Late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel is an unabashed Los Angeles Lakers fan. Like many of that sort, he’s hoping the team’s rebuilding efforts can include the addition of a superstar player this summer (perhaps one Paul George from the Indiana Pacers). With George visiting the “Jimmy Kimmel Show” last night, Kimmel put the pressure on the L.A. native George to find his way back home. Scott Horner of the Indianapolis Star has more:
The Indiana Pacers star visited ‘Jimmy Kimmel Live!’ on Monday night, and Kimmel didn’t just plant a seed about George joining the Los Angeles Lakers.
Kimmel introduced George by saying, “We would really like him to become a Laker,” and also played a clip from earlier this year of Magic Johnson’s visit to the show.
Johnson, who is part of the Lakers’ management group, told Kimmel he can’t tell George he wants him to join the Lakers because George is under contract to the Pacers. Johnson said, however, if he ran into George somewhere, he’d go “wink, wink,” and that George would know what that means.
(George also was recruited by Lakers fans on a recent visit to Disneyland.)
George has one year remaining on his deal with the Pacers, but there is a lot of talk of the many possibilities about his future.
Kimmel asked George what would happen if Johnson tried to influence him this summer.
PG: “No effect. I love Magic. Great dude.”
JK: “Good, because you’re going to be working for him.”
PG: “I’m an L.A. kid. Kobe (Bryant) is the biggest person in my house. Not even me.”
JK: “You talk to Kobe about coming to the Lakers?”
PG: “Not yet. I plan on working out with him (over the summer).”
JK: “Are you nervous about that?”
PG: “Oh, yeah. I’m in training now to get ready to work out with him.”
JK: “I hope you tells you to come to the Lakers. For people in Indiana, this is the worst case scenario.”
PF: “I love Indy, though.”
Kimmel concluded the interview with: “We’re going to have a lot fun when you get here.”
