6B
Tuesday, January 30, 1996
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
Magic is back in Los Angeles, but will it last?
Johnson's future role with L.A. still a bit sketchy
The Associated Press
INGLEWOOD, Calif. — Magic Johnson returned to the NBA yesterday from an off-and-on retirement he entered after learning in 1991 that he had tested HIV-positive.
Johnson signed a contract for the remainder of the season, and will return to the Los Angeles Lakers tonight when they play the Golden State Warriors at the Forum.
“It's now or never.” Johnson said after practice today. “Tm 36. If this is the last hurrah, so be it; if it's next year, we'll see.
Johnson, who has been practicing with the team for two weeks, won't be playing point guard — the position he played when he led the Lakers to five NBA championships in the 1980s. Instead, he'll be in the lineup as a forward, and much of the offense will probably run through him.
"After I practiced with the Lakers, I realized I could still do some things that will help this team. They don't
have to fit in with me; I have to fit in with them."
Johnson will be playing in his first NBA game, other than exhibitions, since June 12, 1991. He retired five months later, just prior to the 1991-92 season, after he tested HIV-positive.
Johnson said he didn't anticipate the kind of negative reaction that some players expressed during his abortive comeback in the 1992-93 preseason.
He said he thought NBA commissioner David Stern had done a good job educating the players about AIDS and HIV.
Johnson said he had competed in enough exhibition games to allay those fears.
"If you play against players all summer, there's no difference with playing against them in a game," Johnson said.
Johnson's agent, Lon Rosen, said the Lakers great signed a contract just before practice at Loyola Marymount University and sold his interest in the Lakers.
"He will be playing tomorrow night; No. 32 will be back," Rosen said.
There have been several aborted Johnson comebacks since his original retirement. Johnson continually changed his mind and finally, last summer, said he would never return.
For Johnson,
however, the
word "never"
never has been
a definite
thing.
"We're happy to welcome Earvin back," Stern said. "Even after his retirement from the NBA, he continued
Magic Johnson
to bring joy to millions of fans from around the world through his global travels. We're pleased that he has decided to once again showcase to NBA fans his talent and unique enthusiasm for the game."
Rosen said Johnson would decide following this season what he wanted to do thereafter. Johnson will be 37 by the time the 1996-97 season starts.
"He'll continue in all his businesses," Rosen said. "His touring team will postpone its tour."
Lakers coach Del Harris expressed excitement about Johnson's move.
"It's an exciting day, obviously, for everybody," Harris said. "There's no doubt the players are looking forward to playing with him on a real basis.
"I've been excited about it for some time. The team's playing well and now we expect to play even better. I'm more happy for Earvin,
really, than anything else."
"He adds so much," Lakers guard Sedale Threatt said. "He can play five positions. I think teams will have to concentrate on him, and with the nucleus we already have, it will make us the best team in the West."
Teammate Cedric Ceballos said Johnson wanted to play today to warm himself up for Michael Jordan. The Lakers play the Chicago Bulls Friday night at the Forum.
Johnson was surrounded by reporters when he arrived at practice.
"Yes, I am back, and I'll see you guys later," he said.
Before his retirement, Johnson led the Lakers to five NBA championships in 12 seasons and won three most valuable player awards. Johnson retired as the NBA career assist leader, a position since passed by Utah's John Stockton.
In his comeback, Johnson is expected to spend most of his time at power forward.
"We had a few guys on the team who called him and told him we want him back," the Lakers' Eddie Jones said. "What he brings to the team is a winner's attitude."
Johnson left Michigan State after his sophomore season in 1979 and joined the Lakers as the NBA's No. 1 draft choice. Johnson, who led
Michigan States to the NCAA championship in his final season, helped the Lakers win the NBA crown as a rookie.
In one of the most spectacular games in league history, the sixth and final game of the 1980 NBA Finals, he played all five positions and had 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the NBA's all-time leading scorer, was unavailable to play that night in Philadelphia but was not missed, as Johnson led the team to a clinching fourth victory in the best-of-seven series.
Even though he had retired, Johnson not only played in the 1992 All-Star game but also won MVP honors. He was then a key member of the U.S. Olympic basketball "Dream Team" in Barcelona that summer.
In September 1992, Johnson said he was coming back and played in several exhibition games before deciding to retire again, just before the start of the season. He did so after several NBA players complained about his comebreak, expressing concern over the risk of catching the AIDS virus from him.
Johnson coached the final 16 games for the Lakers two years ago, but was unsuccessful in that role. He retired from coaching 5-11, saying at the time that he just could not handle the attitudes of several players.
In June 1994, he became a part-
owner of the Lakers. Rosen said yesterday that Johnson had sold his 5 percent interest in the Lakers back to Jerry Buss. NBA players are not allowed to own any part of a league team.
Rumors of Johnson's latest comeback surfaced two weeks ago, but Rosen issued a firm denial. Things heated up again last week, and the situation seemed to have changed.
Harris, in his second season with the Lakers, said he was uncertain as to Johnson's role with the team.
"We'll just have to see," Harris said. "Earvin now is going to be one of the players on the team. Basically, he'll have to perform to get minutes, like the other players. I would certainly expect him to."
As far as tonight's game against Golden State is concerned, Harris said: "We'll put him in there and see how he does. This team, Golden State, has been beating us like a rented mule the last couple of years."
Not too many teams have been beating the Lakers lately. They finished a 3-0 road trip Saturday night with a 100-98 victory against New Jersey and are 8-2 in their last 10 games.
The Lakers are 24-18 just past the season's halfway point.
Rosen said he was very pleased with Johnson's decision.