“There’s a New Sheriff in Town, and His Name Is Michael Jordan”: Celtics Legend Admitted Harsh Truth to Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson remains one of the greatest basketball players. He played for 13 years in the NBA and all 13 years were illustrious. He won 5 NBA championships in the 1980s with the Los Angeles Lakers. Unsurprisingly, Magic was the protagonist of the Lakers dynasty with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Although most years of Magic Johnson’s career were successful, his career was cut short because of his illness due to HIV. This was the time when one MJ left the center stage and another MJ took over.

Michael Jordan made his debut in 1984, but at the time the Lakers were on top. Jordan did not win his first NBA championship before 1991. The Chicago Bulls beat the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1991 NBA Finals to win their first ever NBA title. Jordan beat Magic Johnson to take the mantle on him as 1990-1991 was Magic Johnson’s last season. Although he made a comeback in the 1995-96 season, it was the Magic he was before his retirement, which is why he hung up his boots after that season.

Everybody in the league rated Magic highly and knew how important he was to his side. Every player in the NBA knew how special Magic’s magic was. Michael Jordan gained the same reputation. It was really the perfect timing. It was befitting for MJ to beat MJ in the 1991 NBA finals and start his own legacy. This was the start of the reign for the Bulls that stayed for a decade much like the Lakers in the 80s.

WATCH THIS STORY: Michael Jordan’s best duels with Magic and others.

Larry Bird and Magic Johnson knew that Michael Jordan had taken over

Recently Magic featured on the Late Night Show with Jimmy Kimmel, to promote his Apple TV+ documentary “They Call Me Magic”. Jimmy asked Magic how Larry Bird and Michael Jordan himself told him to retire after just a game when he returned from his retirement due to HIV. Magic revealed the hilarious dialogue between the three.

“So Larry Bird and I on the back of the bus. He says, ‘I just want you to know there’s a new sheriff in town and his name is Michael Jordan’. And we had dominated the league both Larry and I. The Celtics and Lakers for the whole entire the 80s. And so it was his[Jordan] turn. So he just sat back, had his cigar and just said, ‘it’s my league now.’ You know what we did, Jimmy, what we said, you’re right.” said Magic.

Also read: Jordan talks about Johnson.

Magic also talked about being Kareem’s rookie and having to do everything for him, signing a contract in 1984 for 1 million dollars a year for 25 years. They discussed his life out of that court, which involved going out to nightclubs with Jerry Buss. He revealed that a Camay commercial had a big impact on him. Magic also shared stories about his friendship with Isiah Thomas and returning to basketball after finding out he had HIV. He shed light on stories about him being the co-owner of the Dodgers and commenting on Clayton Kershaw being pulled from a potentially perfect game.