Wednesday, November 26th, 2008 at 9:00 am  |  29 responses

Magic to Isiah: No Job Recommendation for You!

by Marcel Mutoni

Prior to battles between the Lakers and Pistons in the 80s and early 90s, Magic Johnson and Isiah Thomas famously used to kiss on the cheek. They were extremely close, and when their playing careers came to an end, the universally popular Johnson helped Zeke land a number of high-profile jobs around the Association.

According to Magic, however, that will no longer be the case. Thomas can’t use him as a reference anymore.

From Bloomberg:

Magic Johnson says he won’t make the same mistake twice and recommend Isiah Thomas for front office or coaching jobs in the National Basketball Association.

“I couldn’t recommend him again because he’s failed a couple times now,” Johnson, who won five championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, said in an interview with Bloomberg Radio’s “On the Ball” program airing Nov. 29. “So I would probably have to just pass on that one.”

Hey, what are friends for, right?

Magic has always been very diplomatic when addressing controversial topics, especially when they involved people close to him. After this candid admission about an old friend, one can’t help but wonder just where their relationship stands today.

(Via: True Hoop)

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  • Niio Posted: Nov.26 at 9:13 am
    I sure as hell bet they don’t kiss anymore..

  • riggs Posted: Nov.26 at 9:13 am
    magic makes another good pass

  • Boing Dynasty Posted: Nov.26 at 9:13 am
    A reconmendation from baby jesus couldnt help zeke at this point.

  • Mo Charlo Posted: Nov.26 at 9:18 am
    Magic’s a businessman. No one denies this.

  • Simon S.Y Lawy Posted: Nov.26 at 9:22 am
    God bless zeke…

  • jmoon Posted: Nov.26 at 9:36 am
    zzzzzzzzzing t0 riggs

  • Boing Dynasty Posted: Nov.26 at 9:40 am
    Simon, lets just be honest, God hates Zeke just like everyone else.

  • Moose Posted: Nov.26 at 10:01 am
    A point you have, Boing.

  • Sesa Posted: Nov.26 at 10:34 am
    I know that Zeke is not necessarily a Saint, but I don’t think it’s nice to bash him on the press like that

  • Cizzo Posted: Nov.26 at 10:55 am
    Majic is smart unlike Zeke after all this controvery surounding Zeke it’s not politicaly correct to endorse Thomas, and no other team at any level need Thomas demented point of view anyway tell him to go away please.

  • larrylegend Posted: Nov.26 at 11:25 am
    i don’t like both of them…overrated.

  • Allenp Posted: Nov.26 at 11:43 am
    Magic is a shady bastard. Zeke didn’t throw his thick ass under bus when he popped up with HIV and then tried to make a comeback as a point forward. Anyway, Magic is what he is.

  • ClydeSays Posted: Nov.26 at 11:58 am
    I still contend that all Isiah had to do in NY was to let the bad contracts expire or trade the expiring deals for picks and young players, and sit tight. His ego wouldn’t let him do that. Going to the Garden it’s obvious Knick fans would be just as happy seeing rotation guys like Robinson, Lee & Chandler hustle up and down the floor, no matter what the outcome. Instead they got to see ‘name’ guys like Marbury & Curry rotting on the bench, nursing injuries. That said, if Isiah is really a friend, Magic could have delivered that message himself. Stay classy, Magic.

  • B. Long Posted: Nov.26 at 12:36 pm
    If anybody who has commented on this thread had a friend who they recommended for a job with their company more than once and more than once they did an absolutely horrible job would you still give them another recommendation? I agree that Magic probably didn’t need to put that in the press but there is nothing wrong with what he said. Oh yeah, Allenp, what Magic is, is the greatest point god of all time.

  • Allenp Posted: Nov.26 at 12:57 pm
    B. Long
    You can be great at basketball and questionable as a human being.
    Hello, Kobe.

  • Justin Posted: Nov.26 at 12:58 pm
    Allenp, there were rumors going around after Magic announced that he had HIV that he was bi-sexual. Those rumors were started by Mr. Thomas.

  • B. Long Posted: Nov.26 at 1:05 pm
    I understand where your coming from there, Allenp, but would you give Isiah another job recommendation if you where Magic?

  • B. Long Posted: Nov.26 at 1:05 pm
    @Justin: I seriously doubt that it is a verifiable fact that Zeke started those rumors.

  • dfrance Posted: Nov.26 at 2:56 pm
    Good one Riggs!
    I don’t think Magic should have aired him out like that, I’m guessing they’re not really boys like that anymore. I wouldn’t let Zeke coach, or manage or get near any of the players. But I think he can scout. He’s made very solid draft picks from stars like TMac, to really good role players like David Lee. I think he has an eye for talent. Not so much for s3xual harassment victims though

  • Allenp Posted: Nov.26 at 4:00 pm
    Justin
    I’m going to need some sort of source for that info. Because Zeke was still kissing Magic and smiling in his face in the All-Star game the next year.
    B.Long
    I wouldn’t. But, I wouldn’t go telling the media I wouldn’t. I have this thing about people talking to the media about stuff they can handle in private. It’s just stupid.

  • w Posted: Nov.26 at 4:10 pm
    “Magic is a shady bastard. Zeke didn’t throw his thick ass under bus when he popped up with HIV and then tried to make a comeback as a point forward. Anyway, Magic is what he is.” Uhmmm Zeke did throw magic under the bus when the HIV thing happened….

  • Roy Posted: Nov.26 at 4:24 pm
    No more kisses for Isiah from Magic this time… :D

  • Caleb Posted: Nov.26 at 4:30 pm
    He made a truthful and not even remotely controversial comment. This is not throwing Isiah under the bus or anything close to it.

  • B. Long Posted: Nov.26 at 5:00 pm
    @Allenp:We agree there.

  • jaymes Posted: Nov.26 at 5:36 pm
    Caleb,spot on..nuff said

  • Crook Posted: Nov.26 at 7:56 pm
    Come on ppl, who knows what magic and Zeke have or haven’t said to each other in the past few years. Magic didn’t say anything too harsh and it wasn’t as if he sought out the press and volunteered info. From what I read above, all Magic said was “I couldn’t recommend him again because he’s failed a couple times now,”. The rest that is written up above seems like it is what someone else is interpreting from that one quote. It’s not as if Magic’s recommendation would have helped Zeke the next time he went for a job anyway. (For that fact alone I wouldn’t have commented at all if I was Magic. Case Closed.

  • Jukai Posted: Nov.26 at 9:46 pm
    How is Magic shady? Magic tells things like they are, he always has, he’s never been a soft spoken guy. Does everyone feel the same way about Charles Barkley?

  • chintao Posted: Dec.1 at 2:49 am
    Didn’t Isiah just try to commit suicide? Magic might want to chill.

  • Isiah Says Magic Is Two-Face – The No-Look Pass Posted: Oct.22 at 2:36 pm
    [...] I really don’t know what to say. I have heard many times during their playing careers that they’ve been very close friends. But when Isiah was struggling with the Knicks, I didn’t hear too much about Magic supporting him until last year when Magic said that he wouldn’t recommend Isiah for other NBA jobs. [...]

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