The Untold Story of Magic Johnson's 1996 Comeback Season 

Imagine if Magic stayed one more season to play with Shaq and Kobe.

To think if Magic didn't get aids and Larry's back didn't rage quit(or if Len Bias hadn't died and possible became a star) that could've played up until the 90s.

I'm not gonna be here - Magic Johnson 2019

We could have had Shaq, baby Kobe, and old man magic

Video: "Magic came back and it made things toxic for his team." Top comments: "It would've been cool if Magic stayed longer."

Magic Johnson's relationship with the Lakers is so interesting... It's like healthy and unhealthy at the same time.

His comeback season was incredible he looked like the good ol magic. Imagine if he stayed a few more yrs Kobe Shaq and Magic

I know this has probably been said multiple times but, my god, the sax music defines Andy Hoops.

other interesting notes: 1. Ceballos had actually dubbed himself "the Chise" (the franchise); 2. When Magic joined the team and first began working out, it was reported that "teammates laughed at him during practice"; 3. When Ceballos "missed some games," he literally went missing, i.e., the Lakers didn't know where he was; 4. When Ceballos went missing, Magic was asked about him at a press conference. Magic's response: "Forget Cedric."

I completely did not remember he came back in 96 until a few years ago. When I looked at some of the stats and highlights, I was shocked how well he played being out 5 years and being in his mid-30s.

Feel so bad for Magic. Would’ve been so crazy to see Magic, Kobe and Shaq play together on the same team. Even if it was for only one season

Magic Johnson is my father's favorite player. Thank you for this Andy!

The original LeCoach

You forgot to mention Magic Johnson as NBA GM for the Lakers 2017-2019. How he left the Lakers organization this year.

I like magic Johnson but he’s definitely one of those guys that throws everyone else under the bus... the “it’s never my fault” type.

"How good was Eddie Jones, actually" video please!

can u make a video on how Rick Carlisle came from player to coach its a story i think more people need to know

I always forget Ceballos. The Lakers really had a nice team without Magic and before Shaq and Kobe, when you include Van Exel, Eddie Jones, Divac, Elden Campbell.

Top 5 player of all time and could have easily been considered the GOAT if he did not have to retire early. His career numbers would have been crazy

you should do a video on Christian Laettner. "The Guy on The Dream Team No One Knows About."

Good job Andy!!! Someone had to talk about it not many people knew about that season

Imagine if magic played with shaq and Kobe and they later traded for tracy McGrady like they were rumored to want to do

Arguably the most famous Los Angeles sports figure of the 80's? Who else could it be?

Always giving high quality content , thank you

Still the greatest & most important Laker of all time. Dominated his rookie year, 5 chips, & 9 NBA Finals appearences.

So he's a basketball version of Nash and Hogan.

Another beautifully-edited, professionally scripted gem, Andy. Awesome. Keep up the oldies, they really highlight the legends. I only wish the rest of the hacks making NBA videos had a tenth of your talent. Thank you.

Hi Andy Keep up the grind u da GOAT

Man I love your vids man I can watch them all day keep it up bro

Andy Hoops an amazing video yet again Andy and yes it was a huge comeback for Magic Johnson , couldn’t script it any better

its a shame the Greatest point guard ever missed 5 years of his career.

Love your vids man. Keep me coming!

Good one keep up the good work

Good job Andy 👍.

Magic The Diva Johnson.

Yes in 1996 I was 6 when he made his comeback what a memory

In 30 years it’s going to be “how good was Shai Gilgeous-Alexander actually”

Good video bro keep up the good work

It's funny because Magic was still the best player on the Lakers. Even in this season.

Rarely makes anyone's top 10 Never makes the GOAT debate. 9 trips 5 rings. Magic & LeBron Equal in my book.

This changed my whole opinion about magic.

Do a vid about Magic & Bird post NBA life (coaching, president of basketball operations, etc)

Magic Johnson is my favourite player of ever

0:54 is it Reggie Theus??

I love how every video has the same two songs :D Really catchy. What are their names?

I saw a post on Instagram where they talked about this

That Nick van exel pass was sick,,

Great content bro iam new fan of basketball

Andy wilding with all these ads

First i love this videos ❤️❤️❤️

I remember being so glad when he had left in the summer of 96. This video is clearly showing what type of character Johnson really was in 96. You don´t see it when sb is everybody´s darling...things like this usually surface in situations when sb is struggling keeping up to his image. Magic Johnson was used to standards that he, himself, wasn´t living up to any more, and he still went to sleep with the feeling that he was the main attraction on the team, performance-wise. If only the Lakers hadn´t made his bed so fine - he would have absolutely crashed in a situation where he really would have had to play for the team without all the other players and the system clustering around him. But that would have damaged Lakers-heritage AND he was a co-owner of the team, and money buys beauty in Los Angeles (and elsewhere). Anyway, this video is set much closer to reality than all the happy-comeback-compilations out there.

He permanently retired after he realized the players were not guarding him seriously knowing he is positive for Hiv...only M.J who didnt mind it and still strictly guarding him in his play....magic was so elated for that..

Good vid

As good as he was as a teammate I would’ve been upset. When you have an owner’s mentality as a player it’s toxic to everyone and that can break a team the lakers should’ve warned magic to not act like some minority owner when on the court and when talking about his teammates

You would think that some of these players would have welcomed a legitimate chance at competing for at least a finals appearance, but I guess it wasn't meant to be. Besides, had Magic's comeback gone better, there's no guarantee the Lakers would have still ended up with Shaq and Kobe

One of the best goat's

Come on man! Why did u remind me Magic came back! I like to think his last time playing basketball was the dream team. He ruined our team by coming back in 96. Ceballos was an all star and Magic held him back.

