Before Robert Horry won seven NBA championships and earned the nickname “Big Shot Rob,” he was just a lanky, athletic prospect trying to make it into the league and got a harsh but valuable basketball lesson from none other than Magic Johnson himself.
During an appearance on Byron Scott’s podcast a few years ago, Horry shared a humbling story from his early days, one that showcased just how smart and deceptively dominant Magic Johnson was even past his physical prime. Horry had flown into Los Angeles for pre-draft workouts and thought he was going to scrimmage against another rookie. What he got instead was a masterclass in basketball IQ and veteran poise.
“I have to tell you a little story. When I was doing my tryouts and trying to get into the league, you had to fly to all these different teams. I got to L.A., and they said, ‘Oh, we’re gonna have you play one-on-one with someone.'”
“And I’m thinking, okay, maybe there’s another guy they’re looking at. Then I see Magic, and I’m like, ‘Oh s**t…'”
“I’m trying to be cool and calm, but I’m thinking, this is Magic Johnson, and I’m about to play one-on-one with him. So we start playing, and I’m thinking, ‘I just want to block his shot.'”
“Man, I’m almost throwing my shoulder out of its socket trying to block it. I don’t think the dude ever jumped more than two inches and he wore my ass out. After I left that workout, I was like, ‘I’ve got to get smarter.’ It ain’t about physical attributes. You have to be a smart player.”
Despite being younger, taller, and far more athletic at the time, Horry quickly realized this was no ordinary matchup. All he wanted to do was block Magic’s shot, just once. But even that didn’t happen.
What stunned Horry wasn’t just Magic’s precision or touch. It was how effortlessly he controlled the pace, angles, and flow of the game. Every move was calculated. Every fake, pass, and pivot had purpose.
After the workout ended, Horry wasn’t discouraged; he was enlightened. Magic, never one to withhold wisdom from young talent, pulled Horry aside and gave him advice that stuck for decades.
That moment was a turning point in Horry’s mindset. It wasn’t just about speed or strength; it was about thinking the game, anticipating, adjusting. It’s a lesson Horry would carry with him to big moments in Houston, Los Angeles, and San Antonio.
And to this day, Horry can proudly say that before he won his first ring, he got thoroughly cooked by a Magic man who barely left the floor but taught him how to soar.
