In Game 5 of the 1980 Finals, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar twisted his ankle and became questionable for the next game. This news broke the spirit of the Lakers camp, but rookie Magic Johnson didn’t want the team to lose the opportunity of winning a championship after coming this close, so he took matters into his own hands for Game 6.
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After landing in Philadelphia, Johnson sat in Abdul-Jabbar‘s spot in the dressing room. This was his way of reassuring his teammates that he was ready to fill in for the 7ft 2″ enigma. He even convinced the head coach, Paul Westhead, to let him play in Abdul-Jabbar’s position at center.
Over four decades later, Johnson discussed this pivotal instance during a 2023 appearance on All The Smoke.
“I get to the airport everybody’s head is down cause Kareem can’t play… I said, ‘I gotta do something to get these guys going’. So, I went and sat in Kareem’s seat, and as every Laker came by, I said, ‘Never fear, Magic is here’. They were like, ‘This dude is crazy’. And so I told the coach… ‘I’mma play center tomorrow against Caldwell Jones.'”
What followed changed the trajectory of the NBA. In Johnson‘s words,
“I score 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, winning the game and it was a blessing to be named NBA Most Valuable Player of the Finals, was a true blessing. But to win the game, all the other stuff don’t matter.”
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This way Johnson announced himself to the NBA. The 6ft 9″ guard never let the pressure get to his team in Abdul-Jabbar’s absence. This showcased his leadership qualities, which later made him a franchise staple.
His performances throughout the series also created a distinctive legacy. The Michigan-born averaged 21.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, 8.7 assists, and 2.7 steals per game to earn his Finals MVP award.
This also made him the only rookie to this day in NBA history to reach this feat. The achievement undoubtedly mitigated the pain of losing out on the 1980 Rookie of the Season award to his nemesis, Larry Bird.
