“Imma Kill You, Imma Try to Take Your Head Off”: Lakers Legend Magic Johnson on How “Killer” Stephen Curry Reminded Him of Himself in 2022

The Los Angeles Lakers boast a history of housing NBA greats. From the Minneapolis Auditorium to the Crypto.com Arena, NBA legends have graced the courts of the Lakers since their inception in 1947. One such player that the Lakers drafted in 1979 was Earvin “Magic” Johnson. Magic Johnson is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all time. His incredible playmaking skills, matched with his size and athleticism made him a generational talent.

Magic’s infectious smile also made him one of the most liked players in NBA history. However, his smile is overshadowed by his ‘killer’ mentality. Johnson spoke out about this very mentality, while also stating that he saw this in the 2022 Finals MVP, Stephen Curry.

Magic Johnson has high praise for Stephen Curry

Magic Johnson had one of the most legendary careers in the NBA. His tenured career saw the 3-time MVP win 5 championships with the Lakers, also bagging 3 Finals MVP awards. His killer mentality helped him achieve the highest pinnacles of basketball success. Given his remarkable resume, it is safe to assume that he knows a thing or two about winning championships. When he saw the same mentality in another champion in his own right, he had to speak out.

Stephen Curry had a historic run in the playoffs in 2022. He led the Golden State Warriors to their 4th championship during his time with them, bagging his first Finals MVP award. This impressive performance caught the Hall of Famer Johnson’s attention. Talking about Curry’s abilities, Johnson said, “First of all, movement without the ball …also be on balance to still shoot. And he can shoot off balance too. We’ve never seen that before.” [sic]

He further added, “For him to be that small and he can shoot from almost half court …and then, he’s a killer.” He then talked about his mentality during his own playing days. “People will look at the smile …’Oh, imma kill you. Imma try to take your head off,'” he said.

Talking about Curry’s playoffs run and how he reflects Johnson’s mentality in his game, he said, “What he did in that final was special because them first three games …but he shut everybody else who said he couldn’t be the Finals MVP …he already knew he could do it, he just showed everybody he could do it.”

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Johnson had his say about Curry’s playoff heroics. However, how much did Curry impact the Warriors’ championship run?

Curry put up a heroic performance

Heading into the 2021-22 season, the Warriors dynasty was considered to have ended. After their glorious championships runs in the late 2010s, the Warriors had missed the playoffs for two straight seasons. Their star shooting guard Klay Thompson too was only expected to return in the later stages of the season. However, Stephen Curry did not let any of this bother him.

The 2-time MVP rose to the occasion, leading his team to the second seed in the Western Conference. He then went on to light up in the playoffs, putting up a historic show for the Warriors. His blistering performances in the playoffs saw the Warriors cruise to the Finals. Then came another Curry masterclass, delivering the Warriors their 7th championship and winning his 4th ring. He was also named the Finals MVP for the first time in his career.

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Curry’s incredible performance further strengthened his case as one of the greatest point guards of all time. This scintillating display of basketball brilliance left several fans in awe, including Lakers legend Magic Johnson. Curry showed his killer mentality throughout the playoffs, which prompted Johnson to make his statements.