Lakers Magic Johnson vs. Lakers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Career Comparison

Superstar center Magic Johnson is one of the most gifted players of all time. He is considered the greatest leader in basketball history because of his playmaking and elite basketball IQ. The greatest point guard ever, Magic won 5 NBA championships in his career, all of them spectacularly coming with the Lakers. Magic also won 3 Finals MVP awards with the Lakers and 3 MVP awards while also capturing 4 assist titles. Perhaps other than Kobe Bryant, no player has meant more to the Los Angeles Lakers franchise than Magic Johnson because of the championship success and for being the architect of the iconic “Showtime” era.

On the other end, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is widely regarded as the best center of all time and the most consistent big man ever in terms of longevity. The Captain is a polarizing figure for his off-the-court opinions, but there is no doubt he is a tremendous talent with incredible basketball skills. A 6-time champion with 2 Finals MVPs and 6 MVP awards, Kareem truly changed the NBA mainly due to his unstoppable sky hook shot. The superstar center had success playing basketball on all levels and is the only true challenger to Michael Jordan in terms of being the greatest player of all time.

Both Magic and Abdul-Jabbar had amazing careers and should be honored as two of the top 10 players of all time. But both players also have similarities in the fact that they became NBA champions with the Lakers and were the best players for the franchise at many points during any part of a season. But which superstar had more impact as a member of the Lakers? Magic played 13 seasons with the Lakers, while Kareem played 14 seasons with the Purple and Gold.

To distinguish between the 2 legends, it is time to compare the careers of both players by their most significant achievements and statistical categories. The end result might be surprising because both stars are held in the highest light.

Championships

Magic Johnson: 5 (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 5 (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)

In terms of championships, no player has the edge as both won 5 championships as members of the Los Angeles Lakers. Magic was the point guard for the Lakers, that won 5 NBA championships, as an oversized guard with perfect guard skills, including dribbling and passing. He was unstoppable on the break and was one of the very best players in the league during each of his 5 NBA championship rings. We have yet to see a more magical point guard than the great Earvin Johnson because his floor leadership and playmaking were second-to-none. No question Magic was the leader of the Lakers, even if he won 3 out of the 5 Finals MVPs.

Meanwhile, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a part of the Magic Johnson teams that won 5 NBA titles. With the big man letting the sky hook loose and defending the rim, the Lakers had everything to become a title contender, and it wasn’t close. Just like the Lakers had no shot at winning championships without Magic Johnson, the team needed Kareem arguably just as much. The superstar center was extremely dominant in the paint, and his presence as Magic’s go-to scorer and another locker room leader was invaluable. The duo of Magic and Kareem has to be ranked among the best ever, rivaling the Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal duo, also with the Lakers. But in the end, there is no separation between the Lakers legends in terms of the number of championships won.

Advantage: Even

Finals MVP Awards

Magic Johnson: 3 (1980, 1982, 1987)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 1 (1985)

In terms of being the best player on the team, Magic Johnson was the undisputed best player on the court for 3 out of his 5 championship runs. Even if Kareem was the man during the 1985 Finals and Worthy had clutch performances in the 1988 Finals, Magic Johnson was the Finals MVP every other time the Lakers won an NBA championship. In 1980, Johnson was the standout player for the Lakers as he posted 21.5 PPG, 11.2 RPG, 8.7 APG, 2.7 SPG, and 0.3 BPG on 57.3% and 87.5% FT. The point guard won the Finals MVP award in the next championship win with the Lakers, posting 16.2 PPG, 10.8 RPG, and 8.0 APG in a 6-game victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. In the 1987 Finals, Johnson was spectacular by posting 26.2 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and 13.0 APG for the Lakers. He clearly took on more of a scoring role, although he was still exceptional in distributing the ball.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, on the other hand, won 2 Finals MVP awards in his Hall of Fame career. But Kareem only captured one of those with the Los Angeles Lakers, and the other came with the Milwaukee Bucks. Earning two Finals MVPs is still impressive, and that helps his case for being in the conversation for being the greatest player of all time. Abdul-Jabbar competed in the 1985 Finals against the Boston Celtics, posting 25.7 PPG, 9.0 RPG, 5.2 APG, and 1.5 BPG on 60.4% from the field and 76.9% from the free-throw line. No other player had the impact that Abdul-Jabbar had in the Finals, not even Magic Johnson or Larry Bird.

In the end, Magic has an edge in the Finals MVP awards. There was never a time in which the Lakers won the title where Magic was edged in performances other than the time James Worthy put up clutch performances during the 1988 Finals. Whenever Johnson dominated the court, his team won in the Finals, and that was a constant throughout his career. With 3 Finals MVPs to his name versus The Captain’s number of 1 Finals MVP, there is a clear winner when it comes to winning the accolade as a member of the Lakers.

