Q+a [magic Johnson]

Recently enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame and the executive producer of the current film Brown Sugar, the immortal Laker now prepares to join Charles Barkley & Co. on Thursday nights as an NBA studio analyst for TNT.

SI: On a day-to-day basis, how healthy do you feel?

Johnson: I feel great. I haven't had a bad day. I love life. I love living. I work out every morning. By 7:30 I'm up banging the weights and running.

SI: Will you get any airtime sitting next to Charles?

Johnson: Probably very little.

SI: Did your premature retirement and HIV status motivate you to become more successful in business?

Johnson: I don't think it motivated me more, because I was already motivated. I think it just jump-started the process. My dream was to be a businessman. That was true even while I was playing.

SI: Looking back, just how bad was The Magic Hour on Fox?

Johnson: Very bad. [Laughs.]

SI: Is Kobe better than Michael was at age 24?