00:46:10,828 KAREEM: Oh, I ignored the pain. 1024 00:46:10,828 --> 00:46:14,460 And I just focused on getting the job done. 1025 00:46:14,460 --> 00:46:17,633 - I've been in that situation, gone in the locker room, 1026 00:46:17,633 --> 00:46:20,723 had a lip sewn up, had my eye sewn up, 1027 00:46:20,723 --> 00:46:23,061 and come back out and--you know, 1028 00:46:23,061 --> 00:46:27,235 we were from the generation of, "If you don't go out there 1029 00:46:27,235 --> 00:46:30,283 and play, somebody's gonna take your fucking job." 1030 00:46:30,283 --> 00:46:32,997 You know? So we're from that generation. 1031 00:46:32,997 --> 00:46:34,500 ANNOUNCER: They got to be thinking, 1032 00:46:34,500 --> 00:46:36,170 "Oh my, here he is. He's back." 1033 00:46:36,170 --> 00:46:39,844 - We were all happy when we came back, trust me. 1034 00:46:39,844 --> 00:46:41,848 ANNOUNCER: Kareem comes in on Caldwell. 1035 00:46:41,848 --> 00:46:43,226 Sky-- 1036 00:46:43,226 --> 00:46:45,981 - I knew I could still beat Darryl Dawkins 1037 00:46:45,981 --> 00:46:48,862 and Caldwell Jones with a sprained ankle. 1038 00:46:50,031 --> 00:46:51,993 ANNOUNCER: Magic alley-oop to Kareem. 1039 00:46:51,993 --> 00:46:53,914 - He had the winning play as well. 1040 00:46:53,914 --> 00:46:55,125 ANNOUNCER: Dawkins will front Kareem, 1041 00:46:55,125 --> 00:46:57,003 lobbed to Kareem in behind. 1042 00:46:57,003 --> 00:46:59,592 - He dunked it and got fouled at the same time, 1043 00:46:59,592 --> 00:47:01,137 and we knew the game was over. 1044 00:47:01,137 --> 00:47:04,476 ANNOUNCER: And Los Angeles will take a 3-2 lead 1045 00:47:04,476 --> 00:47:07,482 in this NBA World Championship Series. 1046 00:47:07,482 --> 00:47:09,153 MICHAEL: That night, the doctor was in there, 1047 00:47:09,153 --> 00:47:11,115 and we all kind of, like, hung around 1048 00:47:11,115 --> 00:47:12,952 because we wanted to get the results. 1049 00:47:14,163 --> 00:47:16,417 KAREEM: I looked at my foot, and it was hard to tell 1050 00:47:16,417 --> 00:47:19,298 if it was my foot or an elephant foot. 1051 00:47:19,298 --> 00:47:22,638 I was hoping I could go home, two days of treatment, 1052 00:47:22,638 --> 00:47:25,185 and maybe I could be ready for game seven. 1053 00:47:27,732 --> 00:47:30,738 JAMAAL: The next day, we're heading back to Philly, 1054 00:47:30,738 --> 00:47:32,490 and he doesn't show up to the airport. 1055 00:47:32,490 --> 00:47:34,328 Now we know it's bad. 1056 00:47:35,413 --> 00:47:37,793 MICHAEL: At that time, we had to fly commercial. 1057 00:47:37,793 --> 00:47:39,505 And I'll never forget this. 1058 00:47:39,505 --> 00:47:40,966 We were all sitting in the airport, 1059 00:47:40,966 --> 00:47:43,597 and all of a sudden, we hear music. 1060 00:47:44,348 --> 00:47:47,521 [smooth '70s music] 1061 00:47:47,521 --> 00:47:48,857 Frankie Beverly, 1062 00:47:48,857 --> 00:47:50,903 "That's the Golden Time of Day." 1063 00:47:50,903 --> 00:47:52,657 ♪ ♪ 1064 00:47:52,657 --> 00:47:55,245 Magic comes onto the plane, 1065 00:47:55,245 --> 00:47:57,123 and he has this boombox on his shoulder. 