A player so great, with a nickname so iconic, that people sometimes forget his real name is Earvin Johnson Jr.
Magic Johnson is the greatest point guard of all time and, in my opinion, the greatest Los Angeles Laker of all time. He was a floor general the likes of which the NBA had never seen before and may never see again.
Before becoming the face of Showtime, Magic dominated at Michigan State. He led the Spartans to the 1979 NCAA Championship, defeating Larry Bird and Indiana State in the title game. That matchup helped launch one of the greatest rivalries in sports history.
Magic and Bird entered the NBA at exactly the right time. Before their arrival, the league was struggling for national attention, with even NBA Finals games being shown on tape delay during this era. Then came Bird and Magic. Their rivalry, personalities, and greatness helped transform the NBA and laid the groundwork for what the league would eventually become.
Magic wasted absolutely no time showing that the NBA stage wasn’t too big for him.
In his very first NBA game, the 20-year-old rookie put up 26 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 blocks.
For Magic, the moment never seemed too big. It looked routine.
But his rookie season would soon produce one of the most legendary performances in basketball history.
Magic and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar led the Lakers to the 1980 NBA Finals. Los Angeles took a 3–2 series lead over the Philadelphia 76ers, but Kareem suffered an ankle injury and couldn’t play in Game 6.
The Lakers suddenly had to close out the NBA Finals on the road without their MVP and starting center.
Magic didn’t flinch.
With Kareem unavailable, the 20-year-old rookie told head coach Paul Westhead that he would play center.
Think about the confidence that takes.
A rookie point guard, playing in his first NBA Finals, telling his coach that he’ll step into the position of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar with an NBA championship on the line.
Then he went out and backed it up.
Magic started at center and delivered one of the greatest closeout performances the sport has ever seen: 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists, leading the Lakers to the NBA championship and winning Finals MVP in his rookie season.
Magic wasn’t supposed to be ready for that moment.
He acted like the moment was waiting for him.
And somehow, that was only the beginning.
Magic would finish his career with 5 NBA championships, 3 regular-season MVPs, 3 Finals MVPs, 12 All-Star selections, 10 All-NBA selections, 4 assist titles, and 2 steals titles.
For his career, Magic averaged 19.5 points, 11.2 assists, and 7.2 rebounds per game while shooting 52% from the field. He finished his regular-season career with 10,141 assists, cementing himself as one of the greatest passers and offensive engines basketball has ever seen.
Think about what those numbers represent.
A 6-foot-9 point guard averaging more than 11 assists per game for his entire career while rebounding like a forward, running the offense, controlling the pace of the game, and being capable of taking over as a scorer whenever his team needed it.
Magic didn’t simply run an offense.
He controlled the entire basketball game.
Alongside the Captain, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic became the engine of the legendary Showtime Lakers. Los Angeles won championships in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988, establishing one of the greatest dynasties in NBA history.
The Lakers weren’t just winning, either. Magic helped make basketball an event. Showtime became synonymous with fast breaks, no-look passes, entertainment, and winning.
Unfortunately, Magic’s career was cut short when he announced his retirement in 1991 after testing positive for HIV. He would eventually make a brief return to the NBA, but the prime of one of basketball’s greatest players had ended far earlier than anyone expected.
And yet, Magic had already accomplished enough to leave an impact that would last a lifetime.
Five championships.
Three MVPs.
Three Finals MVPs.
Showtime.
One half of one of the greatest rivalries in sports history.
And a style of basketball that remains synonymous with his name decades later.
The greatest Laker of all time.
The greatest point guard of all time.
And at #4 on my list of the greatest NBA players ever:
Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr.
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