Magic Johnson is the greatest point guard ever because he broke new grounds as a 6’9” point guard. The legendary Lakers star not only had the ability to see over his defenders to make clever passes, but the natural leadership abilities to make everyone around him better. Perhaps Magic’s greatest trait was his leadership ability, and 5 NBA championships came as a result of that.
- NBA Championships
- Finals MVP Awards
- NBA MVP Awards
- All-NBA Teams
- All-Star Selections
- Assists And Scoring Titles
- Final Score
- LeBron James vs. Magic Johnson 4-2
- Next
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Meanwhile, LeBron James often draws comparisons to Magic Johnson for his ability to set up his teammates for good looks and dominate the pace of the game. James is without a doubt the best all-around player ever when taking into account his scoring, passing, and rebounding; and he has also surpassed Larry Bird as the best small forward ever.
Magic and LeBron have similar playing styles as 6’9” stars with elite playmaking ability, but how do their careers compare? Johnson played with the Los Angeles Lakers for his entire career, becoming arguably the franchise’s greatest player ever. LeBron played with 3 different teams, capturing 4 NBA titles and further solidifying himself as the greatest player ever in terms of longevity. Here is the career comparison between Magic Johnson and LeBron James.
NBA Championships
LeBron James: 4 (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)
Finals Record: 4-6
Magic Johnson: 5 (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988)
Finals Record: 5-4
LeBron James has the third-most Finals appearances in NBA history with 10, behind Sam Jones (11) and Bill Russell (12). It took LeBron James a long time before James would win his first title, as the first championship came in his 9th season. The King made his first Finals early on in 2007, however, although he ran into the San Antonio Spurs and got swept despite averaging 22.0 PPG on 35.6% from the field. James was clearly not ready to win and would have his next Finals appearance when he joined the Miami Heat in his first year.
The King once again fell in the Finals, except this time he was the favorite in the series against the Dallas Mavericks in 2011. James only averaged 17.8 PPG in the series, getting outscored by Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Dirk Nowitzki, and Jason Terry despite him being the most talented player on the court. With an 0-2 record in the Finals, James would correct things the following year.
With LeBron embracing the villain role, he would carry the Miami Heat to three straight Finals appearances in 2012, 2013, and 2014 and would win two Finals MVPs. James averaged 28.6 PPG, 10.2 RPG, and 7.4 APG in 2012; defeating the Oklahoma City Thunder in 5 games. The following year, James averaged 25.3 PPG, 10.9 RPG, and 7.0 APG while taking care of the San Antonio Spurs in 7 games. LeBron’s Game 7 was legendary because he dropped 37 points including a host of clutch baskets to put away the Spurs. In his third straight Finals appearance, James and the Heat fell to the Spurs even if The King put up 28.2 PPG and 7.8 RPG on 57.1% from the field.
Upon James’ return to Cleveland, he would make an incredible 4 more Finals appearances. In 2015, James lost Kyrie Irving and Kevin Love in the Finals and did not have enough to take down the Golden State Warriors super team. The King averaged 25.8 PPG, 13.3 RPG, and 8.8 APG in a spectacular series that did not warrant a third ring until 2016. Luckily for James, his All-Star teammates would return healthy the following year and The King would win his 3rd championship and 3rd Finals MVP by averaging 29.7 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 8.9 APG, 2.6 SPG, and 2.3 BPG. In a scintillating Game 7, James also had iconic moments including “The Block” to ensure a 3-1 comeback.
But the Golden State Warriors would get revenge, taking out James and the Cleveland Cavaliers for two straight Finals in 2017 and 2018. James had sufficient talent in 2017, but the Warriors were simply dominant by the addition of Kevin Durant. The King did not have much help in 2018 and was destroyed in 4 games. Once again, LeBron would leave his team and join the Los Angeles Lakers in 2020 during a covid-shortened season.
James led the league in APG during the 2020 season, forming a dynamic pairing with Anthony Davis and winning the NBA championship against an injury-ridden Miami Heat team in 6 games. The King would capture his 4th Finals MVP by averaging 29.8 PPG, 11.8 RPG, and 8.5 APG. James’ Finals career is a difficult one to analyze because it has both low points and some very high points.
Magic Johnson had a slightly more straightforward Finals career. The point guard won a whopping 5 NBA titles in 9 Finals appearances, constituting a 5-4 Finals record. Perhaps the most impressive Finals run came in Magic’s rookie season when he would capture Finals MVP and even start at center to guide the Lakers past the Philadelphia 76ers. Capturing Rookie of the Year, an NBA title, and Finals MVP in his first season was a great start to Magic’s Hall of Fame career.
