
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, May 31, 1993                   TAG: 9305310102
SECTION: SPORTS                    PAGE: B7   EDITION: HOLIDAY 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

BASKETBALL-MAGIC STILL TALKING ABOUT COACHING

Former NBA great Magic Johnson says he might be interested in coaching the Los Angeles Clippers but that he could have taken over the Los Angeles Lakers had they performed poorly in the playoffs.

"If the Lakers didn't fare well against Phoenix, I might have been on their bench next season," Johnson said before NBC's telecast Sunday of the Phoenix-Seattle playoff game. "I think that [coach] Randy [Pfund] really secured his job after taking the Phoenix Suns to five games."

The former superstar of the Lakers - working for NBC during the playoffs - also said he turned down offers to coach the Atlanta Hawks and Dallas Mavericks earlier this year.

He said he would consider coaching the Clippers if the team's front office was restructured and owner Donald T. Sterling allowed him to purchase a small percentage of the team. Former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Lenny Wilkens is considered the leading candidate for the job.

by CNB