LOS ANGELES, CA – APRIL 15: Magic Johnson attends a ceremony honoring Jackie Robinson before the game between the San Francisco Giants and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on April 15, 2016 in Los Angeles, California. All players are wearing #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson Day. (Photo by Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty Images)
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He rejoined ESPN this season to be a studio analyst. But he won’t be in that position anymore as the Los Angeles Lakers have tapped Magic Johnson to be the team’s president of basketball operations.

One of his first moves was to relieve general manager Mitch Kupchak and vice president of basketball operations Jim Buss.

ESPN provided this statement on Magic Johnson leaving the Worldwide Leader:

“Magic informed us of his decision to accept this opportunity with the Lakers and thus end his current role on NBA Countdown in order to focus on his newfound responsibilities. We’re grateful for the terrific contributions Magic has made to our NBA coverage and we wish him all the best. We look forward to documenting the next step in Magic’s unprecedented basketball journey.”

Johnson was in the midst of another tour with ESPN. His last stint ended in 2013 and ESPN brought him back in December just in time for this season’s Christmas Day games as well as for selected appearances. But this time went almost as quickly as the old Magic Hour which was syndicated on television for four months in 1998.

His latest ESPN tour didn’t even last as long as his old talk show. So we bid adieu to Magic on television once again. Who knows if he’ll ever return to TV as an analyst.

[ESPN]

About Ken Fang

Ken has been covering the sports media in earnest at his own site, Fang's Bites since May 2007 and at Awful Announcing since March 2013.

He provides a unique perspective having been an award-winning radio news reporter in Providence and having worked in local television.

Fang celebrates the four Boston Red Sox World Championships in the 21st Century, but continues to be a long-suffering Cleveland Browns fan.

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