There are very few players that are cut from the same cloth as Magic Johnson. In fact, we can go as far as to say that he is quite possibly, one of one. Larry Bird, his arch nemesis in the NBA and life-long friend off the court, was among the first to acknowledge his greatness.
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Players like Bird, who are also considered among the greatest often have a knack for recognizing it. And the way he found out about Johnson’s infinite potential is quite the story.
It goes all the way back to the late 1970s when the two were in college, and Magic’s Michigan State team had a task on their hands. They had to beat the Russian National team.
Magic Johnson displayed his passing savvy by defeating the Soviets
At the time the New Cold War was brewing. And the Soviets had come over for a visit. The storyline was simple, beat the Soviets and establish yourself as the greats.
Magic was up to the task. As per an extract from When The Game Was Ours, the story is quite the read.
Michigan State’s first true measuring stick was a preseason exhibition game against the Russian national team, which was touring the United States and playing select colleges. The Soviets were a methodical team that simply could not keep pace with Johnson and Kelser. Michigan State ran them off the floor, 76–60, barraging them with repeated fast-break baskets.
The game, televised nationally on HBO, drew some interested observers: the Indiana State Sycamores, who gathered at Bird and Bob Heaton’s off-campus house to watch the game. ISU was scheduled to play the Russians the following week, and while Bird tried to focus on the Soviets, he couldn’t help but be dazzled by what Earvin “Magic” Johnson had done to them. “At that point I knew very little about Magic,” Bird said. “But I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. Magic ran those guys like a pro team. Any miss and they’d be off, running the break. His angles on his passes were perfect. He looked kind of awkward bringing the ball up with that big body, but he was always one step ahead of everyone.” When Magic and Michigan State had completed their thrashing of the Russians, Bird turned to his teammates and said, “Boys, you are watching the best team in the country.”
As expected from a player like Earvin, he went on to become the first-ever player to win a Finals MVP as a rookie.
How Bird and Johnson defied a decade
During the late 70s and 80s, the rivalry between Larry Bird and Magic Johnson was the storyline of the NBA. In many ways, it saved the league itself.
The two led the most storied franchises in history and met in the NBA Finals three times. Magic would win 2/3 and assert his superiority.
Notwithstanding his losses to Magic, Bird still carved out a career that many think is one of the greatest. In the pantheon of NBA greats, the two sit proudly. Once rivals, now friends.
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