Advantage: Magic Johnson

MVP Awards

Magic Johnson: 3 (1987, 1989, 1990)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 3 (1976, 1977, 1980)

Magic Johnson won 3 MVP awards with the Lakers, and each of those seasons was impressive. His first MVP season came in 1987 when he averaged 23.9 PPG, 6.3 RPG, and 12.2 APG while also contributing 1.7 SPG. The point guard played 80 games while leading the Lakers with a 65-17 record that led the NBA. The “Showtime” was on, and Magic was the best player in the league. Two years later, in 1989, Johnson led the Lakers to the second-best record in the NBA while averaging 22.5 PPG, 7.9 RPG, and 12.8 APG. Once again, Magic was the best point guard in the NBA, and it wasn’t close. The following year, in the 1989-90 season, Magic averaged 22.3 PPG, 6.6 RPG, and 11.5 APG while leading Los Angeles to 63 wins, which ended up being the most in the NBA.

Similarly, Kareem won 3 MVP awards with the Lakers. The superstar center won his first MVP in 1976, posting 27.7 PPG, 16.9 RPG, and 5.0 APG despite only winning 40 games with the Lakers; he did not have Magic Johnson yet. His numbers and dominance made Kareem the MVP by quite a margin. Kareem won the MVP the following season, once again posting ridiculous numbers. The center dropped 26.2 PPG, 13.3 RPG, and 3.9 APG while leading the Lakers to a 53-win record which ranked 1st in the NBA. Unfortunately, the Lakers lost in the Western Conference Finals. Kareem’s final MVP came during the 1980 season, as the big man posted 24.8 PPG, 10.8 RPG, and 4.5 APG while chipping in a league-leading 3.4 BPG.

In the end, there is no difference between the two superstars in terms of MVP award wins. Both players have 3 MVPs won, and that means there is no advantage on either side.

Advantage: Even

All-NBA Teams

Magic Johnson: 10 (9 First Team, 1 Second Team)

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 10 (6 First Team, 4 Second Team)

Magic Johnson made 10 All-NBA Team appearances with the Lakers, of which 9 came in the First Team. Of course, those are incredible achievements, and we have yet to see a player with this type of consistency as a point guard for the Lakers. Magic was easily a consistent member of All-NBA Teams because of his ability to make his teammates better and also his resume, which included constant takeovers in the biggest games. There hasn’t been a point guard as dominant as Magic was because, at 6’9”, he had a size advantage that he used to terrorize defenses for 10 years. An impressive 9 First Team appearances came as a result of that, with 1 Second Team appearance as well.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has to be honored for his incredible longevity. He played 20 seasons in the NBA and made the All-NBA Team 15 times, something impressive and even more incredible considering most players have not been superstars at the age of late 30s. Over 14 years with the Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar made 10 All-NBA Teams, with 6 of them coming with the First Team and only four coming with the Second Team. Kareem was able to make All-NBA Teams at ages 37 and 38, quite impressively. As a scorer and defensive enforcer, Kareem was a special talent and deserves all the praise for his consistent performances during his stint with the Lakers.

But again, there is no difference in terms of the total number of All-NBA selections, and that means this category is also even.

Advantage: Even

All-Star Selections

Magic Johnson: 12

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 13

Magic Johnson has a total of 12 All-Star appearances as a member of the Lakers. While that is just short of Kareem’s number with the Lakers, it is important to mention that this was because the point guard was forced to retire in his prime for 4 seasons due to HIV. Still, it is an incredible achievement to make the All-Star Team every season when playing for a franchise as iconic as the Lakers. Had Magic been able to play, he would have very likely had 16 All-Star appearances with the Lakers, which greatly usurps what the superstar center did. But in the end, Johnson has 12 All-Star appearances in 13 seasons with the Lakers, even if he did not play during one of the All-Star Games.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is a 19-time All-Star, and he made 13 All-Star Teams in 14 years with the iconic Lakers franchise. That means the superstar center has the edge over Magic, mainly because he played longer with the Lakers and joined the franchise when he was at the top of his game, while Magic had to start off as a rookie. It is hard to defeat Abdul-Jabbar when it comes to longevity and all-around achievements, so once again, Magic falls short in this category.

Advantage: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

All-Defensive NBA Teams

Magic Johnson: 0

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 7 (3 First Team, 4 Second Team)

Magic Johnson is not always considered one of the greatest defensive stoppers in NBA history, although he was capable at staying with his defender and also defending the rim when asked to. At 6’9” and 215 lbs, he had the size to be a force at his position due to size alone. But oftentimes, Magic would not be the designated defensive player because of the other talented defenders he had alongside him. The point guard still averaged 1.9 SPG over his career and led the NBA in steals twice. But he did not make a single All-Defensive Team, which means he does not have the advantage that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was a great defender in his prime, although he still was able to dominate on that end as he aged. Due to his incredible size at 7’2” and 225 lbs, Kareem could just stay in the lane and have an impact around the rim due to shot-blocking and intimidation. But the center had an elite defensive IQ that he used to defend the rim at a high level, making an incredible 7 All-Defensive Teams. No doubt about it, other than perhaps Bill Russell and Hakeem Olajuwon, Kareem could be the greatest defensive center of all time. In this category, Kareem edges Magic Johnson by a significant margin.

