Brother Hood Rivalry

    When you think about sports rivalries, the first thing to come to mind are the big name teams who absolutely hate one another.Red Wings and Avalanche, Red Sox and Yankees, or even college rivalries such as Florida State Seminoles  and Florida Gators. But one of the most epic rivalries come from two NBA players who started off at Michigan State and Indiana State then took their dynasties to Los Angeles and Boston. One of the biggest rivalries in sports history comes from Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Larry Bird.

       Jackie MacMullan’s Larry Bird Earvin Magic Johnson When the Game was Ours explains all throughout the two legends and who they are, how they became who they are, and how the two greats became great friends throughout their careers. She goes throughout both of their lives with interviews, statistics, and big games and decisions. All along both their astonishing careers, Magic and Larry both knew that they were one of the most if not the most talented basketball players in the world, event before they knew who each other were. Everybody that knew who they were knew that they were going to perform as a great in the NBA and in college setting multiple records and winning games, tournaments, and titles. Jackie got an interview with Magic Johnson’s head coach of his high school basketball team and claims that he has always said the same words over and over again to Magic knowing that he was extremely talented when he would say, “There is somebody out there somewhere who has the same talent that you do, you just haven't found him yet.” Magic would always take those words into a deeper state of mind and would use it as motivation to always be working hard and determined to be the best. Little did he know though, that someone somewhere goes by the name of Larry Bird. Larry grew up in Indiana and was very close with his mother as a child all the way up to now. In fact, Larry made the promise with Georgia, his mother, that he would graduate from college with a degree no matter what happens at all. Because of how much his mother meant to him and how badly he needed her trust, even when the Boston Celtics drafted him as a junior in college, he decided to go back to ISU to get that degree. Later on after he got his degree for his mom, the Boston Celtics decided to go for him again the next year and drafted him early in the first round after being passed up by the Portland Trailblazers who begged him for years to play there but he always knew he was a Celtic. Rather than going back to MSU in his junior year, Magic Johnson decided to go straight into the NBA after being drafted by the LA Lakers first overall. Magic ended up having a breakout rookie season and won his first NBA title. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson end up being the best of friends after their career because of all the games and championships they've played in against each other and all of the charity and fundraiser events that they took part in together.

       Whether you are the sports type of guy or gal, Jackie Macmullan’s Larry Bird Earvin Magic Johnson When the Game was Ours is the book for you