Magic Johnson to Clyde Drexler: "You Had a Chance to Say These Things to Me"
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- Опубліковано 1 жов 2024
- NBA legend Magic Johnson talks to the WSJ's Lee Hawkins about comments retired NBA player Clyde Drexler reportedly made about Johnson's HIV diagnosis factoring in to the decision to name Johnson MVP of the 1992 NBA All-Star game.
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Of course Clyde didn't tell YOU, Magic. YOU aren't the person he's criticizing. He felt like you received the benefit of pity. He never said that you are responsible for that pity. Your defensiveness is just a bit much... but for the most part, a classy reaction. If I were Clyde though, I wouldn't feel the need to bother YOU with this grievance. It actually doesn't involve you (though I suppose it does say that perhaps one of your accomplishments might have been better deserved by him... so I can understand SOME defensiveness)
Great observation! Didn't see it that way as I watched it. But you're right on point! Clyde's comments had nothing to do with Magic. He was referring to how the media & the league were responding to Magic's situation. I've loved Clyde the player & the man since the days of Phi Slama Jama. He's always been humble & a class act!
Magic Johnson @ 3:23: I don't talk about MVPs. I talk about championships.
Damn, return fire.
All due respect (hes basically nearly my favorite player of all time, and i grew up in LA), Magic played for the Los Angeles Lakers. And had Kareem and an incredible team, in a league with some, but not a great amount, of parity (a few stacked teams). Clyde played for the freakin Portland blazers, with who i cant even remember, and then had to get by u-know-who -- which _NO ONE_ did.
So championships isnt realy a fair comparison, and is quite armchair commentary comin from anyone other than Magic-taken-somewhat-out-of-context while tryin to make a point, in an interview and clip that got heavily edited.
Dr. J.: "My goals weren't individual goals -- become, you know, All-Star game MVP, become league MVP, whatever -- it was winning the championship."
+thetruest Truest: Teams that win the championships are great teams to begin with. However, when Magic joined the Lakers, they were getting beat in Rd 1 by Seattle for two years. The fact that they immediately beat Seattle the season he joined and then won in the Finals, including that road game without Kareem that Magic won on Philly's floor just shows that Magic was the guy who drove the machine. Blazers were a good team, and you can say the Lakers or Bulls or whomever were better, when it came down to closing out a series, Magic, Jordan, AND Isiah made the plays. Clyde always seemed to come up just short. That's definitely the case in the 91 and 92 series where the Blazers were eliminated. Magic rolled the ball down court in the final secs of the 91 set with Clyde standing there in disbelief. Magic won that series, and he didn't have Kareem.
+thetruest Terry Porter and Jerome Kearsey (RIP) is who Clyde played for. And we never won the championship because 1) The NBA tends to lean towards the benefit of bigger markets such as LA for glamorous things like championships and 2) As you said, the Bulls owned the 90's.
Easy to talk about championships when you had the teammates that you had...
Magic just demonstrated masterfully how to 'take the high road' while actually getting in several digs...'hide behind a book'[coward'] 'talking about the MVP instead of championships[loser], 'Instead of talking I will find a way to win'[big-mouth not as competitive-as-me whiner]...all the great players are Type A's, and Magic can pretend to be a B all he wants, but it's pretty clear he's firing back big time at Clyde behind a smile and a calm tone, like a verbal assassin
+Joe Johnson #EXACTLY!! He killed him softly. He threw backhanded compliments with sharpness.
+OUTTA FOCUS He didn't' exactly take the high road...he's very proud of himself.
+ConservativeAnthem I didn't say he took the high road.
OUTTA FOCUS Oops.
Very well said Joe. Magic is the nicest guy when talking about other players. He's quick to give compliments when applicable and if anything, he downplays his own achievements which are phenomenal. To me he had the best basketball IQ that I've ever seen. But he really was slick Magic in this clip.. he gave you a glimpse of his competitive edge. Earvin Johnson was a nice guy.. but on the court it was Magic full on.. play to draw blood man.
What?! I can tell you from somebody who owns Clyde Drexler's book (autographed, woot-woot), that was taken out of context! Clyde is easily the most humble person EVER! Oh, and by the way, EVERYONE thought Magic was gonna drop dead! Literally everyone! The virus was still new and people didn't know what was gonna happen! At least Drexler wasn't like Malone by talking about not wanting to play with Magic because of it! #ripCITY
Magic loved the game, played it the right way and was the ultimate team player....class all the way!
except for the fact he cheated on his wife with 100's of women and put her at risk of the hiv virus but yeah classy guy
Numsy Numsy [
the fact that you defend him speaks a lot of your character
@@patrickg6753 Man, that’s the best you got?
