Yesterday was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s birthday. The now 78-year-old center is known not only for his stellar NBA career but also for his social activism, as he took part in the civil rights movement and has been a staunch advocate for equal rights and equity for all. With three high school championships, plus another three in college at UCLA, and a whopping six in the NBA, Jabbar is a consummate winner with admirable character. That’s why Magic Johnson, a former MVP and teammate of Kareem, is taking the big man as the GOAT.
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As a birthday message, Magic posted to his Instagram story, claiming his teammate of 10 years was the greatest ever. Jabbar is not a bad choice, although he is often forgotten in modern conversations. He is second all time in points scored, fourth in total rebounds, third in blocks, and third in games played.
Before LeBron James, Kareem was the model for longevity. These stats were the logic behind Johnson’s opinion. Michael Jordan didn’t win any championships in high school. LeBron didn’t win any NCAA titles (because he never played in college). There has been no greater winner across all levels of basketball than Kareem.
Or, as Magic put it, “Nobody’s basketball career is even close to Kareem’s.”
The legendary point guard does have a ton of respect for other players, having regularly spoken on the greatness of Larry Bird, LeBron James, and Kobe Bryant. It was that final name that received Magic’s best compliment.
From Laker to Laker
Despite what most people would say, Magic Johnson believes Kobe Bryant should be in consideration for the GOAT debate, even if he doesn’t believe he would win it. A large part of Magic’s argument was based on Kobe’s off-court presence, as it was Bryant who inspired LeBron and Dwyane Wade at the Olympics.
While it’s hard to claim that Bryant should be the GOAT when, by Johnson’s own admission, Kobe isn’t even the best scorer of all time or the best player ever at his position, the respect between the two greatest legends in Los Angeles Lakers history has always been present.
As much as Magic’s GOAT may challenge other opinions, it remains true that players like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar deserve more consideration in those conversations. Sometimes the answer isn’t as obvious as some would claim.
