LA Times · Feb 17, 2017
Letters: They're not thrilled by this Magic trick
The notion that just because a player had a great basketball career it will transfer to management is flawed. I can count on one finger a former player who is an exception to this rule and his name is Jerry West.
Magic Johnson, one of the all-time great players, was a total bust as a coach, not to mention the debacle that was his late night talk show. Now he’s being touted as the Lakers’ savior. His desire to entice Kobe Byant back into the Laker fold is a good indication of his ineptitude in the management arena. True, like Johnson, Bryant was one of the best whoever played, but he wasn’t exactly Mr. Congeniality with other players. Just ask Shaq … or Smush Parker.