@@patrickg6753 its been documented for a while that Magic contracted HIV during the 80s. Before he meet his current wife.
Clyde is right, I watched the game live, and Clyde would have gotten the mvp of the game, but they took him out and played Magic, so that he would get the mvp. I was a little upset at that time because of it.
Ya know Clyde was right tho
no he wasn't yell
Sounds like some combination of misquote, out of context, or fabrication. Just look at how Clyde has always handled himself. This is why everyone has to be careful when they hear anything like this. Dont rush to judge until its verified.
Also Clyde was not second tier by any stretch of the imagination.
unless clyde drexler statement wrritten with quotes, i don't believe it.
But.. Wasnt.. It in... A book........
@@guywebster8018 ppl lie in books all the time. Not saying this is or isn't true but c'mon. Being in a book, news paper or TV doesn't mean anything.
John Bell
Same here
I love Magic but that is true Clyde was the MVP that year
Jordan was. Clyde was 2nd
Lol Jordan gave it to him in the finals did he think he was mvp then too?
@@Landmark2Security Jordan didn't give Clyde anything. They rarely held each other. Clyde basically had to shoulder the load on offense and defense, while Jordan had Scottie on both sides of the ball. Jordan lit up Robinson & Porter than he did Clyde. Yall need to look at *what actually happened* instead of what the media projects. Yall haven't learned anything from Kwame lately?
@@benyah3390 you are so correct
To me it sound like they are talking about the all star game MVP. If you look at the box score Magic and Drexler were a dead heat. Sympathy vote for Magic... maybe... rather it would be a tie breaker. That and his 3 for 3 from 3 point land
Jordan, Magic,Bird are the 3
And Isiah
@@rusted8157 he does easily and did it a 6 feet tall.
@@rusted8157 As soley as a basketball player, yes he does.
Drexler-“I have nothing but love and respect for Magic Johnson and all that he has accomplished in basketball and in life. I always took pride in being a great teammate throughout my career and I would never have made the statements that were reported in Jack McCallum’s book. I was one of Magic’s biggest supporters during that difficult period in his life and I take great exception to having such comments attributed to me. Magic and I have a friendship that goes back more than 28 years and I would never say such hurtful things. I have reached out to Magic to assure him that I did not say those things and to apologize to him and his family for even having to respond to something as baseless as this.”
Nuff said in my book, Maccullum is trying to sell books, a sadly dying medium.
Hh
Because famous people never lie & deny when they´re criticized, right?
+Ellande Campbell but why would Clyde said that if he knew it could be material for the book? it's not like he was caught off guard or something. Well only Clyde and McCallum knows what actually happened.
Phil Ster: McCallum said that Drexler did say the quote as it was written in the book, but that it was taken out of context by the people that were criticizing Drexler. McCallum said that Drexler was describing what the league felt as a whole, not Drexler's personal feelings towards Magic
stab2122 should they sit down like mag and tuss did?
"It's funny to talk about MVP's. He's not talking about championships."
* Drops the mic.
😂🤣
Except Drexler is an NBA Champion
@@2008sALINAs Huh?
@@enriqueasebez4834 Well that’s true 🙄
It's amazing Magic's response to Clyde when he himself did the exact same thing to Isaiah Thomas. 20 yrs after the Dream Team he reveals "IN A BOOK" about how he conspired to keep Zeke off the team while pretending to be good friends & spending family vacations together. Yet he calls Clyde out for being fake so what does that make him. There's nothing magical about being a hypocrite.
I concur.
Man you spitting facts
No. By the time the Dream Team came along, that relationship was fully broken. Thomas has said some horrible things about Magic. But Masters move in silence. Everyone knew that Magic and Mike did not want Thomas on the team.
@@brianjackson5732 and Scottie and Bird plus we know Zeke didn’t like Karl Malone
@@MarkyMark1221 Even after the free cosmetic surgery Karl gave him
This is what's called, class.
***** Are you referring to Magic Johnson? If so, how was he a hypocrite? (It's spelled hypocrisy btw)
Space Alien I don't know anything about his son to make that judgment, but how classy someone is has nothing to do with their sexual preference. Your comment though is typical of a disgusting and classless person.
So cause his son is gay that makes him gay to right lol u pathetic and a bitch Magic Johnson is more of a man than u will ever be because anyone that has that much hate towards someone else especially that they don't even know has issues themselves fuck outta here dude
@Space Alien...you hit it hard bro. How did you get all this info?
Leave Clyde alone.
Drexler has a point.
"I'm not the type of guy to" ...(you know some bull shit is coming next).
