A sense of optimism has engulfed the Los Angeles Lakers over this past calendar year, as they have made the necessary changes and upgrades to steer the franchise in a clear direction. Jeanie Buss introduced the dynamic front office duo of Magic Johnson and Rob Pelinka, as the masterminds of the next era of Lakers basketball.
However, some events take precedence over sports, as became evident these past few weeks with Hurricane Harvey. The massive tropical storm swarmed into the state of Texas, leaving Houston and the surrounding suburbs in the path of destruction. The world of sports quickly came to the aid of the victims, putting together various social media campaigns to help with the relief efforts.
Although the Lakers did make a $100,000 contribution, Johnson felt a personal need to step up and aid the relief efforts. The face of the Lakers partnered with the West Angeles Church and Bishop Charles Blake to help organize a Hurricane Harvey donation drive. In a video courtesy of Tania Ganguli of the L.A. Times, Johnson explained his rationale behind his decision to join, while crediting Bishop Charles Blake for stepping up to support a worthy cause:
And here's Magic on why he got involved pic.twitter.com/UiR3XsMCGT
— Tania Ganguli (@taniaganguli) September 4, 2017
The donation drive is being held at 3600 Crenshaw Blvd., in the heart of Los Angeles. With the help of the volunteers, Johnson proclaimed that the relief efforts need items, food, and clothing just as much as they need the monetary relief.
While Johnson has always exuded a positive and cheerful attitude, he understood the severity of the situation and how urgent all relief efforts are. The five-time NBA champion stated that the Los Angeles area is thinking about Houston and the state of Texas and will come together and be a part of helping the victims in that area.
Johnson and Pelinka both entered their newfound roles with an extraordinary amount of experience in the business side of the venture. Johnson evolved from a Lakers legend into a powerful business man, with the tools, demeanor, and assets to help any business thrive. However, Johnson has always remained consistent with his philanthropic endeavors, stepping up to the plate against mother nature.