"Every time he'd run up the court everyone would feel sorry for the guy" - Clyde Drexler claimed Magic Johnson was gifted a spot on Dream Team
If there is anything we can be certain of when Team USA gets together, it's that the drama is not far away from the setup. Despite the original "Dream Team" assembling over two decades ago, there are still stories that trickle through on the controversy that followed the roster despite them running through the world and capturing the gold medal in 1992. This time, it's from Clyde Drexler, who claimed that the squad pitied Magic Johnson because of his condition with HIV.
Drexler's bombshell comments were captured by long-time NBA journalist Jackie MacMullan in her book "Dream Team" as he allegedly detailed how the squad looked down on Magic.
"He couldn't play much by that time. He couldn't guard his shadow. 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," the book says.
A big claim by Clyde
Macmullan's book outlining Drexler being on the record saying that the roster pitied Magic is a very large statement about one of the greatest and most highly respected players of all time.
The Los Angeles Lakers legend was, and still is, revered among peers past and present, and calling it out through a publication that was going to make national media was a bold move to make.
Surprisingly, Drexler didn't stop there and went on to say that NBA Commissioner David Stern awarded Magic the 1992 All-Star Game MVP in Orlando over him because of his condition, and the Lakers legend wouldn't have made the Olympic roster if everyone knew he was going to live.
"If we all knew Magic was going to live this long, I would've gotten the MVP of that game, and Magic probably wouldn’t have made the Olympic team," Drexler said.
A fractured relationship
Not surprisingly, a falling out between Magic and Drexler ensued following the statements making their way to the public eye.
Understandably, Magic was initially hurt, as he considered Drexler a close friend. His comments after the news broke centered around why Clyde didn't come to him directly in private to discuss the matter.
Drexler shortly after issued a statement via the Houston Rockets denouncing the comments, claiming he would never say such things and that he'd reached out to Magic to assure him the comments were false.
"Magic and I have a friendship that goes back more than 28 years, and I would never say such hurtful things," Drexler's statement said. "I have reached out to Magic to assure him that I did not say those things and to apologize to him and his family for even having to respond to something as baseless as this."
It's hard to say whether the duo's relationship has ever fully recovered, but it sure was one way of souring the entire Dream Team experience.