"I'm OK with what he said" ...(spends 5 minutes discussing the comment and sideways dissing the guy). haha
😂 yep
If you actually watched them play the season Clyde is talking about, you would agree with clyde
especially that all-star game...Magic hit 3 meaningless 3 pointers to close the game...I got it on tape. Clyde should have been MVP, him and Mullin worked great together...waaaaaaaaah Magic. F-U and your flamboyant gay son.
DooM Raccoon Drexler was amazing! And a first ballot HoF
Magic sat our the 91-92 season , genius. Had he played, he doubtlessly would have performed better than Drexler, seeing as how he was the superior basketball player.
DWI 4 life Drexler = the Zeppo Marx of 90s NBA superstars. He has Olympic gold for one reason and one reason only: Jordan hates Zeke.
Spitshine Tommy Drexler was the 2nd best 2 guard....Stupid. So you may wanna exchange Stockton for Zeke. Scrub. Drex was an EASY choice. Crazy all-around game. Ask coaches/peers. And step up that bball iq fam
Clyde had a great 1992 All Star game
Magic shows why he has been a winner his whole life in sports, business and life!
Clyde drexler gets framed for this shit drexler was a class act and by magic going on tv and blasting Clyde makes him a low life truth is the truth everyone in the nba felt sorry for the guy they all thought he was gonna die drexler don't get the credit or the respect from nobody he was in my opinion better than magic but people will always say how so magic got more rings lakers had better teams surrounding magic - now I give all the credit to magic for how great he was but by blasting Clyde without asking him personally makes him 💩
TRUTH!!!!!!
3:23 - 3:31, super Yin moments. Seems like a great guy with an amazing perspective.
The facts don't add up.
MVP in 190
Aids announcement 1991
Clyde lost to Isaiah in the 1990 finals
THIS INTERVIEW IS FULL OF ERRORS
Bulls vs Blazers 91-92.. Jordan second ring
Clyde might be talking about the All-Star game where Magic won MVP in 1992.
Edit: WGASA about All-Star MVPs?
So he says he's going to take the higher road. But he continues to take shots at him. I hate when people do that, and I find it corny. I would've said he's entitled to his opinion and left it at that. It just makes Magic look fake, and proves that he knows it's true.
222222e........no you don't ITS AN INTERVIEW
222222e your an idiot for saying that.
magic johnson is one of the best gift the game of basketball has given to us. i mean, what a stellar personality. deepest respect for this man, who continues to smile and who continues to see the upside while living successfully every day professionally, personably, and against HIV.
Looking back on this: at the time I was very upset that Clyde didn't get the MVP, Today I see that Clyde sacrificed for the betterment of the NBA.
Bottom line, Magic was the best basketball player ever to play the game until Jordan came into his own.
Magic's positivity is so exhilarating! One of the strongest superstars EVER! Not only did he keep going after his diagnosis but he still kept his smile while doing it! 2020 and the man looks healthy as a horse!
Only Magic can talk like these,,I knew about the outcome before watching these interview,, Magic´s intelligence always destroying opposition, while he smiles at you.
"Im gonna take the high road. here's why he's lame:..."
offwiththehats 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Magic claimed he was taking the high road yet he still took subtle shots at Clyde, lol!
I love magic that man is amazing on and off the court
most positive person i have ever studied.
I 've always been a fan of Clyde Drexler,and LOVE Magic Johnson.I hope Clyde did'nt say that about Johnson.There are'nt many things that bring me to tears many years later.Magic's announcement of having HIV STILL does.
twain103 love it
Lol magic iLL for that one.. take a dump on clyde then act like he takes the high road...what Clyde said wasn't even that bad plus he said that's what they thought back then...back when knowledge of the disease wasn't nearly as known as it is now
Magic actually sounded "hurt" after hearing Drexler's comments. If he wasn't really as "bothered" as he claimed, he wouldn't have gone on to talk about Drexler's "need" for publicity and recognition.
He definitely tried to keep a good composure, and hat's off to that.
But at the end of the day, Drexler was just honest about his own feelings and thoughts, which do not reflect the whole reality, and should not diminish the fact that Magic did play great in 1992.
I hope Magic has let it go by now.
Follow up: Found it on the Internet. Jack McCallum apparently did this piece to explain the whole "controversy" surrounding his book right after this clip was aired. I hope all of us would have a look and know the real story. I hope Magic would, too.
www.jackmccallum.net/2012/06/28/more-on-clyde-and-no-this-isnt-fun/#.VP0GVHyUcmQ
@@tommak8679 exactly.
