‘Can’t get too close to Michael Jordan or it’s a foul’: Lakers’ Magic Johnson accuses the GOAT of getting favorable calls

Amulya Shekhar | 15/11/2020
Can't get too close to Michael Jordan or it's a foul': Lakers' Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson, Michael Jordan and the Dream Team of 1992 are the greatest collection of sporting talent ever assembled.

With 11 Hall of Famers and one of the greatest players in Duke history, the Dream Team is like no other. There are other teams, like the Redeem Team of 2008 or the team of 2012 which may be in contention. But this roster of basketball greats was rounded out like no other, and they have the stats to prove it.

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Ahead of arriving in Barcelona for the contest, the team gave several interviews to build up hype. This particular incident highlights the banter aspect between Magic and Michael, who’d faced off each other in the NBA Finals in 1991.

Magic Johnson trashtalks Michael Jordan during Dream Team photoshoot

Possibly the most famous trio in basketball history, Bird, Magic and MJ took the podium for a photoshoot ahead of their games in 1992 as part of Team USA’s promotional drive.

Speaking about their positions on the podium, Magic said: “You can’t get too close to Michael or it’s a foul.”

Jordan saw the funny side to it and replied with: “You ain’t gotten close in a year and a half.”

This incident highlights the healthy rivalry between two of the greatest players to ever step on the court. Both of them were stone-cold killers when they took the court, but they were also some of the best people off it.

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They always had immense respect for each other, and Magic would later on go so far as to say he’d passed on the torch to Michael in 1991.

The Dream Team won each game in the Barcelona Olympics by a mind-boggling 44 point average en route to a gold medal over Croatia.

Post Edited By: Utkarsh Bhatla
Larry Bird Magic Johnson Michael Jordan

About the author

Amulya Shekhar

Amulya Shekhar is a sports junkie who thrives on the thrills and frills of live sports action across basketball, football (the American variant works too), parkour, adventure sports. He believes sports connect us to our best selves, and he hopes to help people experience sports more holistically.

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