The Fallout of Magic and Isiah

Magic Johnson’s new book “When the Game was ours,” has raised a lot of eyebrows. The thing most people are talking about is the accusations that Magic had made about Isiah Thomas. In the book he stated the Isaiah started a rumor that he was a homosexual and that’s why he was diagnosed with HIV. The next claim was that Isiah got the whole Eastern Conference All Team to not give the ball Michael Jordan in his rookie when he played in the All-Star game. The last claim I’d like to focus on is apparently how everyone conspired to keep Isiah Thomas off of the Dream Team in 1992 because no one wanted to play with him. For two people who use to acknowledge each other with a kiss on the cheek before each time they played their sure is a lot of bad feelings towards each other.

I would like to look at two sides of this and first I am going to start with Magic Johnson. Why on earth would you wait twenty something years to tell people all of this? If it really happened then it should have been brought out then, not all these years later. Magic does not need the money so I am wondering why he and Larry Bird wrote this book to begin with. Concerning the homosexual rumor that was supposedly spread by Isiah, it should be known that Isaiah’s brother died of AIDS. I also would really curious to see what Michael Jordan’s stance is on the Dream Team situation because apparently he was the one who didn’t want Isaiah playing with him. They are players that were on the Dream Team including Chris Mullen, Scottie Pippen, and Christian Laettner who in my opinion couldn’t hold a candle to Isiah Thomas. I am wondering, wouldn’t you want the best on your team? Because Isiah was one of the best, and no one can doubt that.

Now in terms of Isiah Thomas, I am not saying he is an angel because he has done a lot of things that are questionable. He had a sexual harassment lawsuit on him during his time with New York Knicks. He also overdosed on drugs last year and then told everyone it was daughter which put his family in the spotlight and embarrassing them. You also have to remember that back when Isiah was playing the Pistons had the mentality of it’s us against the world and you couldn’t be anyone’s friend. That mentality gave everyone on the Pistons team a bad name, including Isiah. As a player, Isiah Thomas had a very successful career but ever since he retired he has not done much. He let the CBA go to crap, and he was a horrible person for the New York Knicks. I will give him credit for two things. He led the Pacers to the playoffs each year he was their coach and he tried he best to build the Toronto Raptors by drafting Damon Stoudamire, Marcus Camby, and Tracy McGrady. Oddly enough none of those guys play with Toronto anymore. Thomas eventually left after disputes with new management. So as you can see Isiah has not had the greatest post player career that some dream of.

This is really too bad for basketball fans to have to listen to all of this. These guys were loved by a lot of people in the 80’s and now people are torn on who to believe. Unfortunately once it’s said or once it’s written you can’t take it back. I have always had a lot of respect for Magic and Isiah but as I said before if this was all true, why wasn’t it brought up when it happened. Right now both men are still involved with basketball Isiah is the coach of Florida International University and Magic is a analyst for ESPN’s NBA Countdown.

I would be really curious to see what others say about this. By others I mean people who played and were around both Isiah and Magic all the time. I for one as a basketball fan would really like to know if basketball or even sports in general are that shady and that dirty that people would act like that. If Magic is telling the truth I guess that’s good for him but he should have said something long ago. If that Isiah is telling the truth then that book should be burned and taken off the shelves. Perhaps we will never know who is telling the truth and who isn’t. In the end one of the guys will have to live with whatever they have said and done. I can guarantee one thing though. If Magic and Isiah ever see each other again they won’t greet each other with a kiss on the cheek. The love atmosphere between these two is over. I hate to say it but their friendship is over as well. That’s what happens when you strive to be the best. You do what you can to make it to the top even if it mean screwing your friends over. Maybe Magic and Isiah should both think about if the fame they have was worth destroying their friendship and their good names. Only Magic and Isiah can answer that. Maybe someday they will.