I'm not sure whether Clyde made those comments to be taken seriously or as a "tongue and cheek" thing; but i remember an aging/aged Magic Johnson (with two bad knees) with an aged 1991 Lakers team with Vlade Divac at center eliminating the reigning Western Conf champs Clyde and Portland (whom were heavy favorites to take on the Bulls for the 91 finals) to go on to the 91 NBA finals. The Lakers and Magic usually got the better of the Trailblazers and Clyde in those days, I'm sure it stung Clyde for a long time.
Clyde should be happy, a lot of great players don't even win 1 NBA title. Without Clyde, Houston would not have won their 2nd title in their back-to-back finals wins 94-95. That 95' Houston team made history as the only 8 seed to ever win the NBA title. It shows how valuable his coming to Houston was.
+MrMike25896 You are right, they were a 6th seed. But they are still the lowest seeded team to win the title
+Jorge Figueroa 5th seed
I think he got the cure!! 1 billion dollars
They said Michael Jackson's brother told him about a Dr in Brazil i believe it.
Yeah so?he earned them
In the book "When the Game was Ours", it says that it's a misconception that Magic has better treatment because he's rich. He takes the same medication that is available to anybody.
I hope magic gave cookie a better present this Christmas than that package in 1991.
I know this is a few years old but Magic killed it in this video. What a winner! What an inspiration! I would love to get a hug from magic someday! I was in Maui one year and saw him driving down the road. Love him!
Of course The Glide didn't talk about championships. He won one with The Dream. Clyde wanted that MVP.
He won 2
1 with the Rockets in 95. Where did he win the other?
Ur right just 1.I was remembering Phi Slamma Jamma
MrBigraw He one 3 rings total one in 83 with U of H and 2 back to back with the rockets 93-94 and 94-95 it was the two years jordan retired the first time.
Tremaine Smith NC State won that championship on Lorenzo Charles rebound that they have showed on sportscenter hundreds of times. Coach Valvano running around the court. Clyde played for Portland when Houston won their first championship. They traded him for Otis Thorpe the next season and he did win in 94-95
"And now you want to make these comments 20 years later?"
Isiah was saying the same thing when you released that book, Magic.
Clyde did have a better season that year
Magic just schooled Clyde once again. lol
No shit he averaged the most on the wizards. He owned the team and was the teams primary focus! What else did you expect to happen? Jordan was a much higher offensive player on isos. Clyde did not play that way. Clyde was MUCH better at passing, fast breaks, rebounds, and defense than jordan. Clyde regularly beat jordan one on one. In fact, regular season games he destroyed jordan but jordan's team got it done in the playoffs. Your stats don't explain their play styles or talent.
Clyde was a great player, but Magic is one of the Legendary players this league has ever known.
I love this bullshit. There's no proof drexler said any of this shit. It was taken horribly out of context. If you followed drexler at all throughout his career you'd know he never did say any of it.
a legendary basketball player.. a legendary person.. class personified.. salute to magic johnson!
Actually, I'm not trying to disagree with magic but Clyde does deserve more credit you never see the guy in almost any top 10s or even top 15s
+Javier Loera That's because he's doesn't belong in there. I mean, at all.
Magic is pure CLASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The truth is that Magic did get special treatment after he was diagnosed with Aids. He will not admit it. That would be foolish. Clyde truly was a victim of that to a large degree. Clyde would have been ostracized had he made comment of that at the time. In any event Clyde and Magic are class acts.
Humble-brag alert: when a guy says "I'm gonna take the high road", he is actually clapping back.
Exactly. I see people in the comments section talking about Magic being “humble” and “classy” this interview. 😂
He is neither of those
Magic had Kareem, Worthy, Macadoo, Scott etc. Clyde carries 2nd tier players Duck, Kersey, Porter, 1 season very goods to 2 finals. Nellie and Karl and others all agree that Clyde is 2nd best player in the leaque during his prime. In 95 he had 40 / Dream against and near triple double against Magic, he was the glue.
It's always those 2nd and 3rd tier HOF players like Clyde Drexler that run their mouth the most because they still have chips on their shoulder from never being considered the best at any time.
+itshiho: It's because those chips on their shoulder aren't "champion-chips."
Dude won a title, get it right. You and the 13.
Where did anyone say he never won a title? We're talking about Clyde making these comments 20 years after he lost the MVP to magic. A time when Clyde had YET to win a title. And apparently Clyde is STILL butt-hurt about it two decades later. So how about YOU get it right?
Igaveyoumyfakename +itshiho: It's because those chips on their shoulder aren't "champion-chips." This coming from you about Drexler, if you were lumping Drexler with those that "have chips on their shoulders" is incorrect. I like Magic, a lot, he was not to blame, but yeah he did won that MVP in large part because of the HIV thing. Still, Clyde should have not said that.
