The Boston Celtics lucked into the first overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, and Magic Johnson didn’t mince words when asked for his reaction.
Johnson, the Los Angeles Lakers’ team president, made it clear that his feelings for the C’s haven’t changed over the years.
Magic Johnson on Celtics getting top pick: "I still hate them."
— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) May 17, 2017
Magic’s Lakers went home with the second pick.
Celtics co-owner Steve Pagliuca on Lakers getting No. 2 pick: "I think it’s great for the Lakers and great for the NBA."
— Baxter Holmes (@BaxterHolmes) May 17, 2017
Per the AP:
A night after winning Game 7 against Washington to secure an Eastern Conference finals matchup with Cleveland, the Celtics cashed in their 25 percent chance to land the No. 1 pick in the June draft.
“Game last night, Game 7, a tough Washington team. Game tomorrow against a tough Cleveland team. And now we squeeze in the lottery and win the pick. I don’t know what’s happening here. It’s pretty amazing,” said Wyc Grousbeck, a Celtics owner who represented them on stage.
The Lakers moved up one spot to second to hold onto their pick. They would have had to trade it to Philadelphia if it fell outside the top three.
“When (Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum) called out No. 4 and he said it wasn’t us, I said ’Um, that’s it, that’s all I care about,’” said Johnson, the Hall of Famer in his first year as Lakers president. “I didn’t know where we were going to land from there, but I was like ‘OK, I can breathe now.’”
