Magic Johnson: Prince ‘Talked So Much Trash’ on the Court
By now, tales of Prince‘s basketball prowess are nothing new – from that legendary Chappelle’s Show skit to former high school coach who remembered him as “an excellent ball handler, a good shooter and very short” (sounds about right).
Simply put, Prince could ball…and he knew it, as Los Angeles Lakers icon Magic Johnson confirmed Thursday on Jimmy Kimmel Live! But in the eyes of a dude who won five NBA championships and three Most Valuable Player awards, Prince’s skill set wasn’t quite up to par with his confidence. Because, boy, did the Purple One have plenty of that.
“He talked so much trash – he thought he had a real jump shot,” Johnson said. “I had to remember it was Prince that I was playing against, so I had back off. But he really thought he could play basketball.”
That’s not the only story Johnson has about Prince, either. Back when Johnson owned Magic Johnson Theatres, Prince apparently pulled some strings to get his pajama-clad entourage a private showing at the wee hours of the morning.
“He called me up and he said, ‘Magic, I want to come to the Theatres,'” Johnson laughed. “‘OK, what time do you want to come?’ ‘2 a.m.’ I said, ‘Prince, we’re closed at 2 a.m., but OK, I’ll open it for you.’ So we opened it up, my manager and projection guy, he brings this big bus full of people. Jimmy, when they get off, they’re all in pajamas.”
At least Prince didn’t turn it into a nightclub.
Artists and bands flooded social media with tributes to Prince, who died at age 57. Watch here.