Honestly, I was completely surprised about Clyde making such comments. Clyde seemed to always have been a gracious soft speaking great player that consistently said positive things about almost anyone. Even going back to Clyde's UH days, he was always eloquent on how he handled himself on the court and towards the media. Still if the stories were true which they most likely were, Clyde should not have mentioned those opinions towards Magic. At the same time, these guys are extremely competitive. There may be reasons and possible beef between these two that may have been the reasons why Clyde made such comments. I probably would not have said those things about Magic if I were on Clyde's level of greatness as a basketball player.
I think Clyde was misquoted , but the jist is true. clyde did deserve MVP of that allstar game. clyde is the 2nd best SG of all time one 3 players with 20k pts 6k assts 6k rbs. Give Clyde better teamates and many more rings. He carried the 95 Rockets.
Wow magic is really a classy guy !
Eduardo Velez love ❤ magic
Look I agree but with Clyde that night east wins and wins big Clyde out played everybody and at the last seconds of the game Clyde gave the ball to magic Clyde is a class act.
He also 2 block were Jordan and pippen
Clyde played like a MVP !!!!
Cylde should have more credit he was really good he was the 3rd or 2nd best shooting guard i have never seen him in a top 10 shooting guards or a honabrole mention he should be appreciated more
ESPN ranked the top ten players at every position just last month, and they named Clyde the #5 SG of all-time. He gets credit. He just had the misfortune of coming around at the same time as Jordan, who essentially played the exact same style as Drexler... just demonstrably better.
+TizOnly1 and in a big media market.
He came back for an All-Star game. Then as a fat PF in '96 for a while. But Magic did say, looking back at it, he wished he didn't retire when he did. It wasn't necessary, but at the time he feared it would "hurt the game."
magic is real
Magic released an autobiography a few years back, saying that he didn't like Isiah since their first NBA finals meet, but he never told Isiah that until he released his book.
Drexler did deserve that All-Star MVP over Magic!
2008sALINAs how you figure that ,,, Magic scored more points and had more assists! Magic lead the whole East and West is scoring , most of the time the guy who leads the game in scoring is the MVP !
I agree with Drexler!
Clyde couldn't Hold Magic's Jock Strap he was jealous of Magic cause he beat out Magic twice an steal couldn't win the championship until he got back wit Hakeem he couldn't win in college an he was lucky Hakeem lobbied for him in Houston
Wait, I am confused... Are you saying he was jealous of a guy he beat not once, but twice? Makes sense lol
I am not familiar with the NBA back than, but why give Magic credit when he always played with elite players, and not give Clyde credit when he finally got to play with one?
Gin-Nius. obviously u don't know shit about basketball 🏀 or its history , Magic carried the Lakers 3 out of 5 championships enough said! ! Clyde had 3 key players with him and was a great team in early 90s but no where near the era of the Lakers bulls Celtics, its bcuz drexler wasn't leader , he was a role player, think before you speak and do your research before u think
Role player.. that's a good one. Then MJ was a role player because the leader in the Bulls locker room was Bill Cartwright.
I think Drexler is right. Everybody knows that is what happened and 20 years later you can talk about it freely that's all. No big deal. Drexler is as amazing as Johnson but just a little less lucky when it comes down to who he played with.
Clyde was never more valuable than Magic Johnson.
Kbiggins1978 of course not he wasn't even in the same breath as magic
Great observation!
Neither was most if not all of the players in NBA history
@pmerk36 Clyde had the athletic ability to blow past anyone 1 on 1 and he did often. The problem was his jumper and ballhandling in the halfcourt was shaky and you could play off of him. The Blazers would look more to Porter than him for half court offense.
In transition though, he was as good a scorer as anyone ever at any position.
Clyde Drexler was a big fish in a small pond. His Portland Trailblazer teammates, guys like Jerome Kersey and Terry Porter , Kevin Duckworth etc, weren,t chumps by any means but the year they played the Bulls in the Finals they werent good enough to beat Jordan, Pippen and the gang.
magic is the man. how can one not admire this guy?
CLASSY Magic!! And I do not believe Clyde said all that ~ don't think at all Drexler was a malicious kinda guy to rip a respected, cherished star opponent.
Bingo! Excellent interview and responses from none other than Magic. And this is the main reason why Magic Johnson is one of the greatest winners of all time. And not to rub it completely in, but at the same time, I consider Magic Johnson a better winner that Clyde "The Glide" Drexler. And with all due respect, I totally admire all of the things Clyde has done as great player to the game of basketball. A sport I love dearly. But in the end, I consider Magic better than Clyde when it comes to overall greatness.
It's about championships until you have to spend a career in Portland and realize that status quo is good enough. Nobody comes to Portland to win championships even when there are good players here.
Magic Johnson, best "player" in basketball history....yea, over jordan.
