Even the greatest athletes of all time share a lot with the common fan, and just like us, they put their favorite athletes on a pedestal, too. Kobe Bryant’s admiration for Michael Jordan is an example that stands out, but there are countless others. On last night’s episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live, another Laker great, Magic Johnson revealed that for him, Muhammad Ali was and will always be the greatest, not only for what he did in the ring, but for what he taught him out of it.
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Johnson brought Ali up after Kimmel surprised him with a hilariously dated anti-drug PSA that Magic, Ali, and a whole bunch of other celebrities took part in. The video has to be seen to be believed, as it features Hervé Villechaize from Fantasy Island, Henry Winkler (The Fonz), Magic, Ali, and many more singing about getting “high on yourself” instead of doing drugs.
Magic almost fell out of his chair laughing at this old time capsule, but once he composed himself, he used it as an opportunity to speak about how much Ali meant to him.
“Muhammad is my hero,” he said. “Oh man, I love him. He also taught me a lesson, too, he called me one day, he said, ‘Magic, you gotta be more than just a basketball player. You gotta do good in the community, you gotta give back to the community, and I want you to do more.’ So I owe a lot to him.”
Magic would go on to speak about how he grew up watching Ali’s fights on closed circuit TV with his dad, and after he reached the NBA, he was able to see him fight in person, after which The People’s Champion would perform magic tricks for him in the locker room. The lesson Ali taught him about giving back has always stuck with him, though.
Magic is known for everything he did on the basketball court, and he’s remained a prominent figure in the sports world as a minority owner of the Dodgers and Commanders. He’s done so much good off the court, though, that it completely stands on its own as a testament to his greatness.
Through his namesake foundation, he’s raised millions of dollars for HIV and AIDS research, while also providing scholarships and educational opportunities for underprivileged young people.
He’s bought Christmas gifts for children in need and helped communities rebuild in the aftermath of the California wildfires. Just as Ali was much more than a boxer, Magic has been much more than a basketball player.
