Having two top-five players of all time on the same team is probably the most unfair advantage of all time, and Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played like it.
Five NBA championships together. Eight Finals appearances. A dynasty that dominated the 1980s and helped turn the Los Angeles Lakers into one of the most recognizable franchises in sports.
At number two on Ethical Sports Takes’ list of the five greatest duos in NBA history, we have the legendary partnership that defined Showtime basketball.
A Ridiculous Collection of Accomplishments
Before discussing what these two accomplished together, consider their combined individual careers.
Between Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, they accumulated:
- 31 NBA All-Star selections — 19 Kareem, 12 Magic
- 25 All-NBA selections — 15 Kareem, 10 Magic
- 19 All-NBA First Team selections — 10 Kareem, 9 Magic
- 9 regular-season MVP awards — 6 Kareem, 3 Magic
- 5 Finals MVP awards — 2 Kareem, 3 Magic
- 11 individual championship rings — 6 Kareem, 5 Magic
- 11 All-Defensive Team selections — all Kareem
- 2 Hall of Fame careers
And remember, those 11 championship rings represent six distinct championship seasons, because five of them were won together.
Nine MVP awards between two teammates. Thirty-one All-Star selections. Twenty-five All-NBA selections.
It’s difficult to imagine a more accomplished pairing in basketball history.
The Beginning of Showtime
When Magic Johnson arrived in Los Angeles as the first overall pick in the 1979 NBA Draft, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was already one of the most accomplished players in basketball history.
Kareem had won a championship with Milwaukee in 1971 and collected five MVP awards before Magic ever stepped onto an NBA court.
At 32 years old, Kareem was still among the league’s most dominant players. His signature skyhook was nearly impossible to defend, and his combination of size, skill, and basketball intelligence made him a nightmare for opposing centers.
Then came Magic.
A 6-foot-9 point guard with extraordinary court vision, infectious energy, and an ability to make everyone around him better.
Magic could push the ball up the floor, find teammates before defenders knew what was happening, and turn ordinary possessions into highlight-reel plays.
Kareem provided the Lakers with an unstoppable presence in the half-court offense. Magic brought speed, creativity, and a completely different dimension to their attack.
Together, they formed the foundation of Showtime basketball.
Five Championships and a Dynasty
The results speak for themselves.
Magic and Kareem won five NBA championships together:
- 1980: Defeated the Philadelphia 76ers
- 1982: Defeated the Philadelphia 76ers
- 1985: Defeated the Boston Celtics
- 1987: Defeated the Boston Celtics
- 1988: Defeated the Detroit Pistons
Their partnership also produced eight NBA Finals appearances in ten seasons together.
What makes this particularly impressive is the competition they faced.
The 1980s featured Larry Bird’s Boston Celtics, Julius Erving and Moses Malone’s Philadelphia 76ers, and the emerging Bad Boy Pistons.
These weren’t easy championships against weak competition. The Lakers consistently had to overcome some of the greatest teams and players the league has ever seen.
And while Los Angeles had outstanding supporting players, including James Worthy, Michael Cooper, and Byron Scott, Magic and Kareem were the two stars at the center of the dynasty.
The 1980 Finals: A Rookie’s Legendary Performance
One of the greatest moments in NBA Finals history came during their very first season together.
The Lakers entered Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals leading Philadelphia 3-2, but Kareem was unavailable after suffering an ankle injury.
Losing their best player in a potential championship-clinching game should have been devastating.
Magic Johnson had other plans.
The 20-year-old rookie stepped into Kareem’s place in the starting lineup and delivered an extraordinary performance.
42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists.
Los Angeles defeated Philadelphia 123-107, securing its first championship of the decade.
Magic became the first rookie in NBA history to win Finals MVP.
It’s worth remembering that Kareem had been spectacular throughout the series before his injury, including a 40-point performance in Game 5.
The 1980 championship demonstrated exactly why this partnership was so special. Kareem was the established superstar, but Magic was already capable of carrying the Lakers when they needed him most.
The 1985 Finals: Finally Beating Boston
If the 1980 championship announced the arrival of Showtime, the 1985 championship helped cement its legacy.
The Lakers and Celtics had one of the fiercest rivalries in professional sports.
Boston defeated Los Angeles in the 1984 Finals, and the Lakers entered their 1985 rematch determined to reverse that result.
The series began disastrously for Los Angeles.
Boston demolished the Lakers 148-114 in Game 1, a defeat remembered as the Memorial Day Massacre.
Kareem, now 38 years old, struggled in that opening game.
But he responded like a champion.
Rather than allowing one poor performance to define the series, Kareem took control, averaging 25.7 points and 9 rebounds while shooting over 60% from the field.
The Lakers won the series in six games, defeating Boston in the NBA Finals for the first time in franchise history.
Kareem earned Finals MVP.
For a player who had already accomplished nearly everything individually, winning that championship against Boston was another defining moment.
And for Magic, it was another example of how valuable his partnership with Kareem had become.
Two Superstars Who Complemented Each Other
What separates Magic and Kareem from many other great partnerships is how naturally their games complemented each other.
Magic didn’t need to dominate the scoring column to control a basketball game.
He could finish with 15 points and still be the most influential player on the court because of his passing, rebounding, and ability to dictate the tempo.
Kareem didn’t need the ball in his hands on every possession either.
When the Lakers slowed things down, they could turn to one of the most reliable offensive weapons basketball has ever seen: the skyhook.
Defenses had to prepare for Magic’s fast breaks and Kareem’s half-court dominance.
That versatility made Los Angeles incredibly difficult to stop.
There was also an important transition during their partnership.
Early in the decade, Kareem was the Lakers’ established leader and primary scoring option. As the years progressed, Magic took on a greater leadership role and eventually became the team’s central offensive force.
Instead of that transition breaking the partnership apart, the Lakers continued winning.
Their ability to succeed through different stages of their careers is one of the strongest arguments for their place near the top of this list.
The Legacy of Showtime
Five championships together would already make Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar one of the greatest duos in NBA history.
But their legacy goes beyond championship rings.
They combined two completely different styles of basketball into one of the most entertaining and successful systems the league has ever seen.
They helped elevate the Lakers into a global basketball powerhouse.
They repeatedly reached the NBA Finals against elite competition.
And they demonstrated that two all-time greats could share the spotlight while continuing to evolve as players.
Magic Johnson is widely regarded as the greatest point guard in NBA history.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar belongs in any serious discussion about the greatest players ever to step onto a basketball court.
Together, they built a dynasty that remains one of the gold standards of NBA excellence.
Five championships together. Eight Finals appearances. Thirty-one combined All-Star selections.
Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar take the number two spot on EST’s list of the greatest duos in NBA history.
Only one duo remains.
No bias, just sports.
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