Yeah.
***** Exactly Joe. As Jordan, "when people discussed Larry and Magic, they also had to discuss defense." Jordan was much stronger there.
Mick A Magic, 5 positions effectively...was no scrub on defense either...just gonna say it's arguable.
***** Are u saying Magic was a "scrub" on defense ?...Or do u agree with me ....he was no "scrub" on defense? I'll concede that Jordan was a better defender, the proof is in the first team all defense for many years, but a "scrub" is a bum, a bum plays zero defense, that was not Magic. But my whole argument is that......we could never get it unanimous one way or the other, that's why i say it's arguable, u & i prove it.
***** The all defensive team is problematic & misleading for Jordan? No, right? He's superior on defense, so it applies for him, u should care. My point from the very beginning is, best player of all-time is arguable.
That supposed quote is highly uncharacteristic of Clyde Drexler who's always been a gracious-type player.
That's some ugly crap to but into words !? Dam bruh ... empathy try some Drexler !
that's my man magic tell him bro
If I recall correctly, didn't Magic tell Isaiah Thomas -- in a book -- that the reason he wasn't on the Dream Team was because nobody like him, and that he and MJ were personally responsible for keeping him off the team?!?!
Pippen and Malone (I'm sure there were others) didn't like him. It was that Jordan was the highest profile star, so he gets credit/blame for Isiah's absence more than others'. Isiah made his own bed with his poor sportsmanship, cheap shots, whining, etc.
Mick A You're crazy if you don't think Jordan was the main factor in IT not making the dream team.
Just saying he had company. It's not surprising at all, either.
Drexler is my favorite player of all time. The Classiest Player to ever play the game.
Man, I love Clyde, but those comments are just disappointing.
Damn I liked Clyde The Glide Drexler, but that shit's rude.
I remember watching that and i remember everybody watching it right after he was awarded the mvp before anybody said anything officially.. Me and my homies said they gave it to him cos he got hiv... And everybody who watched it that i knew said tye exact same thing..
Magic said that he was going to “take the high road,” and didn’t take the high road. He took some shots back at Clyde by saying that Clyde should have been concentrating on championships, etc. He was justified, but don’t say “class personified,” because he sunk to Clyde’s level in a way.
The subtext of Magic’s remarks is that Clyde didn’t do what was needed to win MVP’s and get the recognition that he “thought” he deserved.
Clyde was doomed the minute Jordan came into the league if he couldn’t match Jordan, and he couldn’t. He didn’t have a Scottie Pippen with him.
To be fair, if Scottie and Dennis (and Ron Harper) had played with Clyde, he could have won as many championships as Jordan did - maybe more. I thoroughly believe that.
I have always felt that Jordan was slightly overrated, and that the NBA refs coddled him. He wound up on the free throw line at times when guys had simply played great D on him.
But David Stern was the robber-baron running the circus, and he decided whom his stars would be, and when and how they were promoted.
Stern made the decision that when Dr. J left the league, and Magic and Bird were on the decline, Jordan would be the main man all by himself - unless at least one of either Clyde Drexler or Charles Barkley could insert himself into Jordan’s plateau.
wow. that was a good response. he is so much polish now, probably learn that from being in business all these years
age also. hes not in his 20s when guys can be reckless with their words. older and wiser now
I disagree with Clyde about the MVP comments. That is very trivial.
But Clyde can't be faulted about his stance on Magic's HIV status given back then we didn't know what we know today about the disease. Karl Malone said he felt very uncomfortable being on the court with Magic then as well.
Reporters are known for switching words around
They sh*t starters, the media period are!
Without Magic there is no LeBron. He made passing cool.
What a class act, and a tribute to the league.
Didn't Magic hide behind a book regarding an issue with Isiah Thomas?
0:49 magic " you know Clyde if that's how he felt that's how he felt! " Then magic rolls his eyes and sucks his teeth ever so subtly as to say but I'm about to put it into perspective for you lol :)
alp21188
Clyde Drexler's basketball cards will not be worth more than Michael Jordan's or Magic Johnson's I guarantee you this.
Shawn Johnson arguably the most pointless comment I've ever read...on any subject. Congrats b
Ummmmmm...obviously no one can be on Drexler's side of this argument. He never deserved to be MVP of any season, and obviously Magic could still play very well even late in his career (the Lakers made the Finals 5 months before Magic's HIV-induced retirement). But for someone who proudly talks about taking the high road over and over again in this interview, Magic doesn't really take much of a high road. He essentially says "Drexler is a whining, individual-award-obsessed, cowardly loser." That's not all that high a road.
I believe Drexler made the finals round the same time once against Detroit and another against Chicago. Drexler was a great player during the same time he just started a few years later than Magic.
