The Showtime-era Los Angeles Lakers are one of the most legendary teams in NBA history. The players, coaches, and even the owner at the time, Jerry Buss, all enjoyed incredible fame thanks to their achievements together. The Lakers won 5 championships during that era, laying the foundations of popularity and organizational success that they continue to reap the benefits of even today.
The Lakers built their roster around two key pieces, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson. Both are considered to be Top 10 players, and most also end up having them in their Top 5s. Kareem was already an established superstar in the league when Magic came to the Lakers, though, and it wasn’t easy to see at the time if the two would be able to gel properly and lead the team to success.
In hindsight, we know that this is exactly what happened, but the process involved growth and learning for all parties involved. Abdul-Jabbar was motivated by a lot of things other than just basketball, and his approach in life was more reserved than the outgoing Magic. And an incident that took place in their very first game together provides a lot of insight into the relationship and how it grew.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Told The Story Of What He Said To Magic Johnson After He Celebrated Hard Following Their First Win Together
Magic Johnson’s first game in the NBA, his debut, was against the San Diego Clippers in 1979. The game went down to the wire and ended dramatically, with Kareem making a skyhook as the clock expired to give the Lakers the win. And he explained in a 2012 interview with the Harvard Business Review what he said when Magic celebrated the win perhaps a bit too hard.
“What happened was I made the winning shot, and it was like he had just won a championship. He was going crazy, wrestling me down and hugging me and everything. When we got in the locker room, I said, “Look, we’ve got 81 more games to play.”
“So he got the message from me that it was a long haul, and if you’re going to ride the emotions that intensely, you’ll be a wreck. But from him, in that same moment, I learned that it’s OK to have some fun and enjoy things as you’re having the experience. You can’t be so totally about brass tacks that you don’t enjoy the smaller successes that of course lead to bigger and better things.”
The season famously ended with the Lakers winning it all, with Magic impressing in the legendary Game 6, playing center and putting up 42 points. Both Kareem and the young Magic learned a lot from one another, and it’s no surprise that they went on to help the Lakers become one of the best teams in NBA history.