Advantage: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Total Win Shares

Magic Johnson: 155.8

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 158.7

Win Shares is a statistic that tries to allocate a team’s wins for each player on the roster. For example, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar owns the single-season record for Win Shares with 25.4 during 1971-72 on a Milwaukee Bucks team that won 63 games. In terms of contributing to a winning side and helping his side to win games consistently, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has a slightly better win share rating than Magic Johnson.

Magic’s win shares are not as high as Kareem’s over 13 seasons of play with the Lakers. The superstar point guard still influenced the game in a variety of ways, including having a high field goal percentage and elite passing ability, which did take away slightly from his scoring. Johnson still impacted winning because his presence as a rebounder and passer at his position was undeniably great, and he did a ton during his stint with the Lakers. Magic had 4 seasons with a win shares rating of at least 15, with his lowest rating coming at 36 in his final season (3.6).

The Hall of Fame center was a statistical darling because of his dominance on the basketball court as a center. His scoring, rebounding, and field-goal percentages were off the charts great, and he is often a direct contributor to his team winning games. Of course, Kareem’s sky hook shot made him unstoppable in the paint, and that ultimately gave him the chance to score a ton of points at high efficiency. That meant the Lakers won enough games thanks to Kareem’s ability to dominate inside the paint. Overall, in terms of the number of seasons played and success with the Lakers, Kareem has the edge again.

Advantage: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Career Player Efficiency Rating

Magic Johnson: 24.1

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar: 23.4

Player Efficiency Rating, better known as PER, is a statistic created by John Hollinger that’s goal is to give each NBA player a comprehensive rating. Hollinger’s PER metric is unique because it combines a player’s positive and negative contributions on the court.

Magic Johnson had a PER figure of 24.1, which is really great even through 13 years. Clearly, the point guard impacts winning because his dominance on the court is unquestionably great. Averaging 19.5 PPG, 7.2 RPG, and 11.2 APG as a member of the Lakers, Magic managed to have shooting splits of 52.0% FG and 84.8% FT. That is simply elite on any level considering he was the focal point on offense, and Magic constantly found ways to make his game shine even brighter in the biggest games. The greatest point guard ever was a statistical darling with the Lakers and ultimately has the edge in PER, even against an all-time great player in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is an iconic player in terms of PER rating because he ranks 14th all-time over his career. But with the Lakers, Abdul-Jabbar had a very high PER of 23.4, although it is not as high as Magic’s. The Captain was slightly older when he joined the Lakers and played for the franchise as he approached age 40. An all-around dominant player, Kareem was exceptional during his stint with the Lakers, but he did play into his 40s when he lost athleticism and some skill that took a hit on his PER rating specifically. Overall, Johnson has the edge in this advanced metric.

Advantage: Magic Johnson

Final Score

Magic Johnson vs. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar 2-3

In the end, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar has a slight edge over Magic Johnson in terms of the most critical career achievements as a Laker. It can be argued that this is due to the fact that the center played one more season than Magic, and joined the franchise when he was already established as one of the best players in the world. Meanwhile, the point guard had to enter the NBA as a rookie and needed time to catch up in accolades, even if he made the All-Star Team and won the NBA title in his rookie campaign. Kareem is the longevity king, and only LeBron James has the argument for being a player who played better for longer.

Kareem was a more dominant defensive player than Magic, no doubt about that. He led the NBA in blocks 3 times with the Lakers and was a force in the paint even as he entered his 40s. His raw size and length, paired with his basketball IQ, made him a dominant defender, even when he lost explosiveness and quickness. His other edges came in the All-Star appearances and also the win shares rating, both a testament to the fact that he played an extra season than Magic. Meanwhile, Johnson won more Finals MVPs and had a PER advantage due to the fact he was able to do more than Kareem as the big man aged. This was a very tight comparison, and the edge goes slightly to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. 

But that doesn’t mean the center was a better player with the Los Angeles Lakers because the point guard was the leader of the franchise who won 3 Finals MVPs out of 5 championship Finals victories. Throughout the 1980s, the Lakers dominated mainly thanks to Magic and his leadership as a point guard. Of course, Lakers fans will never forget when Magic stepped in for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in the NBA Finals as a rookie and ended up winning the championship and Finals MVP.

No doubt, Magic had the most impressive rookie season of all time. This is the perfect example where more accolades due to longevity do not necessarily indicate who is better. Abdul-Jabbar might have the accolades in terms of volume. Magic was still the greatest player ever for the Lakers, and that is why only Kobe Bryant can challenge him in that aspect. 

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