I just finished reading this awesome column on Magic Johnson's business ventures from a 1990 edition of Sports Illustrated.
According to the article, Magic and Michael Jordan were scheduled to play a one on one game on pay-per-view.
Here's the word:
...Magic is not always selfless, not entirely without vanity. A proposed one-on-one with Michael Jordan on cable TV, eventually nixed by the NBA last January, was only partly inspired by Magic's desire to throw $2 million or $3 million from the pay-per-view to charity; the two players would have made some Sugar Ray Leonard money as well. And Magic may have wanted to prove he could beat Jordan at his own game. "When we had it all but signed," remembers Rosen, "I finally said, 'Look, do you really think you can beat this guy? I mean, it's not too late [to back out].' " By then, Magic had developed some strategies. He was certain of victory.
Not sure of how Magic would have handled MJ--Magic was more of a five on five guy, although his height would have been an advantage--but you know that would have been a hell of a match up. They would probably be making money off of DVDs of the match up to this day. I always wonder why more NBA superstars don't challenge each other in one on one competition. I mean, people would pay a lot of money to see Kobe Bryant play LeBron James head-to-head.
The only other type of marquee one on one match up I remember being talked about was between Hakeem Olajuwon and Shaq after the 1995 Finals.
The match was called the Taco Bell One on One Championship and was scheduled to take place that September, but Hakeem hurt himself training and pulled out of the event.
Thank NATE JONES at Jonesonthenba.com for the story.
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