Stuart Perry
I'm not saying he wasn't a great player. I have him as the 6th best SG in history. But in no single season should he have been the MVP, including the two finals appearance years in 1990 and 1992.
Can't say I agree with your assessment of Clyde's MVP candidacy but I do agree somewhat that I'm not buying the whole "high road" thing from Magic, even as a Lakers' fan of 25+ years. I find it just a little bit hypocritical of him to say he isn't concerned with things that happened 20 years ago and telling someone not to hide behind a book. But isn't that exactly what he did when he wrote his book in which he ripped Isiah Thomas years later for Isiah allegedly questioning his sexuality after his HIV diagnosis? And then finally admitting to actually being one of the most vocal players in keeping Isiah off the Dream Team. In Magic's own words why didn't he say these things to Isiah years ago.
Brian Tim
Make your case for which year Clyde Drexler deserved the MVP. Some players are really, really great but they are never the single best player of any season. Cf. John Havlicek, Dominique Wilkins, Isiah Thomas, Jerry West, Patrick Ewing. Drexler had a long, very good and occasionally great career. But he never put together the league's best season.
"Magic doesn't really take much of a high road." Yeah, Magic is a good guy but when things get petty he doesn't know how to leave it alone. Nobody wins a pissing match.
People still believe he has HIV?
smh.
It's a tough call for me personally. It's either he got rid of it and or he has it, but the meds he uses aren't available to the average person. Either way they are pushing the "You can live a great life even if you have HIV".
my aunt has HIV for 27 years now.she got it from her first boyfriend.Its not unheard of to live with hiv for many years.
Always loved Magic, love him even more after watching this. Clyde wished that he was on Magic's level. Magic is arguably one of the top five players in man history. Clyde might be in the top twenty five maybe.
Book writers are always taking things out of context. Im pretty sure theres much more to the quote just like when we heard the topic of MJ picked Kobe over LeBron.
On the side note if you watched interview with Karl Malone he has also said that nobody back then knew what would happen when they play with Magic during that all-star game and no one was gonna come out and say it, but they all felt it "i dont want to play with a guy with hiv" to that extend.
But, his friends stayed his friends for life.
man he is kind of loosing weight man that scares me. I like magic so much, I can listen to this dude talk about putting gas in his car lol
it's possible he's losing weight because he says he runs everyday
Chris B that is possible but I haven't seen a magic interview or article in awhile so how would I know that
u know now
Clyde needed the money, Magic obviously don`t.
Magic you had a hall of fame roster and bench v The glide Drexler who had Duckworth GTFO. That's why I hate when ppl talk rings and winning. Look when drexler finally had The Dream. In magic way hmm uh WHAT RINGS. That's why only MJ,Dream,Dirk have the most respect for me and Pistons squad. They all didn't have hall of famers to win. MJ made pippen so he dnt count to me. Dream had Otis only 1 time all star till he got Drexler. And Dirk don't have hall of famer. Those guy get my respect. Forget Lebron cheating ass jumping teams to win & play in weak east easy ride to finals & lose. I can go on and on. Magic overall was still respectful but dude still took drexler comment to kinda dig on him. Drexler was right. Voters vote for the wrong reasons a lot
I'm sorry but MJ didn't make Scottie Pippen Scottie made MJ Pippen led the Bulls to 55 wins and should have came out of the East if it wasn't for the b******* call in game 7 he did that without Jordan Jordan never made it past the first round or had a winning season without Pippen
+Stewie Griffin I could not disagree with you more
+Stewie Griffin same pippen that sat for the last shot when Kukoc made it while pippen sat on the bench. Or the same pippen without Jordan who failed and was a bust for the Rockets/Blazers?
Magic would've done more in Portland than Clyde did regardless of who his teammates were, so that point is moot. Also, you don't make 2 Finals without a more than decent supporting cast, bro. You boiled it down to Duckworth to make it seem worse than it was. In 90, 91, and 92, Clyde got outplayed by Isiah, Magic, and Jordan, plain and simple. He was a 2nd tier superstar. Excellent player, don't get me wrong, but not on the level of Magic regardless of what Mag had as teammates. Put Clyde on those Laker teams and we don't know if he wins SHIT. The entire dynamic changes with him there. No longer is everything set up by the greatest PG of all time, understand?
+bighare08 there's nothing to agree or disagree with those are just facts Pepin had more impact on the Bulls success and If you deny it you're denying facts the record has shown Pippin was more valuable not saying he was better
Honestly, Earvin Johnson, should not have been allowed to play in the game. He was not, a player in the league, that year. Maybe the NFL could start Brett Farve this year in the pro bowl, or Pete Rose, could be the lead off batter in the baseball all star game, next year.
