NBA Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson has joined the Washington Spirit’s investment group, team owner Michele Kang revealed on “CBS Mornings” on Thursday.
“Michele has a great organization in the Washington Spirit,” said Johnson, who also appeared on the morning show. He also pointed out her international aspirations. “I want to make sure that this sport, women’s soccer, can grow.”
Johnson is not new to investing in sports teams, having held partial ownership of teams in multiple American sports. He is also not new to investing in the Washington market, women’s sports or soccer. He holds partial ownership interests in the Washington Commanders (NFL), Los Angeles Sparks (WNBA) and Los Angeles FC (MLS). He also has partial ownership interest in Los Angeles Dodgers and MLB’s Team Liquid, an eSports franchise.
Johnson is an NBA icon (ranked #5 on The Athletics‘s NBA 75), leading the Los Angeles Lakers to five titles and establishing a long rivalry across the 1980s with the Boston Celtics.
“It is a great honor to welcome Earvin to the Washington Spirit today. From the basketball court to the boardroom, Earvin knows how to win, and we are pleased to count on his expertise as part of our amazing investment group,” Kang said in the club’s release.
.@MagicJohnson joins the ownership group of @WashSpirit.
Johnson and Michele Kang, the majority owner of the Spirit, tell CBS Mornings about championing women’s sports: “I want to make sure that this sport, women’s soccer, can grow.” pic.twitter.com/hzP8VRlkKs
– CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) September 5, 2024
Johnson said he met Kang in Los Angeles — notable not only for his multiple investments in LA-based teams, including LAFC — but because Kang secured his NWSL investment in the Spirit, not Angel City FC.
Kang also used the appearance on CBS to highlight the growth of the NWSL relative to the NBA, bringing up Johnson’s early days in the league when championship games might not even be televised live.
“(Johnson) talked to me about the transformation of the Lakers, how they turned a team into a winning team, shaped fan experiences, and how to turn a sports franchise into a lasting dynasty, which is exactly what we need and what we’re going through,” said Kang. “We’re probably a little bit ahead of where the Lakers were back in ’79, but those lessons and wisdom and experiences are something we just need.”
“I got 14 world championships, I need 15 now,” Johnson joked Thursday. The Washington Spirit sit in second place on the NWSL table this season and pose one of the few remaining threats to the undefeated Orlando Pride.
Johnson is set to kick off his introduction to the Spirit with an appearance at Ida B. Wells Middle School in Washington, D.C. on Friday, and attend Saturday’s match against Portland Thorns FC at Audi Field. The game will also air on CBS.
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(Photo: Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)
