Do Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson share a close relationship? Exploring the dynamic between the 2 NBA icons
Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson are a big reason why the NBA is one of the most popular sports leagues in the world. They are also among the greatest players to ever play in the league.
Magic was drafted in 1979 and dominated the league in the 1980s, then Jordan took over and became one of the greatest players of all time in the '90s.
Their careers overlapped, and they had many amazing battles against each other. Jordan and Magic even met in the 1991 NBA Finals, with the Chicago Bulls emerging victorious.
In this article, we will take a look at the personal relationship between Jordan and Magic and reveal if they are close to each other.
Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson's relationship wasn't always great
Jordan and Johnson dominated the league during their careers. Magic ended his incredible career with five championships, while Jordan went 6-0 in the NBA Finals.
However, they weren't close to each other during the early stages of their careers. Jordan entered the league in 1984 and immediately became an All-Star. But the Chicago Bulls legend scored only seven points in his first All-Star Game.
According to The Ringer, Magic and his friend Isiah Thomas agreed to guard each other during the game and coast defensively. Thomas finished with 22 points, while Magic had 21 points and 15 assists.
The rookie was very popular coming into the All-Star Game, but several stars, including Johnson, Thomas and George Gervin, decided to give him a hard time. Magic and Gervin played amazing defense on MJ, while Thomas refused to pass the ball to Jordan.
All the players involved refused to admit that there was any freeze-out.
This made Jordan angry and he decided to get his revenge. Just two days after the All-Star Game, he recorded 49 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and four steals against Thomas' Detroit Pistons.
He also didn't trust Magic and refused to develop a close relationship with him. Instead of hugs or high fives, Jordan and Magic only engaged in simple hand shakes.
The Ringer's Jackie MacMullan reported that Jordan felt it had to do with jealousy:
“Well, I understood it to be jealousy,” Jordan says. “And you know, I think a lot of it came from—'Magic Johnson should have been Michael Jordan before Michael Jordan.' He had the smile. He had everything. He had the marketability. He had championships.”
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In addition, Jordan was an incredible competitor, and that is most likely another reason why he didn't want to have many close friends.
Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson became close in 1992
Jordan and Johnson became close friends in 1992 while playing for the Dream Team. The team went 8-0 at the Olympics and is generally considered the greatest basketball team ever assembled.
Magic said that this team started their friendship. They played cards together, worked out and practiced shots.
They are still close and are also some of the most successful players in retirement. Jordan's net worth is estimated at more than $2 billion, while Magic is worth $600 million.