Ice hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and basketball player Earvin “Magic” Johnson are among sporting stars featuring in Los Angeles 2024’s fourth and final episode of a “Legends of LA” video series.
The duo were each showcasing The Forum venue which would host the Olympic gymnastics competition should the Californian city be awarded the Games.
The 17,500 seat auditorium hosted the Olympic basketball competition at Los Angeles 1984.
It has also played host to both the LA Lakers and LA Kings – the respective former teams of Johnson and Gretzky.
“[The Forum] is going to supply every athlete the energy they need to play at their highest level and at their best,” said Johnson, who is also the Los Angeles 2024 vice-chair.
“The crowd feels a part of the game, and the athletes feed off that energy from the crowd.”
Gretzky, the Canadian considered one of the greatest ice hockey players in history, added: “As a child, you’ve got to have dreams and you’ve got to have goals.
“Olympic athletes are so inspiring to young kids.
“I don’t think that there’s anything more inspiring than to compete against the greatest athletes in the world, on one stage together.
“You can’t take away the atmosphere and the history that [The Forum] has.”
The “Legends of LA” video series is billed as the “latest reflection of LA 2024’s commitment to connect the Olympic and Paralympic Movements with the next generation by harnessing the power of social media.”
Athlete Carl Lewis, footballer Cobi Jones and another basketball player in Kobe Bryant have been featured in other videos.
By Nick Butler
Republished with permission from insidethegames.biz.