Isiah Thomas has never shied away from acknowledging Magic Johnson’s unparalleled passing ability. When asked on social media who the greatest passer of all time is, Thomas didn’t hesitate to crown Magic Johnson. He cited Magic’s height, creativity, and imagination as key factors that made him the best in the business. According to Thomas, these qualities allowed Johnson to revolutionize passing and bring unprecedented flair to the game.
“Dani, MagicJohnson is the best passer ever because of his height, creativity, and imagination. He invented the no-look pass, I invented the bounce pass lob for smaller players. #creativity #imagination When you introduce the never-been-done unthinkable that’s the differentiator.”
Thomas explained that Magic’s 6’9″ height gave him a significant advantage as a point guard, enabling him to see over defenders and spot passing lanes that smaller players couldn’t. This height, combined with Johnson’s basketball IQ and creativity, allowed him to invent the no-look pass, a move that became a hallmark of the “Showtime” Lakers era. Magic’s ability to deliver the unexpected and make difficult passes seem routine is what separated him from other great passers in the league.
Thomas acknowledged that while he also had a unique style of passing, particularly with his bounce pass lobs for smaller players, it was Johnson’s innovative and imaginative play that stood out. Thomas emphasized the transformative nature of Magic’s contributions to the point guard position.
Magic Johnson, who led the Los Angeles Lakers to five championships, was known for orchestrating fast breaks and elevating the play of his teammates with his elite court vision and precision passing. His ability to create plays in transition, combined with his showmanship, made the Lakers’ fast-paced style iconic. Players like LeBron James and Penny Hardaway, who also relied on size and court vision, have followed in Magic’s footsteps, drawing inspiration from his revolutionary approach to the game.
Magic Johnson’s passing accolades and statistics support this claim. Throughout his career, Johnson racked up 10,141 assists in just 906 regular season games, giving him a career average of 11.2 assists per game, the highest assist average in NBA history. His assist totals rank him 7th all-time, despite playing significantly fewer games than many of the players ahead of him.
In the playoffs, Magic was even more dominant as a passer, leading the league with a total of 2,346 assists—no player in NBA history has more playoff assists than Johnson.
During the 1984-85 season, Johnson led the league in assists, averaging a staggering 13.1 assists per game. He topped the league in assists four times during his career and dished out double-digit assists in 10 different seasons. His exceptional court vision and ability to create plays in transition made the Lakers’ fast-paced, run-and-gun style iconic, earning him five NBA championships.
Isiah Thomas, while also an exceptional passer, focused more on his ability to manipulate defenses with his dribbling and create opportunities for his teammates in the half-court. Though smaller in stature, Thomas was able to dominate the game with his quickness and decision-making, especially when leading the Detroit Pistons to back-to-back championships in 1989 and 1990.
Despite their different styles of play, both players share immense respect for each other’s skills. Thomas credits Magic for pushing the boundaries of passing, and his acknowledgement of Magic’s brilliance underscores the mutual admiration between the two. However, Thomas remains proud of his own contributions to the art of passing, specifically for smaller guards, as he paved the way for the next generation of point guards.
In the end, as Thomas put it, “It’s a matter of taste,” but when it comes to passing, Magic Johnson’s creativity and ability to see the game differently make him, in Thomas’ eyes, the greatest passer of all time.
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