Consider the sight of Patrick Ewing, the dominant center of the New York Knicks, watching helplessly as Michael Jordan seemed to hang in the air for impossible stretches. Or Clyde Drexler himself, marveling at Jordan’s ability to slice through defenses. Even the indomitable Karl Malone, the “Mailman” who always delivered, found himself watching in admiration as Jordan’s Bulls ran circles around his Utah Jazz. His Airness’ on-court charisma evaded few. Magic Johnson wasn’t among them, according to Stephen A. Smith.

In the latest episode of the ‘Stephen A. Smith’ show, the ESPN analyst revealed that Johnson’s deference to Jordan went far beyond mere respect between competitors. It was a recognition of a force that was bigger than any individual player, a force that was reshaping the NBA itself.

“You know something, Magic Johnson did great great things for the NBA. Larry Bird did great great things for the NBA. But when that brother Michael Jordan came along, they stood down not on the basketball court competing against him but nobody complained about the shine that he received. One reason was because they knew he deserved it,” said Smith during his show.

According to Smith, Johnson who has earned a handsome amount of $40 million from the NBA, recognized that Jordan wasn’t just a great player; he was a cultural phenomenon. MJ’s appeal transcended basketball, reaching into popular culture, fashion, and global markets in a way no athlete had ever done before.

Johnson would sign the highest-paying contract in sports history in 1980 and help pick up the league’s low ratings that were leading to tape delays. But Jordan took it a step further. His games were televised globally. The $126 million revenue generating first Air Jordans with a global brand, the 1992 Dream Team, and the growth of the international partnership between NBA and FIBA just in time, all just aligned well with the prowess Jordan was on the court.

This global reach, according to Smith, was all the more reason for the existing stars to welcome Jordan. “It built the profile of the NBA and made the ratings blow up and took it off a tape delay and put it on Prime Time television and assisted it in becoming an international globalized brand,” he adds.

Nonetheless, as Smith notes, Johnson always held his greatness about him. The tallest point guard with his incredible pace and childlike enthusiasm, leading the way for the ‘triple-double’ was hard to miss. “I practiced all day. I dribbled to the store with my right hand and back with my left. Then I slept with my basketball,” he shared to USA Today. Heartbreaking, he had to end his basketball run prematurely. But the 5X champion has only driven the energy towards good.

Magic Johson gives back

The legendary basketball player has has stepped up to make significant contributions to the world of philanthropy. His philanthropic endeavors have focused on various causes, including HIV/AIDS awareness, education, and economic empowerment.

Johnson’s brainchild, ‘Magic Johnson Foundation’ was started in 1991 after he was diagnosed with HIV AIDS. He used his charity firm to educate the public about the disease, dispel misconceptions, and also to promote prevention and education programs to reduce the spread of the virus. Over these years, the foundation has made significant feats in the charity field. It has raised over $20 million for social causes and allocated about $4 million towards scholarships for backward communities.

This was not all. During the lockdowns of COVID-19 in 2020, Johnson had sponsored many minority-owned businesses just in order to help them make their ends meet. After retiring from athletics, the former NBA champion has proved that he can still make a difference in the world, positively.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.