Magic Johnson is many things, an NBA legend, entrepreneur, successful businessman, owner, survivor, but an insightful analyst he is not, so when he says anything interesting I’m always surprised but I digress.
On Friday night during his weekly appearance on ESPN’s KIA NBA Countdown, Johnson made his feelings known on the dire situation in Philadelphia concerning former Los Angeles Lakers center Andrew Bynum and he didn’t hold back any punches.
“I loved playing basketball so I would play in pain. I did that for many years,” Johnson said tonight on ESPN’s KIA NBA Countdown. “Andrew Bynum was here in Los Angeles with the Lakers. He wasn’t a guy who could tolerate pain. When he was injured, he wasn’t a guy who worked hard to get back. This doesn’t surprise me.
“Now we see why Kobe Bryant had trouble with the big man because when you think about Andrew, he’s a guy who never liked criticism. He’s not a gym rat. I think he plays because hey, I’m getting paid and I’m in the spotlight, but I don’t think he loves to play.”
I think anyone who has seen Andrew Bynum’s demeanor when he’s actually on the court would question his love for the game, it makes you wonder if basketball found him and it just seemed to the logical fit because of his size. To be fair to Bynum though, when he is on the court he’s a force in this league, to get to that level don’t you have to love what you do?