When Magic Johnson retired from the NBA, he did so as one of the game’s greatest and most influential players… someone who perfectly blended showmanship and flair with cutthroat competitiveness and a sense of the moment. He was a five-time NBA Champion, a three-time MVP, and a 10-time All-NBA selection. And while younger fans could certainly look up his stats or even check out old Magic highlights on YouTube and be amazed, today, he’s largely known for his comical use of social media.
Many of today’s younger fans, and even the players who have come into the NBA, have not grown up idolizing the likes of Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, or even Michael Jordan. These guys had departed the hardwood long before they ever had dreams of playing in the NBA. The guys they idolized are icons in their own right, however. Guys like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, and Stephen Curry. Evidence of this:
Undrafted Los Angeles Lakers rookie Quincy Olivari was born in 2001. That means when he was eight years old, Stephen Curry was making his NBA debut with the Golden State Warriors. After spending his formative years watching the game’s greatest shooter, when Olivari had the opportunity to talk with Curry after a Lakers preseason game against the Warriors, it later moved him to tears…