"Never fear, Magic is here"- How Magic Johnson rallied his teammates in 1980 NBA Finals after Kareem got hurt

Magic Johnson started at center and played all five positions in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was ruled out for the game after suffering an ankle sprain in Game 5.

On "All The Smoke" podcast, Johnson told the story of how his LA Lakers teammates were anxious about facing the Sixers without Abdul-Jabbar. He had confidence despite being a rookie and would lead the Lakers to a championship.

"Everybody's head is down because Kareem can't play," Johnson said. "I said 'So what if Kareem can't play? We're still gonna win.' And they looked at me like 'Rookie, go sit down. We can't beat Philadelphia without Kareem.'

"So I said I got to do something to get these guys going. I asked the flight attendant if I can go on the plane first. So I went and sat in Kareem's seat, and as every Laker came by I said, 'Never fear, Magic is here!'"

Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals was close in the first half, as the score was tied at 60-all. However, the LA Lakers came out firing in the third quarter and essentially put the game away in the second half. The Lakers ended up beating the Philadelphia 76ers 123-107 to win their seventh championship.

Magic Johnson was named NBA Finals MVP for putting up 42 points, 15 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and one block. Johnson shot 14-for-14 from the free throw line and completely controlled the game without Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

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Magic Johnson's career in retrospect

Magic Johnson at the 2022 NBA All-Star Game

Magic Johnson is one of the greatest players in NBA history. Johnson is also considered the greatest point guards to play the game. Standing at 6' 9", Johnson towered against every opposing guard but also had the skills to make plays look so easy.

Johnson uttered the LA Lakers' "Showtime Era", and his rivalry with Larry Bird of the Boston Celtics in the 1980s helped save the NBA from extinction. He also led the Lakers to five NBA championships in his 13 seasons in the league.

As for his personal accolades, Johnson was a three-time NBA Finals MVP, three-time league MVP and 12-time All-Star. He retired after the 1991 season due to testing positive for HIV. He was still chosen to play for Team USA at the 1992 Olympics, helping them win the gold medal.

Johnson was inducted twice into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as a player in 2002 and as a member of the "Dream Team" in 2010. He became a businessman after his playing career and now has an estimated net worth of $620 million.

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