Imago
Aug 1992: Larry Bird (L) and Magic Johnson (R) of Team USA, the Dream Team, answers questions from the media after practice for the men’s basketball competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Icon Sportswire)
Imago
Aug 1992: Larry Bird (L) and Magic Johnson (R) of Team USA, the Dream Team, answers questions from the media after practice for the men’s basketball competition at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Icon Sportswire)
NBA legend Magic Johnson’s success was foreseen by another NBA legend. Those close to him and keen observers have seen the dedication he pours into his endeavors. With astute strategies and a strong work ethic, it was inevitable that he would ascend to the ranks of billionaire athletes soon. It’s hardly astonishing that Larry Bird foresaw Johnson’s newfound success nearly a year before it happened.
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In a recent interview, the five-time champion discussed his old rival’s accurate prediction.
Larry Bird stated a surprising reason behind his prediction
After Michael Jordan’s astonishing $3 billion Charlotte Hornets deal, Johnson also elevated his game to join the billionaire ranks. As Johnson reminisces, his former rival and friend, Bird, had predicted this milestone well in advance. During a recent interview on Jimmy Kimmel’s show, Johnson shared this intriguing story.
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In a playful exchange with the host, he was asked if he ever calls Bird to playfully remind him of his billionaire status, to which Johnson revealed Bird’s prediction. ?Well let me tell you yeah what Larry said a year ago.? He continued, ?He said Magic is going to be a billionaire and he likes to go through the front door. I’m just going to be Larry Bird and I like to go through the back door.??
The Boston Celtics legend firmly believed in Johnson’s aspiration to become a billionaire. And he foresaw its realization. He even articulated the reasons behind his conviction.
Securing a spot as the fourth athlete to achieve billionaire status on Forbes’ list, Johnson has joined the elite ranks alongside Jordan, LeBron James, and Tiger Woods. Bird’s prediction about Johnson’s success has undoubtedly proven to be accurate. While both may have been rivals, they share more similarities than one might initially perceive.
How did Magic Johnson’s friendship begin with Larry Bird??
Their shared characteristics are the reason behind their enduring friendship. The Los Angeles Lakers legend once shared that the pivotal shift in his relationship with Larry Bird occurred during a visit to Bird’s hometown in French Lick, Indiana, while they were filming a Converse commercial.
The reason was a lunch invitation extended by Bird’s mother, a seemingly ordinary gesture that became the cornerstone of the iconic connection between these basketball icons. It was at that very moment that their friendship began, and it has endured ever since.
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Written by
Edited by
Rohan Karnad