Showtime brothers: Magic Johnson sends prayers for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's recovery
LA Lakers legend Magic Johnson was one of the people who expressed well-wishes for NBA great Kareem Abdul-Jabbar after he was hospitalized for breaking his hip recently.
The 76-year-old ‘Skyhook’ master fell at a concert in Los Angeles and broke his hip. He underwent surgery on Saturday as per ESPN.
Johnson, who teamed up with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to give the Lakers five titles in the 1980s during their ‘Showtime’ era, took to X (formerly Twitter) to pray for the six-time NBA MVP and wish him a speedy recovery.
He wrote:
I’m wishing my Showtime teammate Kareem Abdul-Jabbar a speedy recovery after falling and breaking his hip! Praying for the Captain!
The point guard-center tandem of Magic Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar made the Lakers the most dominant NBA team in the 80s.
With them leading the charge, the Lakers made it to eight NBA Finals in the decade, winning five titles (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988).
During their championship conquests, Johnson won three Finals MVPs (1980, 1982 and 1987) and Abdul-Jabbar one (1985).
Abdul-Jabbar, who also played for the Milwaukee Bucks early in his career, spent 14 seasons with the Lakers, posting career averages there of 22.1 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 2.5 blocks.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar considers Magic Johnson the best point guard ever in the NBA
Seeing firsthand what Magic Johnson was capable of as a point guard, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar considers him as the best-ever to do it in the history of the NBA.
Abdul-Jabbar reiterated it on a video post on X (formerly Twitter) back in September but not after admitting he made a mistake previously for picking another NBA great, Oscar Robertson, over Johnson.
The six-time league MVP said:
“Earlier this week, I was asked who’s the best point guard in the NBA. A very difficult question … I picked Oscar Robertson. But I should have said, first of all, that Magic should really get the priority because I played with him on five world championships together and he’s my best teammate ever. So, I can’t put anybody else in front of him.”