Clyde Drexler Says Dream Team Pitied Magic Johnson Because He Was Going To Die
Running People Over
In Jack McCallum’s, a 30-year Sports Illustrated veteran, book “Dream Team” Clyde Drexler said Magic Johnson only earned a spot on the Olympic team and the MVP award in the 1992 All-Star game out of pity resulting from his HIV diagnosis the previous year.
“He couldn’t play much by that time. He couldn’t guard his shadow,” Drexler is quoted as saying in the book. “But you have to understand what was going on then. Everybody kept waiting for Magic to die. Every time he’d run up the court everybody would feel sorry for the guy, and he’d get all that benefit of the doubt.”
McCallum interviewed Drexler at his home and got the sense that Drexler felt snubbed when he wasn’t one of the first 10 players named to the much-celebrated team. He was added to the team later, along with Duke’s Christian Laettner.
McCallum said he didn’t feel comfortable writing about what Drexler said, but he stands by the quote and his book is due out on July 10.
