NBA hall of famer and former Laker great Magic Johnson celebrated his part-ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers Wednesday night at RnB Live in Studio City.
Johnson, who has become involved in several entrepreneurial ventures across LA since retiring from the Lakers, said that he is still in disbelief regarding his new role with the Dodgers.
"I still have to pinch myself when I think about it," said Johnson on the red carpet. "Going to the stadium and looking around like, 'Wow, I'm a part of this historic franchise,' it's exciting."
Several athletes and celebrities were on hand for Wednesday’s event, including the legendary Stevie Wonder, who performed for those in attendance.
Besides serving as an NBA analyst on ESPN, Johnson said that at the top of his priority list is helping the Dodgers return to prominence.
"I think that we just want to get back to when I first arrived here in Los Angeles, when the Dodgers were either winning the World Series or they were in the World Series almost every year," Johnson said. "We want to try to get back to that type of success."
"It’s all about winning," he added. "You have to be excited about this. The reaction of the Dodgers players and the fans, it’s all just overwhelming."
One L.A. sports star on hand was Los Angeles Clippers guard Nick Young, who is also a native of Los Angeles.
"I’m just here to support any way I can," Young said. "Growing up in L.A., that's all I knew was the Lakers and 'Showtime.'"
"I was a always a Laker fan growing up and I’ve seen him make some big moves," Young added. "This is another big one for him."
Asked if he was a Dodgers fan, Young responded, “Oh yeah, I wear that blue and white all day.”
The Dodgers currently maintain the best record in Major League Baseball, but the team’s star player, Matt Kemp, has been dealing with injuries as of late, which Johnson addressed Wednesday.
"Matt had to leave the game tonight, unfortunately, so we have to see what happens with that," Johnson said. "It’s going to be tough for us. Yes, we got off to a great start but we know it’s a long season, so anything can happen."
