“That Was My First Time Seeing Him”: Magic Johnson Admits Being Mind Blown by “Teammate” Larry Bird Way Before Iconic Decade Long Rivalry

On March 26th, 1979, the Michigan State Spartans geared up to face the Indiana State Sycamores in the NCAA championship game. That NCAA season was dominated by these two colleges. Indiana State was yet to lose a game, while the Spartans had lost only 6 games. Furthermore, these two teams featured two future NBA Hall of Famers as the leaders of their teams. These players were Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. As they took to the court at the University of Utah, Johnson’s team had overpowered Larry’s team. But as the March Madness ended, little did anyone know that this would be the beginning of a league-changing rivalry. Recently, while talking about this game, Johnson opened up about watching Larry Bird for the first time and this happened when the two, uncharacteristically, shared a bench on the court. 

Magic Johnson and Larry Bird were one of the few who dominated the NBA all through the 80s. Johnson flaunted the Lakers jersey while Bird played for the Boston Celtics. With this domination came a heated rivalry on the court. A great deal is spoken about their rivalry, but what stands out is the love and respect they have had for each other throughout the years. 

Magic Johnson on watching and playing with Larry Bird for the very first time

Magic Johnson appeared on the latest episode of All the Smoke show with Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. The trio spoke about Johnson’s career in the NBA and unfailingly highlighted the iconic Bird-Johnson rivalry. During this discussion, he spoke about the time he saw Larry Bird play. This first time was when Johnson and Bird were playing for the same team in a tournament during their college days. The five-time NBA Champion said, “That was my first time seeing him.”

Supposedly, the coach of the team took the biased route and chose three starters from Kentucky since he was from Kentucky. This meant that the NBA Legends were sitting on the bench together as teammates. 

Read More: “He Bought Me 1 Share of the Boston Celtics”: Magic Johnson’s Comment on “Enemy” Larry Bird Fuels Nostalgia on Twitter

However, Johnson pointed out that when they got the opportunity to step onto the court, they were unstoppable. As per the Hall of Famer, Bird was all over the opposition, “slicing and dicing” them up. 

Watching the Boston Celtics legend create magic was awe-inspiring and Johnson was left enamored. He instantly called his family and yelled, “It’s true about this boy”. At this moment, Bird had gained Johnson’s respect and then the relationship between the two only grew stronger. 

Watch This Story: Trae young’s bow, Larry Bird’s steal other iconic NBA playoff moments

What’s your take on this Magic Johnson and Larry Bird story? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.