Magic Johnson receives surprise call from Greek Prime Minister / News - Basketnews.com

Credit: Dimitris Papamitsos Credit Dimitris Papamitsos

Magic Johnson has been touring all over Greece, getting to know the country and its history, meeting people and visiting some important landmarks.

Earvin Magic Johnson

Position:PGAge:62Height:206 cmWeight:100 kgBirth place:United States of AmericaProfileNewsStatistics

The former NBA superstar spent almost an entire week on holidays in the Mediterranean country and, judging from the number and his enthusiastic comments in his social media posts, he enjoyed every minute of his stay.

A few days ago, Johnson and his wife Cookie were in Athens and visited the Acropolis. After the sightseeing, the 52-year-old NBA star talked about a unique experience in his life.

"Today, I had a life changing experience filled with so much biblical history. We visited the Acropolis of Athens, a fortified citadel located on the top of a hill with four Temples. We saw historical landmarks including the Parthenon dedicated to Athena the Virgin in 447 BC, the Propylaea, the Temple of Athena Nike built in 431 BC, the Temple of the Maidens (Erechtheion), and the Odeon of Herodes Theater built in 174 AD.

Many of the original buildings of the Acropolis were destroyed or repurposed. After Rome converted to Christianity in the 6th century AD many Acropolis temples became Christian churches. It was eye-opening to learn about the history of the city & gain so much biblical context!" he wrote on Twitter.

Since then, the couple has been touring the Greek islands while posting photos, along with their famous friends and entourage. Actor Samuel Jackson and actor-rapper LL COOl J are joining, among others, Magic Johnson in his tour.

The retired Lakers legend first visited Mykonos and then found himself in Santorini, where he posed in front of a famous church and the volcano.

"Cookie and I in the famous Three Bells Church of Fira, in beautiful Santorini! Behind us you can see a volcano," the Los Angeles Lakers legend wrote on his Twitter account.

Magic posted another photo from the island of Zakynthos, after having dinner at a fish tavern.

In the meantime, Johnson didn't forget to pay a visit to the Corinth canal. "Running 4 miles long, it was completed in the 1890s connecting the Gulf of Corinth in the Ionian Sea with the Saronic Gulf in the Aegean Sea!" he pointed out on Twitter.

However, the culmination of Magic's Greek expedition came towards the end of it. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis called him on the phone, asking him about his experience. The living basketball legend had only good words to say about the country, which he praised for its hospitality. Mitsotakis was in fact the first to break the news about the discussion the two of them had, sharing a post on his Instagram account, where he wrote:

"I just spoke with NBA basketball legend Magic Johnson, who has been holidaying in Greece, and thanked him for the kind words he said about our country and the love he showed towards our country and its people, as well as the wonderful photos and tweets he posted while he was here.

He told me about the truly amazing time he and his wife have had on their latest visit to Greece, adding that the friendly and truly hospitable Greek people who live in this great country, along with amazing food and the country's rich history and magnificent culture, have inspired him and are a recipe that ensures he will come back soon, and next time he looks forward to meeting with me in person to break bread together and talk basketball!" the Greek PM revealed.

A few minutes after Mitsotakis' post, Magic Johnson confirmed the content of the call, by sharing the following:

"I had the honor and pleasure of getting a surprise call from the Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis welcoming me to the country and seeing how my visit has been so far. I told the Prime Minister it’s been amazing and life changing! From the culture, to the history and the food, everything has been exceptional! The people have welcomed Cookie, me, and our friends with open arms."

Less than 20 minutes after posting his impressions from Mitsotakis' call, Magic returned to his favorite habit of posting photos of the Greek landscape.

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