The NBA in the 1990s saw a major passing of the torch, with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird both stepping away from the game. Their departures allowed the newest and brightest star in the NBA, Michael Jordan, to take over and become the face of the league, and the face of the sport as a whole. Many believed Jordan was ready to surpass Larry and Magic. One of these people was Michael Jordan himself.
In an interview with Jimmy Kimmel, Magic Johnson spoke in great detail about his new documentary. Kimmel brought up a quote from Michael Jordan, in which he had told Johnson and Larry Bird that it was no longer their time, and the new crop of NBA superstars was ready to take over. Magic added that MJ told him and Larry that there was a new sheriff in town, something both he and Larry agreed with (10:19 onwards).
Jimmy Kimmel: “Here’s another quote from the documentary. Jordan said ‘Look man, I told you in 1992, there’s new kids on the block, it’s not Magic and Larry Bird anymore. You’re on the way down we’re on the way up’.”
Magic Johnson: “Larry Bird and I are on the bus. He says ‘I just want you two to know that there’s a new sheriff in town and his name is Michael Jordan’. And we had dominated the league, both Larry and I, with the Celtics and the Lakers, for the 80s. It was his turn. And so, he just sat back, had his cigar, and said ‘its my league now’. And you know what we did Jimmy? We said ‘you’re right’.”
In the interview, Magic also shared a similar experience with Jordan from his brief stint with the Lakers when he returned to the team and the NBA in 1996. Magic revealed that playing against the Bulls made him realize the difference between the two sides, and Jordan advised him that he should retire because the players in LA at the time were not the caliber of teammates Magic had during his best years.
Had Magic not listened and chosen to stay for another season, he would have gotten the chance to play with Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant. Considering how well Magic played with Kareem, fans will feel a little short-changed that they never got to see Magic paired up with another legendary Laker big man in Shaq.
