Original Blog Entry: Magic: 'That's not what we were about'

NBey6 — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:50:50 GMT

Updated: July 20, 2010, 6:53 PM ET

Magic: 'That's not what we were about'

ESPN.com news services

Add Magic Johnson's voice to fellow Hall of Famer Michael Jordan's: Neither ever thought of combining forces the way LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh did earlier this month with the Miami Heat.

We didn't think about it 'cause that's not what we were about. From college, I was trying to figure out how to beat Larry Bird. -- Magic Johnson --

We didn't think about it 'cause that's not what we were about, Johnson said at Baruch College in New York, according to Bloomberg News. From college, I was trying to figure out how to beat Larry Bird.

This past weekend, Jordan said at a celebrity golf event that he never would have played with Johnson or Bird, his two main rivals during his playing days.

There's no way, with hindsight, I would've ever called up Larry [Bird], called up Magic [Johnson] and said, 'Hey, look, let's get together and play on one team,' Jordan said after playing in a celebrity golf tournament in Nevada. The interview aired on the NBC telecast of the event. But that's ... things are different. I can't say that's a bad thing. It's an opportunity these kids have today. In all honesty, I was trying to beat those guys.

Johnson added on Tuesday: It was never a question in our mind because nobody has ever done that.

Wade re-signed with Miami, while James and Bosh joined the Heat via free agency earlier this month.

... [ More ]