I don’t think it’s a stretch to say that if you want to offend Magic Johnson, you really have to go out of your way.
Beyond his jovial charm whenever he appears in public, the Los Angeles Lakers legend is famous for almost always making anodyne, often completely neutral statements about the NBA and other sports on his Twitter account — except for when the Boston Celtics won the 2024 title — because he doesn’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.
However, Johnson couldn’t help himself when he heard about Minnesota Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards ripping the apparent lack of skill from older NBA players. Once again, Johnson broke character.
In an interview with Stephen A. Smith, Johnson said he wouldn’t respond to Edwards’ opinion … before stating that he doesn’t acknowledge basketball players who haven’t won championships. PHEW.
"I never respond to a guy who's never won a championship… He didn't win a college championship, I don't even know if he won a high school championship."
Magic Johnson didn't hold back while responding to Anthony Edwards' comments 👀😳
(via https://t.co/gnCFAy8D5B / IG) pic.twitter.com/8KUrvm4vZw
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 25, 2024
The crucial part of that insult is that Johnson wasn’t just talking about Edwards not winning an NBA title. He also meant in college (Edwards played at Georgia from 2019 to 2020, where the Bulldogs didn’t qualify for the men’s NCAA tournament on either occasion) and in high school (Edwards did actually win a Georgia high school state championship, which Johnson admitted to being unsure about).
From that perspective, what a fiery comeback from a guy who won a high school state title in Lansing, the men’s NCAA title with Michigan State, five NBA championships with the Lakers, and championed the high-octane “Showtime Lakers” as one of the flashiest, most skillful passers ever.
Edwards was just being himself by ripping older generations for what he perceived as a lack of basketball ability. That’s classic Anthony Edwards shining through. Take it or leave it. But now he has drawn the ire of Magic Johnson, perhaps the nicest man in major American sports — a guy who might drop a fancy coat on a pothole filled with rainwater in the street for a random stranger to walk across.
It’s not quite winning an NBA championship, but I’d almost consider that an achievement in itself.
