The Showtime-era Los Angeles Lakers graced the hardwood during the 1980’s and early 90’s, led by Magic Johnson’s otherworldly passing and infectious smile. On the sidelines, Pat Riley ruled, pacing back and forth with his slicked-back hair and GQ style. Those days may be long gone, but the connections that were made are still going strong.
Now that Johnson has taken over as president of basketball operations for the Lakers, he is taking a cue from his old coach and putting an emphasis on conditioning. During a recent interview on ESPNLA, Johnson used the phrase “world class”, which was a Riley staple, multiple times.