1066 00:47:57,123 --> 00:48:00,547 - Walking down in the airport, singing loud. 1067 00:48:01,549 --> 00:48:03,135 MAGIC: I get on the plane, 1068 00:48:03,135 --> 00:48:06,058 and I wanted to build everybody's confidence up. 1069 00:48:06,058 --> 00:48:09,983 - He asks everybody--he goes, "What's wrong with y'all?" 1070 00:48:09,983 --> 00:48:11,528 And everybody's like "Ugh." 1071 00:48:11,528 --> 00:48:13,532 And he says "Have no fear, 1072 00:48:13,532 --> 00:48:17,038 motherfuckin' Earvin 'Magic' Johnson is here." 1073 00:48:20,169 --> 00:48:22,842 ANNOUNCER: You are looking live at the sold-out crowd 1074 00:48:22,842 --> 00:48:24,512 at the Spectrum in Philadelphia. 1075 00:48:24,512 --> 00:48:28,603 It is game six, the 76ers and the Lakers. 1076 00:48:28,603 --> 00:48:30,273 REPORTER: Magic, without the big fella here, 1077 00:48:30,273 --> 00:48:31,818 you're gonna have to really go to the board. 1078 00:48:31,818 --> 00:48:33,321 You had 15 in the last game. 1079 00:48:33,321 --> 00:48:35,283 - Yeah, I'm gonna have to really take up 1080 00:48:35,283 --> 00:48:37,370 a lot of slack that-- 1081 00:48:37,370 --> 00:48:41,045 without him in the middle, it's gonna be a real job 1082 00:48:41,045 --> 00:48:43,382 for me, Jim Chones, and Jamaal Wilkes. 1083 00:48:43,382 --> 00:48:44,927 REPORTER: How about guarding Julius-- 1084 00:48:44,927 --> 00:48:46,931 KAREEM: I wanted to go to the game. 1085 00:48:46,931 --> 00:48:48,685 You know, I wanted to be there. 1086 00:48:48,685 --> 00:48:50,981 I was just hoping that, 1087 00:48:50,981 --> 00:48:54,321 you know, they could have a decent game, you know? 1088 00:48:54,321 --> 00:48:55,490 Earn respect. 1089 00:48:55,490 --> 00:48:56,910 - He's not there. 1090 00:48:56,910 --> 00:48:59,498 You know, suddenly, it's a team we've never seen before. 1091 00:48:59,498 --> 00:49:02,045 ANNOUNCER: Wilkes will take a six shot outside on its way. 1092 00:49:02,045 --> 00:49:05,301 Jamal Wilkes now with 28 points for the Lakers. 1093 00:49:05,301 --> 00:49:09,142 - Without Kareem, we're gonna have to play really fast, 1094 00:49:09,142 --> 00:49:11,815 we're gonna have to rebound really well, 1095 00:49:11,815 --> 00:49:14,152 and we're gonna have to play good defense. 1096 00:49:14,152 --> 00:49:15,781 All of us gonna have to contribute. 1097 00:49:15,781 --> 00:49:17,033 ANNOUNCER: Wilkes sends it back, Nixon. 1098 00:49:17,033 --> 00:49:19,287 JAMAAL: So what's gonna get us the ring? 1099 00:49:19,287 --> 00:49:20,666 That's sticking together. 1100 00:49:20,666 --> 00:49:23,630 ANNOUNCER: And Jamal Wilkes at the buzzer. 1101 00:49:23,630 --> 00:49:25,509 On the interception on the lazy pass 1102 00:49:25,509 --> 00:49:27,345 and there's that rookie again. 1103 00:49:27,345 --> 00:49:29,141 Magic dishes Wilkes this time. 1104 00:49:29,141 --> 00:49:31,186 - Everybody stepped up in that sixth game. 1105 00:49:31,186 --> 00:49:34,192 As amazing as Magic was, he couldn't have done it alone. 