Labelled A “Difficult Leader” At Times Like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson Was Open To Criticism, Says Michael Cooper

Being the superstar on your team is not just about the fame and the views. Every superstar, from Michael Jordan in the 90s to LeBron James today, is expected to lead the team. Not just in stats, but also mentally and physically. They are the de facto voice of authority in the locker room, and often, a team’s successes and failures are solely placed on their shoulders.

Magic Johnson, despite being a rookie the first time he tasted championship glory, was the leader on all his Lakers teams along with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the more seasoned veteran. Their styles varied, with Kareem the stoic and serious player, and Magic the fun-loving younger man, always seen with a smile on his face.

He led the Lakers to 5 titles in the 80s, making them the most successful team of the decade. Of course, they had great players and great coaches, with DPOY Michael Cooper anchoring their defense and Pat Riley at the helm, but almost every player on the team will testify that it was Magic who was the heart and soul of their championship wins.

Cooper, when appearing on CLNS Media’s talk show, told his host that despite all of Magic’s grace and charm, he could be difficult to get along with sometimes. He put him in the same category as Jordan, claiming that sometimes during practice, he would let his teammates know that they were underperforming.

“He would let you know to do your job out there,” Cooper said. “But one thing I loved about Magic was as he was a leader, and talking to you and telling you things to do, you could get on him, and he would receive it favorably. Magic very rarely made mistakes, so Magic was like a coach on the floor.”

“You know what, so when he’s telling you, ‘Coop, stop throwing the ball away’ or ‘Go rebound’ or ‘Do your job,’ I could say the same thing to him. But he was difficult,” he continued.

He also added that Magic was the more vocal of the two leaders that the Lakers had. Kareem’s stoicism was well known, and he never really was one to rile his teammates up, preferring to let his game do the talking. Pat Riley was a vocal coach, but when push came to shove, nobody talked more than Magic did.

Clearly, Magic’s strategy of holding himself accountable to his teammates was a successful one. Under his leadership, the Lakers had one of the most successful stretches in franchise history. They also played some of the most entertaining basketball the league has ever seen, thus getting the nickname the ‘Showtime Lakers.’

His leadership also manifested itself in another facet of the stat sheet- the Finals MVPs. During their dominant run in the 80s, the Lakers had three different Finals MVPs. Magic himself won the award thrice, with Kareem winning one, and James Worthy taking one as well.

Magic Johnson made his mark in the 1980s era of basketball and will always be remembered as one of, if not the best, point guards to ever play the game.