Johnson’s next Finals appearance came in 1982, as the Lakers would defeat the Philadelphia 76ers once again. Magic averaged 16.2 PPG, 10.8 RPG, 8.0 APG, and 2.5 SPG while carrying Los Angeles to their second title in three years and winning his second Finals MVP award. Unfortunately for Johnson and the Lakers, the 76ers would exact revenge in 1983 by capturing the championship after a 4-0 sweep. Johnson put up 19.0 PPG, 7.8 RPG, 12.5 APG, and 1.8 SPG in an impressive showing but he could not counter Moses Malone’s dominant series (25.8 PPG and 18.0 RPG).
Magic Johnson would lead the Lakers to the Finals again in 1984, this time falling to Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics in an exciting 7-game series. The epitome of superstar showdown, Magic and Bird captivated audiences with their play and helped change the NBA game forever. Magic put up monster numbers with a stat line of 18.0 PPG, 7.7 RPG, and 13.6 APG for the Lakers, but he was outplayed by the dominant Larry Bird (27.4 PPG, 14.0 RPG, and 3.6 APG).
Magic Johnson would guide the Lakers to the Finals yet again in 1985 and would get their revenge against the Boston Celtics. The superstar point guard put up 18.3 PPG, 6.8 RPG, and 14.0 APG but had to take somewhat of a backseat to a dominant Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who dropped 25.7 PPG and 9.0 RPG to win his Finals MVP. But there was no denying who the best playmaker in the game was at that time, and Johnson was already the greatest point guard ever at this stage.
Two years later, Magic and the Lakers would make their 6th Finals appearance and the point guard would capture his third Finals MVP award by dropping 26.2 PPG, 8.0 RPG, and 13.0 APG while dominating the Boston Celtics in 6 games. Quite frankly, there was no answer for Magic. In 1988, the Lakers would make the Finals yet again except James Worthy would take over the series to win his Finals MVP award.
The 1988 season would prove to be Magic’s final championship season, as he would lose the last two appearances in 1989 and 1991. The 1989 Finals ended with the “Bad Boy” Pistons defeating the Lakers in 4 games, and the 1991 Finals ended with Michael Jordan kickstarting his dominance in the league with the Lakers losing in games.
Overall, Magic won more titles than LeBron and had a more impressive record in the Finals than LeBron who has a losing record with fewer championships.
Advantage: Magic Johnson
Finals MVP Awards
LeBron James: 4 (2012, 2013, 2016, 2020)
Magic Johnson: 3 (1980, 1982, 1987)
LeBron James might have a losing record in the NBA Finals, but his performances across them on an individual level are very impressive, to say the least. The King has averages of 28.4 PPG, 10.2 RPG, 7.8 APG, 1.7 SPG, and 0.8 BPG while shooting 48.4% from the field, 35.2% from three, and 73.1% from the free-throw line. James had 10 Finals appearances with 3 different teams, going 4-6 and capturing 4 Finals MVPs. Even in his losses, there was no denying who the most talented player in the series was and his numbers are a testament to that.
Magic Johnson won 3 Finals MVPs, sharing 2 Finals MVP honors with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy in the other championship victories. Magic averaged 19.4 PPG, 7.9 RPG, 11.7 APG, 2.0 SPG, and 0.3 BPG while shooting 51.6% from the field, 23.7% from three, and 87.4% from the free-throw line. The legendary point guard went 5-4 in the Finals and was always the best playmaker in the series he played in. But James has the edge in Finals stats and Finals MVP awards.
Advantage: LeBron James
NBA MVP Awards
LeBron James: 4 MVP Awards (2009, 2010, 2012, 2013)
Magic Johnson: 3 MVP Awards (1987, 1989, 1990)
LeBron James has captured 4 MVP Awards with two teams, with 2 of them coming in back-to-back fashion during his two stints. James won the MVP awards with the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2009 and 2010 and later won the awards with the Miami Heat in 2012 and 2013. This period of time might have been the best moment of LeBron’s career because he was at his physical prime and there was no answer for an experienced King at peak physicality.
Magic Johnson won the MVP 3 times, in 1987, 1989, and 1990. Magic winning three MVPs as a point guard is extremely rare because only a handful of point guards won MVPs in the first place. The only point guards with more than 1 MVP are Stephen Curry with 2 and Steve Nash with 2, and Magic sits ahead of everyone at his position. Still, Magic did not win as many MVP awards as James did, and the edge has to go to The King in that regard.