1106 00:49:34,192 --> 00:49:35,529 ANNOUNCER: Magic will come down the baseline 1107 00:49:35,529 --> 00:49:36,739 and Dawkins' tiny mops. 1108 00:49:36,739 --> 00:49:38,409 ANNOUNCER: That wasn't a brick. 1109 00:49:38,409 --> 00:49:40,664 ANNOUNCER: Great pass inside to Cooper with Magic Johnson. 1110 00:49:40,664 --> 00:49:42,459 Here comes the 20-year-old rookie down the middle. 1111 00:49:42,459 --> 00:49:45,173 Dawkins went to him and scored and sent him into the line. 1112 00:49:45,173 --> 00:49:46,676 There it is! 1113 00:49:46,676 --> 00:49:48,638 It's over and the most valuable player 1114 00:49:48,638 --> 00:49:50,099 is Magic Johnson, 1115 00:49:50,099 --> 00:49:52,312 who leads the Los Angeles Lakers 1116 00:49:52,312 --> 00:49:53,648 to the World Championship 1117 00:49:53,648 --> 00:49:56,905 without Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and the Lakers-- 1118 00:49:56,905 --> 00:49:59,367 - All of a sudden, I had three months to heal. 1119 00:50:01,288 --> 00:50:04,712 - Kareem was there with us. He got us there. 1120 00:50:04,712 --> 00:50:05,964 Brought us to that point. 1121 00:50:05,964 --> 00:50:07,801 - When you win something like that, 1122 00:50:07,801 --> 00:50:09,346 you feel that, all of a sudden, 1123 00:50:09,346 --> 00:50:10,724 your life has changed. 1124 00:50:10,724 --> 00:50:14,105 I thought this can happen over and over and over again. 1125 00:50:14,105 --> 00:50:15,399 Why not? 1126 00:50:15,399 --> 00:50:17,070 - This is your first year, and you're here. 1127 00:50:17,070 --> 00:50:19,575 How many of these would you like to get under your belt? 1128 00:50:19,575 --> 00:50:21,370 - About 20. 1129 00:50:21,370 --> 00:50:25,629 - I want to present the world trophy to the owner 1130 00:50:25,629 --> 00:50:27,298 of the Los Angeles Lakers, 1131 00:50:27,298 --> 00:50:29,971 the new world champions of basketball, 1132 00:50:29,971 --> 00:50:31,223 and I'm proud to do it. 1133 00:50:31,223 --> 00:50:33,394 And here you go, Jerry Buss, it's yours. 1134 00:50:34,396 --> 00:50:36,526 And a permanent. You keep it. 1135 00:50:36,526 --> 00:50:40,659 [onlookers cheering and shouting] 1136 00:50:42,538 --> 00:50:47,380 - I've never had a group of men like this team 1137 00:50:47,380 --> 00:50:53,685 do so much minute by minute, week by week, month by month. 1138 00:50:53,685 --> 00:50:56,023 I think we played 108 games, 1139 00:50:56,023 --> 00:50:57,901 and they've given everything they had, 1140 00:50:57,901 --> 00:51:00,114 and this is the end result. Thank you, guys. 1141 00:51:00,114 --> 00:51:01,868 - Coach Westhead. - Everybody put your hand right here. 1142 00:51:01,868 --> 00:51:04,874 - Paul, come here. It was indeed-- 1143 00:51:06,335 --> 00:51:08,005 STEVE: What Jerry Buss did in his first year 1144 00:51:08,005 --> 00:51:09,842 owning the Lakers is incredible. 1145 00:51:09,842 --> 00:51:11,345 I can't think of any other owner 1146 00:51:11,345 --> 00:51:14,644 who's made such an impact on the NBA so fast. 1147 00:51:14,644 --> 00:51:16,606 I mean, after Laker Girls came along, 1148 00:51:16,606 --> 00:51:18,359 there were dancing girls all over the league, 1149 00:51:18,359 --> 00:51:19,695 and all of a sudden, 1150 00:51:19,695 --> 00:51:21,073 there was entertainment all through the league. 