Lakers legend Magic Johnson shares bold take on Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s legacy: ‘Nobody’s even close’

During the 1980s, the Los Angeles Lakers, along with the Boston Celtics, were the dominant teams in the NBA and helped revitalize the popularity of basketball. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar played a major role in that success, and now his former teammate Magic Johnson has shared a striking conclusion about the legacy of the former center.

“Nobody’s basketball career is even close to Kareem’s – spanning his high school, college and NBA years!” Johnson said in a message shared on his official X account to mark Abdul-Jabbar’s 78th birthday earlier this week.

Magic’s statement may seem bold at first glance, but the legendary point guard backed it up with a logical argument rooted in Kareem’s incredible stats. “If you combine three high school, three college, and six NBA championships, he is the most decorated basketball player of all time,” said Johnson.

The remarkable career of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

As Magic Johnson explained, Kareem found success at every stage of his basketball journey, from his student years to the highest level of the NBA. Back when he was still known as Ferdinand Lewis Alcindor Jr., he led Power Memorial Academy to three consecutive New York City Catholic championships. He also set a New York City high school scoring record at the time, finishing with 2,067 points.

Later, the center chose to join the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), where he also won three straight championships between 1967 and 1969. In each of those seasons, he was named National College Player of the Year and NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player. His impact was so great that the UCLA Bruins retired his No. 33 jersey.

Kareem finally entered the NBA in 1969 with the Milwaukee Bucks, leading the franchise to its first championship in 1971 while earning the scoring title, league MVP, and Finals MVP honors. After six seasons there, Abdul-Jabbar joined the Lakers, where he reached the pinnacle of his career. He won five more championships with the team (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988), becoming a cornerstone of the iconic Showtime Lakers team, coached by Pat Riley and featuring stars like Magic Johnson, James Worthy, and Michael Cooper.

Is Kareem Abdul-Jabbar the most decorated player of all time?

Magic Johnson called Kareem the most decorated player in basketball history. That statement holds true—so long as the count includes not only Abdul-Jabbar’s professional titles in the NBA, but also those from his high school and college days, which brings the total to 12.

However, if the conversation focuses solely on NBA success, Kareem falls short of the top. That honor belongs to Bill Russell, who won 11 championships with the Boston Celtics during his 13-year career. And it doesn’t stop there: the top eight spots in the all-time titles ranking are occupied by players from that dominant Celtics squad of the 1950s and 1960s.

To find the first player outside of that Boston era, you have to go to the ninth spot on the list: Robert Horry, who won seven championships with the Houston Rockets, Los Angeles Lakers, and San Antonio Spurs during the 90s and 2000s. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sits just below, with six—alongside other legends like Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.