Ervin "Magic" Johnson is one of the five greatest basketball players of all time. The Los Angeles Lakers' legendary point guard redefined the position with his fast-paced, pass-first playstyle at six-foot-nine. Johnson was the architect of the Showtime Lakers in the 1980s, a team that won five championships in nine years and helped revitalize the NBA after a dreary 1970s.
Magic, as his nickname implies, was one of the most exciting players of his time, and remains so even today. However, his skillset was also driven by being one of the most intelligent guys to ever grace an NBA floor. His passing ability, leadership, and overall basketball IQ reflected this fact.
So, when he gives his opinion on the sport of basketball, everyone had better gather around and listen....right? Well, in June, Johnson appeared on ESPN's First Take, and delivered one of the craziest opinions ever said on that show, which is saying something.
Magic was asked to define what makes a superstar, and he stated that it's a player who can go on the road and sell out an opponent's building, regardless of the circumstances. Ok, sounds fair enough, right? Well, in saying that, Johnson left out LeBron James and Stephen Curry, the two best and most popular players since Kobe Bryant.
These omissions were laughable, even worse when you consider Johnson's reasoning. I feel fairly sure that James and Curry can sell out a road arena 100% of the time, even as they enter the twilight of their careers. Even today, those two are the best draw in the NBA, from a ratings and ticket sales perspective.
Hence why the Lakers and Warriors still play on national television more than anyone, despite being on mediocre teams.
Larry Bird
Boston Celtics' Larry Bird
As you will see from the rest of Johnson's ridiculous list, he clearly favors former players who either competed in his era or shortly after over the modern superstars. It's obviously silly reasoning, as the league has never been more popular, but James and Curry also date back to the 2000s themselves.
Anyway, the first player on his list is Johnson's chief rival, Larry Bird. Bird's position on this ranking is well-earned, as he and Johnson himself essentially saved the NBA from the pits of despair in the 1980s after a decade marred by drug use, fan unrest, and social issues.
Bird's Boston Celtics and Magic's Lakers dominated the 1980s, winning eight of the ten titles and matching up in the Finals three times. Bird-Magic remains arguably the greatest rivalry in league history, and both guys contributed equally.
For Bird's career, he averaged 24.3 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 6.3 assists on incredible efficiency for the era (49.6% from the field and 37.6% from three). He's one of the very best small forwards ever.
However, Bird's superstar allure, as Johnson sees it, was in his intangible attributes. His crafty passing, unprecedented shooting, and endless trash talk was entertaining to all NBA fans. Bird simply had a moxie about him that most players lacked, which made him a fan-favorite.
Charles Barkley
Charles Barkley, Philadelphia 76ers
Credit: © RVR Photos-Imagn Images
Charles Barkley is another very valid choice for this list, if not a somewhat weird one over other NBA legends. Barkley, or "The Round Mound of Rebound", known best for his incredible rebounding ability as an undersized power forward, was also a terrific scorer who averaged 22.1 points per game for his career.
Make no mistake, Barkley was an electric player due to his combination of brute physicality and graceful skill and athelticism as such a large man. Although he never cracked through to win a championship, he certainly was must-watch TV every time he stepped on the floor (I can think of two other players who also are).
Charles remains appointment TV in his current role as an NBA analyst on TNT, and is one of the most exciting players ever.
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal
Shaquille O'Neal was Magic's next superstar on his list. O'Neal is a borderline top-ten all-time player who should be one of the first names who come to mind when thinking about guys who draw a crowd. Shaq won four championships, three Finals MVPs, and has one of the best statistical profiles of any player ever.
With that said, O'Neal is in this group because he's arguably the most dominant NBA star ever, whether that's physically, statistically, or just from watching him play. Shaq had a ten-year run from 1994 to 2003 in which he averaged 28.1 points, 11.9 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. Those numbers remained the same in the playoffs, where he captured three consecutive Finals MVPs from 2000 to 2002.
Those numbers aren't what made him a superstar, at least according to Johnson, and I don't disagree. O'Neal was a showstopper who could get anyone to a TV screen simply because we'd never seen anything like him before. Standing at seven-foot-one, 325 pounds, O'Neal was a tremendous athlete who could do anything on the floor (besides shoot free-throws).
Watching him bowl over defenders repeatedly for dunks was something to behold. We'll likely never witness it again.
Kobe Bryant
LeBron James and Kobe Bryant
Just as with Shaq, the Kobe Bryant selection speaks for itself. Kobe is the closest thing we've seen to Michael Jordan. As he himself admitted many times, Bryant tried to emulate MJ's game, and he did an incredible job of it. From the aesthetics of his game to the playstyle, "Bean" was nearly identical to Jordan in many ways.
Similarly to Jordan, Kobe adopted a refusal to lose mentality and competitive fire that is rarely present in athletes today. He had the same relentless work ethic as he hero, and it yielded him a legendary career featuring five titles, two Finals MVPs, and a legacy of young kids who still idolize him.
Kobe certainly had no issue selling out arenas, even as he declined with age post-Achilles injury. He remains one of the most recognizable NBA superstars of all-time, a decade after retiring.
Michael Jordan
Michael Jordan in a Chicago Bulls jersey with a red NBA-themed background
Lastly, the most obvious pick. Michael Jordan is the greatest of all-time, the best scorer ever, and arguably the top two-way player in league history. MJ averaged over 30 points a game for his career, won six titles and Finals MVPs, and finished off two three-peats wrapped around an odd minor-league baseball experiment.
Furthermore, Jordan was also just cool. He sold more shoes than anyone, made NBA global, started the most famous basketball brand, and was as interesting off the court as he was on. There's never been a better show than Michael Jordan on a basketball court, from his competitiveness and trash talk to legendary clutch performances.
Even today, 22 years after his career ended, Jordan has an aura that is almost mythical and untouchable.