If you disagree with me, then state your opinion, but I will not shut up.
Clyde was the most under rated basketball player. During Jordan's first retirement, Houston Rockets received back to back championships.
Clyde was only part of the team for the 2nd championship.
Nope. He was the 2nd best to Jordan.
HAKEEM is that reason
SC72110 Nope. Clyde was the 2nd best.
natswing Clyde was only there for the 2nd championship. Hakeem was the MVP in the first championship. Clyde was amazing, but Hakeem was a little bit better.
Lol. So in this scenario, Clyde steps into the most important role any of them played and conducts a Showtime style offense? I don't think so. Clyde was a 2nd tier superstar, clearly demonstrated by getting the shorter straw against Isiah, Magic, and Jordan in 3 straight seasons. I could just as easily state that if Magic were in Clyde's place in Portland, the Blazers wouldn't have choked year after year.
Magic is great but if you put Kareem with Clyde's Trail Blazers and give Magic Kevin Duckworth how many total rings do they end up having?
NONE!
Clyde couldn't even lead Phi Slamma Jamma to a national title in 1983 over Jim Valvano's NC State Team or the year before being knocked out by Worthy, Jordan and Perkins. Guarantee if Clyde returned for his senior year in 1984, Ewing and Georgetown still would of beaten them.
Clyde probably was mad that the year that Portland had the best record in the league in 1991 and finally thought the Lakers were finish, Magic destroyed him! Magic won in high school, college and in the Pros. It took Clyde, at the end of his career to win a title with Hakeem, when he was the best player on the planet (in the 1st Jordan Retirement)
Clyde Drexler is a hater...bottom line! Clyde needs to think about those times Magic took his ass out of the playoffs to be in the Finals. Clyde didn't want the championship so Magic took it away from Clyde. "You don't really want this ring! This shit is mine!" Lakers advance to the Finals every year to face the Celtics and Pistons. Clyde wasn't Jordan or Magic enough to be were he wanted to be. Clyde can not dominate as a scorer when he needs to be...sometimes you have to be a ballhog like Michael Jordan and sometimes you have to be as skilled of a passer ensuring that your teammates are put into a position to get an easy basket. It's one thing to be open, it's another thing to be open and close to the basket for the easy shot. Clyde wasn't Magic enough with his passes and wasn't Jordan enough with his scoring. He was in the middle with the bare minimum essentials to win multiple championships. He was also too quiet of a player. Tim Duncan is a rare exception of winning with a quiet personality. Clyde is no Tim Duncan neither. Peace.
in 1980 jabbar was injured, magic moved to center and won the game and title,he would have won a title with duckworth and maybe even you.
teesteven Kareem missed game 6 since he got hurt in game 5 of the championship series. He led the Lakers in scoring that series. Kareem was the MVP during that season. Magic jumped center against DR J. not Caldwell Jones. Jim Chones a old man started as center.Stop rewriting history.
This is like the highlights of the North Carolina championship game in 1982, MJ gets all the credit now because of his pro career. When James Worthy was clearly the star of the team, the best player during that game, and led them to victory in that game making the crucial steal to seal the game.
magic went back to back as the leader of that 87&88 lakers team with kareem playing reduced minutes,im a rockets fan but I still say magic is as good as anybody who laced them up.all time!
No way in hell was Drexler the MVP of that game, and anyone saying he was doesn't have it. I do, I've seen it many times in full, saw it live. Clyde even got some of his buckets off of Magic assists. Magic set up Chambers in 87 all game long giving him the hometown MVP and he didn't cry about it. Ultimately, Magic's right -- complaining about not winning an all-star MVP is pretty embarrassing for someone who's supposedly a star player in his own right.
Clyde was always jealous of magic & mike !
When I used to collect basketball cards as a kid...the Beckett price guide listed Clyde Drexler as a SEMI star, while listing Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson as star players. The truth is in the cards...Literally! :D LOL Clyde was 2nd team All NBA because of Michael Jordan. Clyde needs to shave all of his head and go completely bald. Grandpa Hairdo.
Clyde played in a small market 400,000 in Portland back in the early 90z
No he didnt,I saw that all star game and Magic was the high scorer in the game and had the most assists as well. He didnt outplay Magic. Magic was as good a scorer as anyone in his time,his job wasnt to score alot his job was to facilitate,Magic could've averaged 30 ppg easily.
All-star game stats Magic -25pts,9assts,5rebs,2 stls,75%FG,100% 3pt
All-star game stats Clyde - 22pts,9rebs,6assts,2 blks,67%FG,50% 3pt
Magic was the best player on the floor,he controlled the game like he always did