1151 00:51:21,073 --> 00:51:22,450 I mean, they're all now copying him. 1152 00:51:22,450 --> 00:51:24,538 And he had all this in one season. 1153 00:51:25,791 --> 00:51:27,502 MAGIC: What we both wanted as rookies, 1154 00:51:27,502 --> 00:51:30,842 it was the proudest moment for both of us, you know? 1155 00:51:30,842 --> 00:51:32,721 We had our moment back at the hotel. 1156 00:51:32,721 --> 00:51:34,725 "Can you believe this? 1157 00:51:34,725 --> 00:51:35,811 "You're a rookie, I'm a rookie, 1158 00:51:35,811 --> 00:51:38,440 and we won the NBA Championship!" 1159 00:51:38,440 --> 00:51:42,073 And you got jeans on, no socks. 1160 00:51:43,952 --> 00:51:46,081 INTERVIEWER: When they won, the Lakers won, 1161 00:51:46,081 --> 00:51:47,333 at the awarding of the championship 1162 00:51:47,333 --> 00:51:49,505 and all that-- tell me about that high 1163 00:51:49,505 --> 00:51:51,258 and what's coming down was like. 1164 00:51:51,759 --> 00:51:53,722 - The last three or four weeks of the season 1165 00:51:53,722 --> 00:51:55,224 were exhausting for me, 1166 00:51:55,224 --> 00:51:57,646 and I looked forward to taking a couple of weeks off, 1167 00:51:57,646 --> 00:51:58,940 thinking I would relax 1168 00:51:58,940 --> 00:52:01,069 and come back to work fresh as a daisy, 1169 00:52:01,069 --> 00:52:03,575 but it doesn't work out that way. 1170 00:52:03,575 --> 00:52:05,829 You're on such a high and such an intensity 1171 00:52:05,829 --> 00:52:07,206 during that period of time, 1172 00:52:07,206 --> 00:52:09,712 it takes maybe two, two and a half months 1173 00:52:09,712 --> 00:52:13,177 before you ever begin to be able to normal again. 1174 00:52:19,355 --> 00:52:20,692 JEANIE: During that time, 1175 00:52:20,692 --> 00:52:24,825 my parents went through a divorce, 1176 00:52:24,825 --> 00:52:27,330 which is a humbling experience for anybody. 1177 00:52:30,044 --> 00:52:32,131 JANIE: I remember the day my mom said, 1178 00:52:32,131 --> 00:52:34,260 "We're signing divorce papers." 1179 00:52:35,680 --> 00:52:38,060 JIM: I knew there was, you know, 1180 00:52:38,060 --> 00:52:40,356 some negative emotions for her 1181 00:52:40,356 --> 00:52:42,151 and that she was upset, 1182 00:52:42,151 --> 00:52:43,988 but she covered up a lot. 1183 00:52:46,493 --> 00:52:49,667 - She did the best she could to--to talk to me about it, 1184 00:52:49,667 --> 00:52:52,129 but I didn't quite know how to feel about it. 1185 00:52:53,423 --> 00:52:57,181 JEANIE: My dad wanted my mom to be like a trophy wife, 1186 00:52:57,181 --> 00:52:59,477 but my mom was more introverted. 1187 00:52:59,477 --> 00:53:01,983 Like, that was not her comfort zone, 1188 00:53:01,983 --> 00:53:05,532 to get dressed up, to be on his arm. 1189 00:53:05,532 --> 00:53:08,287 That wasn't something that she was comfortable with. 1190 00:53:08,287 --> 00:53:12,336 And, you know, she wanted him to be home all the time. 1191 00:53:17,096 --> 00:53:19,475 INTERVIEWER: One newspaper account says you're very fast. 1192 00:53:19,475 --> 00:53:23,442 Fast women, fast cars, fast business deals. 