Magic Johnson talks Shohei Ohtani’s leadership, Kobe’s legacy, Lakers and more

Los Angeles Lakers and NBA legend Magic Johnson knows a thing or two about being a leader in the locker room.

The co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers sees that in Shohei Ohtani. He believes the designated hitter is leading by example.

“You can get a player that changes the locker room, changes what happens on the field and changes even the fans. So Shohei is that guy,” Johnson explained to KTLA 5’s Sam Rubin. “He’s already been a dominant player without playing for the Dodgers when he was with the Angels. Now he brings that same skill set to the Dodgers.”

While we await for the season to start, Shohei’s shown his leadership skills in a major way.

“This offseason, he was amazing in the locker room and the weight room,” Johnson continued. “He doesn’t say a lot, but his workout regimen was unbelievable. So that really was contagious to the other guys.”

Johnson credits co-owner Mark Walter because it was his “strategy to bring (Ohtani) to the team.”

The five-time NBA champion also weighed in on the Lakers’ current season. The team is currently in ninth place within the Western Conference after winning the first NBA Cup.

“I think that getting (Spencer) Dinwiddie, picking him up will help us. The team is playing a lot better right now,” he explained. “DeAngelo Russell was playing good. LeBron and A.D. (Anthony Davis) had monster seasons. So we know that they’re going to play good.”

He then offered this take on some of the team’s younger players.

“Rui (Hachimura), is playing better now. Austin (Reaves) started slow, but he’s playing great right now,” he continued. “So that’s what we need, the role players to play well, because you know what you’re going to get from LeBron and Anthony Davis. It’s just a role players have to compliment them.”

He also shut down the rumors that James was contemplating leaving the Lakers.

“Lebron loves Los Angeles, he loves being a Laker (and) what it stands for. He understands what it means,” he said. “This town loves them.”

He also drew parallels between Akron, Ohio native and other Lakers legends.

“When you think about what Kobe (Bryant) was able to do in this town, not just on the court, but off the court. Kareem, myself- LeBron sees that. He wants to be a part of this history. When you are a Laker, you’re great forever, as long as you win in this town. “

Johnson and his wife, Cookie, recently attended Bryant’s statue unveiling earlier this month at Crypto.com Arena.

“To see that statue, to be there that night, to see Vanessa, his wife give a beautiful speech. His daughters were there and it was an emotional time. It was bittersweet. It was unbelievable because it’s the best statue I’ve ever seen of an athlete, but also we missed him not being there. I know that he would have given the speech of a lifetime.”

When it comes to the Black Mamba’s legacy, it’s everlasting in the game of basketball.

“He will always matter to the Lakers, but also to basketball fans all over the world and to women’s sports. He put a light on women’s sports, like nobody else. He worked out with all those high school women’s basketball players, college women’s basketball players, and WNBA players. So Kobe gave back, he really enhanced the game.”

While talking sports with Johnson comes naturally, the newly-minted billionaire is also a staunch public health advocate.

Over 30 years after revealing his HIV diagnosis, he’s continued to smash the stereotypes surrounding the virus and has helped raise awareness.

“When I announced 32 years ago, (there was) only one drug, AZT. Now we have 40 drugs that can allow you to have a healthy lifestyle, and be here forever. Just like me,” he said. “I work out five days a week but also the drugs and the meds helped me to maintain a healthy lifestyle so it’s all about making sure that you are comfortable with your new status because a lot of people when something happens to them, they’ve got to get comfortable with it and then do what they’re supposed to do to live a long and healthy life and so I’ve done that.”

Another person who also raised awareness was Hydeia Broadbent.

The 39-year-old was born with HIV, which turned into AIDS. She passed away on Feb. 20. Johnson had known Broadbent since 1992 when, the then 7-year-old, told her story on the Nickelodeon special “A Conversation with Magic.”

“She was a young lady who didn’t understand what she was going through, and then became an activist and really helped a lot of young people,” he said. “She was committed to making sure that she enriched those young people’s lives, those living with HIV, but also those who were not, just educating them on how they could get HIV.”

“She was a beautiful person who touched so many of us and did a lot for the HIV and AIDS community… a lot of people owe her a lot because she changed a lot of people’s lives.”

Johnson’s health advocacy continues now with a partnership with the pharmaceutical company GSK to talk about respiratory syncytial (RSV). The two have launched Sideline RSV.

“It is a common contagious respiratory virus,” he explained. “It used to just be in babies, but now it affects those who are 60 and over. For the first time they have vaccinations, you can get vaccinated now.”

The three-time NBA MVP advises people to check with their doctor for additional information because that’s what he did.

“It’s very important because 177,000 people (have) been hospitalized last year with RSV and 14,000 died. And they didn’t know, just like I did before I sat down with GSK and they explained it to me. I said, ‘Hey, I’m 64 get ready to be 65 I got to ask my doctor about it and make sure I’m informed because I try to do everything I can to be as healthy as I can be.”

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