‘Magic Johnson was probably the most unselfish player in the league’: When Michael Jordan paid tribute to the Lakers legend’s ability as a point guard

Michael Jordan tipped his hat to Magic Johnson for his selflessness in an interview with Cigar Aficionado a few years after his final retirement.

Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson are possibly the two most entertaining basketball players of all time. Both of them have revolutionized the way the game is played. To see their mutual respect, love, and camaraderie for each other is truly a beautiful sight to see.

In an interview with Cigar Aficionado, Jordan was asked, who he thought was the most ‘unselfish’ guy in the league. Someone who was ‘a real team guy who put himself second, third, last, whatever, just cared about winning’.

MJ named Lakers legend Magic Johnson as that one player:

“You could think of a lot of players like that in the pros. But to pick one, who would have the biggest impact on a game where you had a chance to win, that would be Magic Johnson.”

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‘Magic Johnson was one of the ideal point guards in the league’: Johnson was also a true leader

The fact that Michael Jordan chose Magic Johnson as the ‘most unselfish’ player, tells us a lot about Magic. The 12-time All-Star was a 4-time Assists leader. In his 13-year career, Johnson averaged a whopping 11.2 assists per game, which helped him win his 5 NBA Championships.

Although Earvin was known for his ability to basically to do everything on the court, his defining attribute was finding open players and helping them knock down shots. With a total of a whopping 10,141 career assists, the Hall-Of-Famer ranks fifth for all-time assists. Had he not been robbed several years of his career due to his HIV diagnosis, he would’ve had a very great chance to top the list.

Jordan also selected Johnson when asked who he would select as his point guard if Jordan had to make his own dream team. MJ explained his decision:

“That’s easy. Magic Johnson. Because of his height, you’d have a tough time defending him. It’s a beautiful thing to see a 6-foot 9-inch guy rebound the ball and start the break.”

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