Magic Johnson congratulates LeBron James for passing him on the all-time assists list
LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson congratulated LeBron James after the latter surpassed him on the all-time assists list. James ranks sixth in history in this particular stat. The four-time MVP achieved the feat during the Lakers' 133-129 win over the Milwaukee Bucks on Friday.
Johnson took to Twitter to wish James well, saying:
"Congratulations to one of the best ever to lace them up, LeBron James, for passing me to become 6th all-time on the NBA’s career assists list!! The affect you’ve had on basketball will last for generations to come!"
Congratulations to one of the best ever to lace them up, LeBron James, for passing me to become 6th all-time on the NBA’s career assists list!! The affect you’ve had on basketball will last for generations to come!
James needed nine assists to pass Johnson on the all-time list. The former recorded 11 dimes for the night, helping LA win arguably their most difficult game of the season.
Johnson's appreciation for James doesn't come as a surprise. The former Lakers great has always expressed his admiration for LeBron throughout his career. The two legends have frequently gotten compared to each other due to their impeccable passing skills.
They have shared a tremendous amount of mutual respect over the years. LeBron James also had kind words for Magic Johnson after he surpassed him on the all-time assists list. Here's what the former said after the Lakers-Bucks game:
"It means a lot, obviously,” James said. “The way Magic approached the game, it was very infectious.
"His teammates loved playing with him because of the joy he played with and the ability to pass the ball and get other guys involved. He was always excited about seeing his teammates be great. I always admired that in him."
James now has 10,142 career assists. He trails John Stockton (15,806), Jason Kidd (12,091), Chris Paul (11,071), Steve Nash (10,335) and Mark Jackson (10,334) on the all-time assists list.
LeBron James pays tribute to Magic Johnson on Instagram
LeBron James took to Instagram to pay tribute to his good friend and fellow NBA legend Magic Johnson after surpassing him on the all-time assists list. James uploaded a mixtape featuring some of his and Johnson's best passes during their careers.
James also wrote a heartfelt caption saying:
"Honored and humbling being aligned with the GOATs!! #ThekidfromAkron #ThekidfromLansing"
James further solidified his status as among the all-time greats after surpassing Johnson's assists record. He is also inching closer to passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's all-time scoring record, which will only bolster his case as the greatest all-around player the league has ever seen.
"King James" currently ranks first among active players in all-time points (37,451) and (10,339) rebounds and is second behind Chris Paul in assists (10,144).
Also read: LeBron James passes Magic Johnson to place 6th on NBA all-time assists leaderboard