For Magic Johnson, the opportunity to play at least one game with the likes of Larry Bird and Michael Jordan on the same team was a bucket list moment. He managed to tick this off his list during the 1992 Olympics. Johnson, along with Bird, Jordan, Charles Barkley, and other NBA legends, brought home the gold medal and were called the ‘Dream Team’. This was indeed a golden opportunity for Johnson, one that he cherishes every day. However, with the NBA in mind, on the latest episode of the ‘All the Smoke’ podcast, the Hall of Famer made a bold claim involving Jordan. 

Stephen Jackson, the former NBA player, and podcast co-host asked Johnson if he and Jordan ever had the desire to team up with each other while playing in the NBA. Johnson revealed that such a desire never crossed his mind, let alone Jordan’s. He went on the explain himself. 

Magic Johnson on playing with Michael Jordan

Magic Johnson claimed that he wasn’t a player who wanted to play with the big names. He spoke about his mindset which revolved around playing with the underdogs.  

He said, “I never tried to get all the name dudes. I try to just get dudes who want to play. ‘Yeah let’s go, let’s go’. I like that underdog thing anyways, ‘Come on let’s go beat these dudes'”. 

Johnson further added the concept of the best players being on different teams adds to the intense competitive spirit that the sport holds. According to the Los Angeles Lakers legend, this personifies the beauty of the sport. He said, “Not you know everybody joining each other. Go make it happen, if you’re the best, you gonna go up against them”. 

NBA Twitter left furious with Magic Johnson’s comments

While Johnson’s comments about the beauty of the sport received high approval, the revelation of his “underdog” mindset seemingly drew criticism from NBA fans. 

Read More: Days After ‘Disrespect’ Michael Jordan Claim, 71-Year-Old Hall of Famer Disagrees With $150 Million Musician’s Magic Johnson Fandom

Magic Johnson was picked by the Lakers in the 1979 NBA draft. He entered a roster that flaunted future NBA Hall of Famers Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Jerry West. This star-studded Lakers team went on to dominate the league in the 80s. Fans were quick to point this out. They claimed that Johnson’s claim of not playing with the “big dudes” cannot be true because he had the likes of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy on his team. They added that with these legends, Magic didn’t need to even have the desire to play with Jordan.

Here are some of the reactions from NBA Twitter: 

Watch This Story: Breaking 35-year-old record 207 million star Luka Doncic joins Michael Jordan following historic NBA performance

What’s your take on Magic Johnson’s comments? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.