1193 00:53:25,697 --> 00:53:30,205 - Well, I like fast cars. They're just beautiful. 1194 00:53:30,205 --> 00:53:33,713 I'm single, and therefore, I tend to go discoing 1195 00:53:33,713 --> 00:53:35,634 as much as anybody, I guess. 1196 00:53:35,634 --> 00:53:37,971 Fast business deals? 1197 00:53:37,971 --> 00:53:40,392 Sometimes deals have to done quickly 1198 00:53:40,392 --> 00:53:42,773 in order to be consummated, 1199 00:53:42,773 --> 00:53:45,946 but I don't necessarily walk into a deal 1200 00:53:45,946 --> 00:53:49,327 to enjoy the speed with which it's executed. 1201 00:53:49,327 --> 00:53:53,795 I feel I'm as cautious as anyone else. 1202 00:53:53,795 --> 00:53:55,464 But I'm willing to take a gamble, 1203 00:53:55,464 --> 00:53:58,596 if the condition arises. 1204 00:54:04,440 --> 00:54:07,113 [dramatic music] 1205 00:54:07,113 --> 00:54:09,492 - Man to man, Don't foul. 1206 00:54:09,492 --> 00:54:10,662 They've only got three seconds. 1207 00:54:10,662 --> 00:54:12,123 They have to have a three-point shot, so-- 1208 00:54:12,123 --> 00:54:14,753 ANNOUNCER: No, he just said don't foul. 1209 00:54:14,753 --> 00:54:16,423 89-86. 1210 00:54:16,423 --> 00:54:18,594 Kareem will try to get as much distance on this 1211 00:54:18,594 --> 00:54:21,016 as he can without starting the clock. 1212 00:54:21,016 --> 00:54:23,311 Jamal Wilkes, three pointer. 1213 00:54:23,311 --> 00:54:26,151 And we are going to have new world champions 1214 00:54:26,151 --> 00:54:27,779 this year in the NBA. 1215 00:54:27,779 --> 00:54:30,284 The Houston Rockets have won it. 1216 00:54:30,284 --> 00:54:35,628 JEANIE: The 1980-'81 season was a huge letdown. 1217 00:54:35,628 --> 00:54:37,549 That year, Magic got hurt, 1218 00:54:37,549 --> 00:54:41,181 so we never really got back into form. 1219 00:54:41,181 --> 00:54:45,774 And going into the next season, we started off a little shaky. 1220 00:54:45,774 --> 00:54:47,151 ANNOUNCER: And we're under way. 1221 00:54:47,151 --> 00:54:48,361 I hope you enjoy this game 1222 00:54:48,361 --> 00:54:50,365 and the NBA campaign on CBS. 1223 00:54:50,365 --> 00:54:52,161 And the Lakers control. 1224 00:54:52,161 --> 00:54:54,081 Magic Johnson outside. 1225 00:54:54,081 --> 00:54:57,338 MICHAEL: If you had just won a championship, as a coach, 1226 00:54:57,338 --> 00:54:59,718 you don't want to change things drastically. 1227 00:54:59,718 --> 00:55:01,471 But the beginning of that season was different 1228 00:55:01,471 --> 00:55:06,022 because Coach Westhead started seeing us differently. 1229 00:55:06,774 --> 00:55:08,694 ANNOUNCER: Pat Riley and Paul Westhead 1230 00:55:08,694 --> 00:55:10,405 on the Laker bench. 1231 00:55:10,405 --> 00:55:14,330 - Paul put in this new system, and the system basically was, 1232 00:55:14,330 --> 00:55:16,794 he was running the show, not Magic Johnson, 1233 00:55:16,794 --> 00:55:18,548 and nobody hated him more than Magic, 1234 00:55:18,548 --> 00:55:20,467 but none of the players liked him. 1235 00:55:20,467 --> 00:55:23,641 MAGIC: He wanted to become his own coach and his own man, 1236 00:55:23,641 --> 00:55:25,687 with his own offense. 