With a name like Magic Johnson, expectations can become overwhelming. Perhaps the true wizardry was that the Los Angeles Lakers icon lived up to the billing and more.
Johnson was a five-time NBA champion, a three-time MVP and is arguably the greatest point guard to ever grace the game. Only a small handful of players could play alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and outplay the greatest scorer in NBA history, and Magic did exactly that while displaying alien vision and passing to pair with his magnetic charisma and infectious energy.
Magic was undoubtedly a generational talent - most people knew as much when he led Michigan State to the NCAA Championship title in 1979 - but it was his ideal physical frame that stood out. Johnson had a height of 6’9”, which was an unheard of size for a point guard known for flying around the court throwing no-look passes at will.
