Earvin “Magic” Johnson, who played for the Los Angeles Lakers for 13 seasons, is undeniably one of the greatest players in NBA history. Known for his incredible skill, charisma, and contributions to the Lakers’ success during the 1980s and early 1990s, he is celebrated by fans and analysts alike. While his own legacy is cemented among the league’s elite, Magic has no doubts about who holds the top spot.
In an interview on The Dan Patrick Show, Johnson stated without reservation, “Michael is the best. If you come at me and ask me, that’s who I am going with, and it’s MJ.” He continued to explain why Jordan holds such a special place in his view, saying: “I love MJ and what he stands for, for what he’s built, not only on the court, but off the court. His business, so it’s great.”
Magic’s endorsement aligns with the widely shared opinion among NBA legends and analysts that Michael Jordan’s six NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls and his flawless 6-0 Finals record solidify his place at the top of the all-time rankings.
What makes Magic’s assessment even more striking is that he recognized Jordan’s potential greatness long before MJ achieved his full stardom. In a 1989 interview, two years before Michael led the Bulls to their first championship, Magic was already acknowledging Jordan’s unique abilities and greatness, saying, “Everybody talks about it being Larry (Bird) and me; really, there’s Michael, and then there’s everybody else.”
Michael Jordan #23 of the Washington Wizards smiles before their game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY. The Knicks won 93-91.
Magic Johnson on LeBron James
The debate between Michael Jordan and LeBron James is often brought up when discussing the GOAT, and Magic also weighed in on this discussion. While he respects LeBron’s accomplishments, he believes James still has some ground to cover to surpass Jordan. “I don’t know, it might take a couple more championships to do that,” Johnson said in an interview with Patrick Bet-David.
Despite this, Magic was quick to praise LeBron’s talents and influence on the game. “Look, I love LeBron. I think besides his jumping ability, we are similar in what we did because he makes his teammates better; he’s great in terms of wanting to win,” he said. “LeBron has done great things for the game today. But I gotta take Michael… I’m taking Michael all day.”
Magic Johnson adds Kobe Bryant to the GOAT debate
While Magic is clear in his assessment of Jordan, he also took the opportunity to recognize another player in the GOAT discussion: Kobe Bryant. The former point guard emphasized Bryant’s impact and his place as one of the top players in NBA history. “I think about what Kobe meant to the game of basketball worldwide,” Magic said during an interview on Nitecast Media. “In many ways, Kobe changed the game and helped it grow globally.”
Magic continued, highlighting Kobe’s offensive prowess, stating: “To me, offensively, he’s the second-best dude at that position (shooting guard) behind Michael Jordan. When you think about scoring-wise, nobody could stop Kobe just like nobody could stop Michael Jordan.” Lastly, Johnson underscored Kobe’s legacy: “His impact, both on and off the court, ensures that his name will always be part of the GOAT conversation.”
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What is Michael Jordan’s opinion of Magic Johnson?
Just as Magic Johnson has consistently hailed Michael Jordan as the greatest player in NBA history, Jordan has also expressed deep admiration for the Los Angeles Lakers legend, as well as former Boston Celtics star Larry Bird.
“I don’t put myself above them,” Michael Jordan said in an interview with SLAM. “I think that we’re all on parallel ground here. You know, they educated me about a lot of things about the game, from a team standpoint. So, I can’t put myself above…I mean, people try to, but we played in different eras.”
Reflecting on his rivalry with Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, Jordan added: “I had an opportunity to go against them in the peak of their careers while I was still young. And I went against them when I was at the peak of mine, when they was on the other end. So, it was a passing of trends there, and we never had the opportunity to play against each other in peak years,” he said. “So it’s hard to say that I’m above them, by no means. I like to consider myself parallel to them.”
