"There’s a new sheriff in town and his name is Michael Jordan" - Magic Johnson recalls Michael Jordan's "It’s my league now" comments as he and Larry Bird were on their way out

The Barcelona Olympics signaled Michael Jordan's official reign in the NBA. [Photo: Pinterest]

Magic Johnson provided a last-gasp stand of the 80s’ superstars before Michael Jordan completely ruled the NBA in the 90s. After conquering Isiah Thomas’ Bad Boys, the Chicago Bulls finally had a clear runway to dominance before facing Johnson’s LA Lakers in the 1991 NBA Finals.

It seemed like the “Magic Man” could hold off the inevitable as the LA Lakers pulled off a Game 1 upset against the Chicago Bulls. That proved to be just a hump to Chicago’s road to glory as Michael Jordan carried the Bulls to heights they had never reached before.

On Jimmy Kimmel Live, Magic Johnson would recall Michael Jordan’s claim to the NBA’s most coveted throne:

“Larry Bird and I, on the back of the bus, and he says, ‘I just want you two to know, there’s a new sheriff in town and his name is Michael Jordan. We had dominated the league, both Larry and I, the Celtics and the Lakers for the whole, entire 80s, so it was his turn. He just sat back, had his cigar and just said, ‘It’s my league now.’”

In the summer of Jordan’s first NBA title, he teamed up with old rivals including Johnson and Larry Bird. The iconic trio led USA's "Dream Team" to a basketball gold medal at the 1992 Olympics when NBA players were finally allowed to compete in the quadrennial event.

"He says, 'guys, there's a new sheriff in town.'"

@MagicJohnson describes the moment he knew the torch was being passed to Michael Jordan as the best player in the NBA 😂 https://t.co/rDbi0dscSF

Bird, the iconic Celtic retired a few days after the Barcelona Olympics, while Magic Johnson had already announced his retirement due to HIV. Without the duo that defined the NBA in the 80s, there would be no one to stop “Air Jordan” from ruling the league.

After beating Magic Johnson’s Lakers, he would then beat Clyde Drexler’s Portland Trail Blazers and Charles Barkley’s Phoenix Suns. A year-and-a-half of hiatus paved the way for Hakeem Olajuwon’s Houston Rockets to win back-to-back championships before Jordan would bag another three-peat.

Bill Russell: Why he's the GOAT- 11 NBA Championships...85% of the time he spent in the NBA he won Championship....2 as a Player/Coach...The Greatest Rebounder the game has ever seen and one of the best defenders the game has ever seen. Did I mention 11 NBA Championships? https://t.co/X8tnNx5Pxu

Except for Bill Russell’s Boston Celtics in the 60s, no other team in the NBA had been as dominant as Jordan’s Chicago Bulls in the 90s.

Michael Jordan sat on the throne that Larry Bird and Magic Johnson gave up until after the Chicago Bulls’ second three-peat

Michael Jordan staked his claim for the G.O.A.T. title by ruling the NBA in the 90s. [Photo: Fadeaway World]

When the Rockets won two straight titles in 1994 and 1995, talks were ripe that MJ no longer had it to get back to his glory days. He only played 17 games in ‘95 and was powerless in carrying the Bulls past the young Orlando Magic that had Shaquille O'Neal and Penny Hardaway.

With a full training camp and preseason, Jordan grabbed the NBA by an ironclad rule immediately the following season. The Chicago Bulls destroyed opponents on their way to a 72-10 season and ultimately another championship.

Michael Jordan during the Bulls 72-10 season

◾ Played 82 games
◾ Scoring leader (30.4)
◾ All-NBA 1st Team
◾ All-Defense 1st Team
◾ All-Star MVP
◾ MVP
◾ Finals MVP https://t.co/bSOfj6JPfY

Chicago will win another two championships at the expense of Dream Team colleagues Karl Malone and John Stockton. It was only after the second Grand Slam that Jordan’s stranglehold of the NBA slipped from his hands.