“Put Me in the Category of Magic Johnson”: Moments After Winning 1st NBA Title, Michael Jordan Finally Accepted Comparisons to Lakers Legend

There is no denying that Michael Jordan was a superstar as soon as he set foot on the NBA hardwood. In only his rookie season, Jordan would go on to put up ungodly numbers. Apart from winning the Rookie of the Year honors, he would even make it to the prestigious All-Star & All-NBA teams. While Jordan would go on to dominate, he would fail to make it past the Eastern Conference Finals. When the Black Cat finally did get his hands upon the coveted Larry O’Brien in 1991, he revealed that he’d found “inner peace.” Mike also told SI Vault that it was now valid to compare him to Magic Johnson.

Even before Air Jordan would add any Championships to his trophy cabinet, fans and analysts added him to the elite company of stars like Magic and Larry Bird. Unable to win the title, Jordan never thought he belonged in those conversations. However, that would all change after the 1991 Finals.

Winning the 1991 Championship, Michael Jordan found “inner peace”

In the 1991 postseason, the Illinois side would face the Detroit Pistons as their fourth straight playoff meeting. While the Bad Boys Pistons were victorious in all their previous playoff matchups, the MJ & Scottie Pippen-led Bulls would finally get their revenge.

After sweeping Isiah Thomas and co. in the Conference Finals, Phil Jackson’s boys stunned the Los Angeles Lakers to be crowned champions.

It was exactly at this moment that MJ accepted the comparisons with the other superstars before him. In a SI Vault article, Jack McCallum mentioned how the former Tar Heel found inner peace.

“‘The difference,’ said Jordan, tapping his chest, ‘is in here.'”

“This feeling of inner peace means no more moments of doubt, however fleeting, no more wondering if he was a true winner like Magic Johnson, Larry Bird or Julius Erving, all of whom have played on teams that won NBA titles. ‘I think people will now feel it’s O.K. to put me in the category of players like Magic,’ said Jordan, pushing around waffles on his plate. ‘Personally, I always felt that in terms of intensity and unselfishness, I played like those type of players. Some people saw that, but many others didn’t. And the championship, in the minds of a lot of people, is a sign of, well, greatness. I guess they can say that about me now.'”

Over the next couple of years, Jordan would go on to win four more MVPs, five more championships, and five more Finals MVPs despite retiring for a year.

Magic and Bird passed on the torch to MJ in the following years

The very next year, Jordan would win his 2nd title. He even got selected to represent the country at the 1992 Barcelona Games.

One of the deadliest groups of players to ever be assembled, the “Dream Team” was led by Magic and Bird. Apart from Jordan, the likes of Charles Barkley, Pippen, and several other superstars were also selected on the star-studded roster.

Leading to the tournament, Jordan took part in some of the most competitive practices ever. Their scrimmages would often be dominated by the Bulls’ combo guard.

Undoubtedly the best player in the league then, Michael even asked Bird and Johnson to retire from the league. Otherwise, he warned, he’d keep “busting their a**”. Passing the mantle on to Michael Jordan, we would then witness the domination of the Bulls’ legacy for the coming several years.