1237 00:55:25,687 --> 00:55:28,400 And, um, it just didn't work for us. 1238 00:55:28,400 --> 00:55:30,153 - Paul was taking the team in a direction 1239 00:55:30,153 --> 00:55:32,074 I didn't want to go. 1240 00:55:32,074 --> 00:55:34,161 He was slowing down the offense, 1241 00:55:34,161 --> 00:55:36,750 and they were becoming so patterned 1242 00:55:36,750 --> 00:55:41,217 that a lot of the excitement was beginning to disappear. 1243 00:55:41,217 --> 00:55:43,723 And I began to really question 1244 00:55:43,723 --> 00:55:46,729 whether or not we were being well-coached. 1245 00:55:46,729 --> 00:55:49,191 PAUL: This is now demanding, 1246 00:55:49,191 --> 00:55:50,987 this is hard, this is rigorous, 1247 00:55:50,987 --> 00:55:56,080 this is pushing the envelope every day in practice. 1248 00:55:56,080 --> 00:55:58,418 I didn't realize at the time 1249 00:55:58,418 --> 00:56:04,096 that the players were ultimately going to resist. 1250 00:56:04,096 --> 00:56:06,810 - The basketball IQ of our team was very high. 1251 00:56:06,810 --> 00:56:08,480 You didn't have to kind of hold our hands. 1252 00:56:08,480 --> 00:56:11,444 We knew how to read plays. We could adjust on the spot. 1253 00:56:11,444 --> 00:56:13,741 If someone takes those instincts away from you, 1254 00:56:13,741 --> 00:56:16,664 I mean, that's a coach that's just trying to over-coach you. 1255 00:56:16,664 --> 00:56:18,166 KAREEM: It wasn't working. 1256 00:56:18,166 --> 00:56:21,422 Basketball is nothing if not a game of spontaneity. 1257 00:56:21,422 --> 00:56:22,509 JAMAAL: You know, it was kind of like, 1258 00:56:22,509 --> 00:56:23,552 "What's he thinking about?" 1259 00:56:23,552 --> 00:56:25,138 You know? "What's going on here?" 1260 00:56:25,138 --> 00:56:28,228 - See, as an athlete, you know if the coach knows his stuff. 1261 00:56:29,856 --> 00:56:33,238 He didn't know his stuff. Just didn't know it. 1262 00:56:33,238 --> 00:56:35,033 And it's okay. 1263 00:56:35,033 --> 00:56:39,543 - Once you begin to lose your players, you're toast. 1264 00:56:39,543 --> 00:56:43,509 - I wanted Jerry West to step in and be the coach. 1265 00:56:43,509 --> 00:56:44,928 WEST: I was going through 1266 00:56:44,928 --> 00:56:46,640 a very difficult time in my life. 1267 00:56:46,640 --> 00:56:49,855 I was going through a divorce. I said, "Jerry, 1268 00:56:49,855 --> 00:56:52,026 "this would be the worst thing that could ever happen. 1269 00:56:52,026 --> 00:56:53,361 The worst thing." 1270 00:56:53,361 --> 00:56:57,077 - And I said "Okay, then I'll give it one week 1271 00:56:57,077 --> 00:56:58,748 in order to get a new coach." 1272 00:56:59,624 --> 00:57:03,507 And then on either Wednesday or Thursday, Magic made 1273 00:57:03,507 --> 00:57:06,471 his famous statement, which hit all the newspapers. 