Great video. Miss Magic. Better NBA back when it meant something. Anything on Nick Van Excel or Eddie Jones. Thanks

2:46 Get it? A 𝓶𝓲𝓷𝓸𝓻𝓲𝓽𝔂 owner 😭😭

Ceballos was not traded right after the season. He played with shaq and kobe briefly and was traded for Robert Horry.

As much as he started as my favorite player in 89, I didn't have the exciting enjoyment of having him come out of retirement, I just didn't have that happiness of having him back, I didn't want him to get in the way of the talent on the team, cause the season before in 94-95, the Lakers finished 5th in the West, with a 48-34 record, 15 gm improvement from the yr before that, the 94-95 team still til this day, remains my favorite nontitle Laker team, I enjoyed that Laker team, that improved team, drafted Eddie Jones, got an experience coach in Del Harris, signed Ceballos, even though for an unknown reason, I didn't accept Ceballos as a Laker, didn't want him to help us, that 95 team I enjoyed a lot, had a decent season. The following year in 95-96, Magic returns in January that yr, just refused to get excited about it, wasn't enthused with him or the news, as much as he started as my favorite player in 89, that excitement just wasn't meant to come to me, cause I was so enthused with the 94-95 talent at that point like Vlade Divac, Elden Campbell, Eddie Jones, Nick Van Exel, Sedale Threatt, Anthony Peeler, Tony Smith, George Lynch, Sam Bowie, and even Lloyd Daniels, Antonio Harvey, etc, just didn't like Magic getting in the way of that in 95-96.

Look Here Look Listen! @6:01 Van Exel is the Deez Nutz guy! Big Ups!

95-96 Gary Payton and the Sonics won the NBA West and lost in the 96 Finals to Michael Jordan and the Bulls.

Plz do a Who good was Chris Mullin. Love him as a player, veey underatted.

We the Lakers fan base would like to continue to ignore this event and erase this from our very stellar and outstanding history ... please don’t remind us Andy...

U should do how good was jermaine O’Neal

Magic was trying 2 show them the way but the kids couldn't get over everything being about Magic...especially when they were winning.

Bro can you make a story about the 2000-2004 los angeles lakers?the story about shaq and kobe thanks bro.

Imagine how social media would have reacted to a key player on one of the most popular franchises in all of pro sports, literally going AWOL on the team during the season with no advance notice 😭 As tumultuous as that 95-96 season was for the Lakers after Magic's return, they still managed to win 53 games and host a playoff series in the 1st round. Of course they didn't make it past that round against Houston because the younger players and Magic were just about completely disconnected.

5:47 hey I been there lake Powell it in page az it pretty cool out there.

Do a video about the 3 j’s

I was born that day when Magic made a comeback but in a different year

My dad consider this guy as the GOAT and he would always tell me how he could have eclipsed jordan if he never had AIDS

You should've mentioned his time in Sweden and Denmark. I think he played like three games in Sweden.

Noti gang 😍

The GOAT

Nice

In that situation, the entire organization should have stood their ground and said "If you want to return, you adjust to the team. The team does not adjust to you. You're not the star you once were."

I cracked up so loud at the fact he bumped a reff literally just a few days later 🤣

Ahhhh, so Magic completely ruins teams when he's not in his prime playing for them

Imagine being pissed off that you have to play with Magic Johnson lmao

I remember when this happend. I thought Magic was so hypocritical when he bashed Van Exel but did the same thing.

The 1995-1996 Lakers (pre Shaq and Kobe era) did well before magic returned,but after magic returned,things were getting crazy mid season:Cedric ceballos left the team to jet ski at the lake, Nick Van Exel was suspended seven games for shoving a ref, days later magic got suspended 3 games for bumping a ref and this was vlade divac’s final season with the lakers and was traded to the hornets via the 1996 nba draft and Shaq signed with the lakers after the 1995-1996 season...

So at what age did he officially retire

Imagine if Larry Bird had no injured back. He played with Radja, Walker and Rookie Pierce.

Lebron's 2018 2019 season was pretty similar

12 adds per video cheers...

Tragic has his ways of poisoning things around him He was never able to retire from the game on his own terms and it haunted him for a very long time

He wss forced to retire with just 31 years ... He could be bigger

I still think Nicholas Batum is the GREATEST player of ALL-TIME

Lakers after magic retired the first time were surprisingly not horrible solid team

Do your homework, he also played exibition games with former nba and college players after 96'.

I never knew Leslie Nielsen was a NBA coach.

It was like Johnson was the mainstar in the Lakers in the 90s. Kobe Bryan was the mainstar for the Lakers in the 20s

6:14 Did he has a second biceps on his biceps?

Y yo mic sound like that? 😂

Ceballos got traded a few games into the 96-97 season

If you bump now it still serious but no what it was

Don't forget Nick Van Exel

they'd been really floundering up to the point that Johnson joined them. Nick Van Exel was in his own words "begging" for Magic to go back active. The record before they were 6 games above .500, then turned that into a pretty elite one at a 60-%- ish record and good for the 4th seed. That wouldn't have happened without Magic joining them, but it's pretty much acceptable that Magic made everyone uneasy because of his power and influence so without Magic they'd have qualified for the playoffs with something like the year before, end up seeded 7th or 6th and match up with the Spurs in all likelihood. Can't say after saying all that that at least the season became worth watching, more for the soap opera drama and not so much having to do with actual basketball.