Advantage: LeBron James
All-NBA Teams
LeBron James: 17 All-NBA Appearances (13 First Team, 3 Second Team, 1 Third Team)
Magic Johnson: 10 All-NBA Appearances (9 First Team, 1 Second Team)
The King has made an incredible 17 All-NBA Teams, with 13 of them coming in the All-NBA First Team and 3 of them coming in the All-NBA Second Team. James’ incredible All-NBA appearances come as a result of his longevity and also his talent as the best player in the world for over a decade. LeBron’s biggest challengers have been Kevin Durant and Giannis Antetokounmpo at the forward spot over his career, and neither comes close to The King in terms of consistently being the best player in the league.
Magic Johnson made 10 All-NBA Teams in 13 seasons, with 9 of them coming in All-NBA First Team. The legendary point guard was the undisputed king of his position during his era, and there was no comparison as to being a winner at his position. Magic failed to make the All-NBA in his rookie season, although the point guard won Finals MVP that year. Overall, LeBron has the edge in All-NBA Teams because he has played and dominated the league longer.
Advantage: LeBron James
All-Star Selections
LeBron James: 18 All-Star Appearances, 3 All-Star Game MVPs
Magic Johnson: 12 All-Star Appearances, 2 All-Star Game MVPs
LeBron’s longevity is undisputedly great, as no superstar player has been great for as long as The King has. The King has made 18 All-Star Teams, winning All-Star Game MVP 3 times in his legendary career. James has only missed the All-Star Team once, and that came in his rookie campaign. An incredible all-around talent, James has been an All-Star since his second NBA season and will likely make another 2 or 3 All-Star Teams before his career is over.
Magic Johnson made 12 All-Star Teams in 13 years, missing out on the All-Star Team in his last season when he appeared in only 32 games. Interestingly, in 1992, Magic had announced his retirement due to testing positive for HIV, but still was voted into the All-Star Game and won All-Star Game MVP by scoring 25 points. Johnson also finished his career with 2 All-Star Game MVP awards. Once again, LeBron James played much longer than Magic and made a lot more All-Star Teams than Johnson along with winning one more All-Star Game MVP.
Advantage: LeBron James
Assists And Scoring Titles
LeBron James: 1 Scoring Title (2008), 1 Assist Title (2020)
Magic Johnson: 0 Scoring Titles, 4 Assist Titles (1983, 1984, 1986, 1987)
LeBron James won his only scoring title in 2008, putting up 30.0 PPG on 48.4% from the field, 31.5% from three, and 71.2% from the free-throw line. The King won the scoring title ahead of Kobe Bryant (28.3 PPG) and Allen Iverson (26.4 PPG). Even if James had his career-high in his third season (31.4 PPG), he only won his scoring title in 2008. The King also won the assist title in 2020, averaging 10.2 APG in his first season as a full-time starting point guard for the Lakers.
Magic never won a scoring title, but he was the greatest playmaker of his era as he won 4 assist titles. The legendary Lakers point guard led the league in assists in his 4th and 5th season, averaging 10.5 APG and 13.1 APG for the Lakers. Magic would also lead the league in assists in his 7th and 8th season, putting up 12.6 APG and 12.2 APG respectively. The best floor general ever, Magic’s assist-leading seasons resulted in one of the most exciting offenses in NBA history.
Advantage: Magic Johnson
Final Score
LeBron James vs. Magic Johnson 4-2
LeBron James has won more accolades than Magic Johnson, although most of them are a testament to his incredible longevity. The King played longer and remained healthier than Magic, making more All-Star and All-NBA Teams and also dictating what happens with his career. James made no apologies for joining different teams, putting himself in the best positions to succeed and win NBA titles with the Cavaliers, Heat, and Lakers. When it comes to individual accolades, James has won more than Magic and that is mainly shown by the number of MVP awards and Finals MVP awards.
But it is also fair if Magic wins the argument for having a better team career because he was the architect for a Lakers team that won 5 NBA titles in 9 years. With Johnson at the helm, the Lakers created an all-time great “Showtime” squad that only lost 4 times in the Finals. James lost 6 times in the Finals, giving Magic a positive Finals record that is more impressive. Overall, it seems Magic won at the highest stage possible more than LeBron James but does not have the individual accolades and longevity achievements that The King has.
