Magic
Johnson is getting back into the Los Angeles basketball scene in a big way.
The
former Lakers great is part of a group buying the Los Angeles Sparks of the
WNBA.
"We're
totally thrilled," WNBA President Laurel Richie told The Associated Press.
"When Magic chooses to enter into a partnership with a WNBA team, that's a
great thing. He's a legend within basketball. He's very knowledgeable about the
game. He's a larger-than-life personality. He's an extremely successful
business man. He cares about the community the way that the WNBA does."
Johnson
and Mark Walter teamed with a group of investors to buy baseball's Los Angeles
Dodgers in 2012 for a record $2.15 billion. It will be the same group owning
the Sparks, minus Peter Guber, who owns a stake in the NBA's Golden State
Warriors.
Richie
said Walter, the Dodgers' chairman, approached the WNBA about buying the Sparks
a few weeks ago. She said Walter and Johnson discussed the idea on a
cross-country flight and by the time they landed on the West Coast they had
decided they wanted to own the Sparks.
"He
is looking forward to coming to games," Richie said. "He is a fan
already and now I think he's going to have a heightened interest in this team
all together. There will be lots of opportunity to see him and interact with
him."
Previous
Sparks owner Paula Madison informed the league in late December that she wouldn't
be able to run the team anymore. She told The Associated Press that her family
had lost $12 million, including $1.4 million last season, operating the
franchise since buying it from the Buss family in 2007.
Johnson
was a part owner of the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers for a decade before selling
his share in 2011.
While
the franchise hasn't been successful financially, the Sparks have been one of
the WNBA's best teams on the court and have led the league in attendance the
past two seasons. They won titles in 2001 and 2002 and made it to the playoffs
in five of the past six seasons. They were knocked out in the opening round by
Phoenix last season.
Los
Angeles, one of only four original WNBA franchises left, also has one of the
league's marquee players in MVP Candace Parker.
"I
do know they were very attracted to this team not just because they were in
L.A. and their incredible history, but also their performance over the last few
years," Richie said. "The players, Candace being MVP, Carol (Ross)
being Coach of the Year, their knowledge and experience — they recognize what
an incredible franchise it is at this moment."
The
WNBA will announce the new ownership agreement at a news conference Wednesday
outside Staples Center.
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