Lakers News: Snapshots From The Showtime Lakers’ Maui Reunion
It seems that almost every Showtime Laker of consequence flew out to Maui, where many of the club’s training camps were held back in the day. This was rumored to take place from Ramona Shalburne.
A variety of the players from the team’s classic Magic Johnson-era pre-retirement run, during which the team appeared in nine NBA Finals over 12 years, winning five, were present. Kareem AbdulJabbar, James Worthy, and Hall of Famer Johnson were all present. Also, key role players like A.C. Green, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper, Spencer Haywood and Bob McAdoo, Kurt Rambis and Wes Matthews Sr., Billy Thompson and Eddie Jordan, Milt Wagner Jr. and Mike Smrek and even reserve big man Chuck Nevitt were there.
While on vacation in Hawaii, the players practiced old-fashioned defense and played some golf. They also reminisced about their time as the NBA’s most dominant players.
And it wasn’t just about the players.
Current Miami Heat team president Pat Riley, who served as an assistant coach for the 1979-80 title-winning team and the head coach from 1981-1990 (when L.A. won four championships), led the charge. Gary Vitti, who served as the team’s physical trainer for 32 years, also attended.
Abdul-Jabbar hailed the moment as “a reunion that I’ll always cherish,” posting some sweet pictures:
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Byron Scott posted oodles of content. Here’s the gang all assembled for a big group picture in the gym where they practiced:
Gary Vitti got in on the fun, recreating a classic old image with Byron Scott:
Scott also posted some video footage of some Magic Johnson walk-through plays:
Michael Cooper showed a video clip of the Showtime Lakers, all in their 50s-70s, stretching out those weary hamstrings:
Mychal Thompson, longtime Lakers broadcaster and Klay’s dad, got a bit cheeky with his captioning:
In these group photos courtesy of Magic Johnson, it appears that the players all traveled with their significant others:
Per For The Win, Lakers local network home Spectrum SportsNet will air a special documenting the “Showtime Reunion” on November 4, following the Lakers-Jazz postgame show (which should be a Lakers win, given the current state of the Jazz).
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