1274 00:57:07,389 --> 00:57:09,644 STEVE: We go in the locker room, and we go up to Earvin. 1275 00:57:09,644 --> 00:57:11,272 You know, usual "So how'd it go tonight?" 1276 00:57:11,272 --> 00:57:14,236 or "you got 21 points," whatever it was he said, 1277 00:57:14,236 --> 00:57:16,449 and he stands up like a politician 1278 00:57:16,449 --> 00:57:18,244 and he says, "I'm not having any fun. 1279 00:57:18,244 --> 00:57:21,209 I want to be traded." Out of nowhere. 1280 00:57:21,209 --> 00:57:22,419 - We went to talk to him about the game, 1281 00:57:22,419 --> 00:57:24,423 and he said, "I got to go. 1282 00:57:24,423 --> 00:57:26,094 "Paul and I don't see eye to eye. 1283 00:57:26,094 --> 00:57:27,387 "I'd like to be traded. 1284 00:57:27,387 --> 00:57:29,100 "I'm going to talk to Dr. Buss today. 1285 00:57:29,601 --> 00:57:31,229 "I'd like to go to New York, Chicago. 1286 00:57:31,229 --> 00:57:33,024 "It's just, Paul and I don't see eye and eye, 1287 00:57:33,024 --> 00:57:34,360 "and I'm not having fun anymore, 1288 00:57:34,360 --> 00:57:36,447 and I haven't had fun all season." 1289 00:57:36,447 --> 00:57:37,992 - That's the first emotional outburst 1290 00:57:37,992 --> 00:57:40,623 that we have seen from Magic, who is only 22 years of age. 1291 00:57:40,623 --> 00:57:42,167 It was in very bad taste. 1292 00:57:42,167 --> 00:57:44,088 KAREEM: It was like a bolt from the blue, all right? 1293 00:57:44,088 --> 00:57:46,175 I was sitting in the locker room in Salt Lake, 1294 00:57:46,175 --> 00:57:48,514 and the press, all of a sudden, 1295 00:57:48,514 --> 00:57:49,891 were all around my neck, telling me 1296 00:57:49,891 --> 00:57:51,227 exactly what Magic had said. 1297 00:57:51,227 --> 00:57:53,899 And, uh, I had no inkling of it. 1298 00:57:53,899 --> 00:57:55,528 MAGIC: It was just the end for me. 1299 00:57:55,528 --> 00:57:57,114 I just couldn't take it no more. 1300 00:57:57,114 --> 00:57:58,116 REPORTER: Going the wrong way. 1301 00:57:58,116 --> 00:57:59,368 They're going the wrong way. 1302 00:57:59,368 --> 00:58:01,122 PERSON: Must've made a run, John. 1303 00:58:01,122 --> 00:58:03,752 ♪ ♪ 1304 00:58:03,752 --> 00:58:05,172 REPORTER: Everybody ready? 1305 00:58:05,172 --> 00:58:07,927 Everybody ready? Everybody ready? 1306 00:58:07,927 --> 00:58:10,641 REPORTER: Now, Magic, of course, everybody wants to know, 1307 00:58:10,641 --> 00:58:12,144 do you still feel the same way this morning 1308 00:58:12,144 --> 00:58:13,438 as you did last night? 1309 00:58:13,438 --> 00:58:14,858 - Well, really, I have no comment right now 1310 00:58:14,858 --> 00:58:16,904 until after I meet with Dr. Buss. 1311 00:58:16,904 --> 00:58:20,118 And, you know, you can have all the questions you want, okay? 1312 00:58:20,118 --> 00:58:21,622 REPORTER: What's the problem, Magic? 1313 00:58:21,622 --> 00:58:23,208 - No questions right now, really. 1314 00:58:23,208 --> 00:58:25,462 I don't have no answers until after I meet with him. 1315 00:58:25,462 --> 00:58:26,840 Thank you. 1316 00:58:26,840 --> 00:58:29,804 [suspenseful music] 1317 00:58:29,804 --> 00:58:36,818 ♪ ♪