Magic Johnson is widely regarded as the greatest point guard in NBA history, and it is hard to say that the title is undeserved. Magic won 5 NBA titles, 3 Finals MVPs, and 3 MVPs in an illustrious 13-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers.
While many greats of the game like Michael Jordan and LeBron James did not enjoy team success right from the get-go, that wasn’t the case for Magic. Granted, he was playing alongside another all-time great in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but Johnson still won Finals MVP as a rookie and had one of the greatest performances in Finals history in Game 6 against the Philadelphia 76ers. Those who followed Johnson’s career up to that point wouldn’t have been too surprised by his early success, as they could see he was a winner. That title in 1980 also meant that Johnson had won an NBA championship, an NCAA championship, and a high school state championship in just four years.
Magic’s last season at Everett High School saw him average 28.8 PPG to go with 16.8 RPG as he led them to a 27-1 record, and they won the state championship game in overtime. Then in college in 1979, he led Michigan State to the NCAA title, beating his rival Larry Bird in one of the most iconic college basketball games of all time.
Magic Johnson And Larry Bird Formed The Greatest Rivalry In NBA History
It wouldn’t be long before Magic and Bird got to square off in the NBA Finals, and they did so thrice in total, with Bird winning in 1984 while Magic won in 1985 and 1987. Those series gave us many iconic moments, and the two really helped save the NBA at a time when the league was really struggling.
Byron Scott said that only four teams in the league were making money before Magic and Bird showed up and took the NBA to new heights. Legends like Gary Payton also believe that it is the greatest rivalry in the history of the league, and we, as fans, are grateful for the big role they played in getting the NBA to where it is at this point.
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