While Magic's intangibles place him ahead of Kobe, Kobe's tangible qualities put him ahead of Magic. Magic Johnson is one of the best all-around players of all-time, as he averaged 19.5 PPG, 11.2 APG, and 7.2 APG. However, one can argue that Bryant's on court play is even more impressive.
Who was better than Magic Johnson?
When it comes to individual accolades, James has won more than Magic and that is mainly shown by the number of MVP awards and Finals MVP awards. But it is also fair if Magic wins the argument for having a better team career because he was the architect for a Lakers team that won 5 NBA titles in 9 years.
Who is a better player than Kobe?
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
Abdul-Jabbar accomplished more than Kobe could ever dream of. The master of the "sky hook" earned 19 All-Star selections, six MVP awards, and is the NBA's all-time leading scorer with 38,387 points. Kobe, however, has an excellent chance of surpassing his six titles.
Is Magic Johnson the best basketball player?
USA TODAY recently dropped their definitive list of the greatest 75 players in NBA history and Michigan State basketball was represented by one of the all-time great Spartans in a prominent position. Earvin 'Magic' Johnson was named the No. 4 best player in NBA history by the USA TODAY panelists.
Is Magic Johnson better than Jordan?
Overall, Magic was not just a better teammate than Jordan was, but also the better player as he saved the NBA along with Larry Bird, redefined the point guard position, was the greatest team player ever, had the best performance of all time, dominated the league's best era and was the best player on the league's ...
17 related questions foundIs Magic Johnson the GOAT?
Every year the debate grows louder about who the best basketball player of all time is between Michael Jordan and LeBron James, but Pat Riley has presented a third option. The Hall of Fame coach said Monday that Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson is the G.O.A.T., per ESPN.com.
Who is better Kobe or Duncan?
Bryant beats Duncan in terms of scoring, assists, steals, three point percentage, and free throw percentage, but Duncan beats Kobe in rebounding, blocks, and field goal percentage. Yet, when putting everything together in terms of awards, championships, and winning teams, the winner in that category is Duncan.
Who is better Kobe or Michael?
Scoring Ability
Kobe Bryant has more career points than Michael Jordan, but Jordan was the better scorer between the two. Highlighted by his NBA record 10 scoring titles, Jordan also averaged 30.1 points per game. Let me also mention that Jordan's scoring average is 5.1 points more than Bryant.
Did Kobe and Magic play together?
Magic Johnson on Tuesday reminisced about the one time he played against Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash Sunday. Johnson said on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" that despite being friends, they played against each other just once in a one-on-one practice game in 1998.
Who is the best Laker of all time?
Kobe Bryant is the greatest player to have ever donned an LA Lakers jersey. Magic Johnson, Shaquille O'Neal and Jerry West acknowledged him as the greatest LA Laker of all time. The late Kobe Bean Bryant is arguably one of the greatest players to have blessed an NBA court.
Is Larry Bird better than Kobe?
So far, Bird and Kobe are as close as they come, but where Kobe truly surpasses Bird is on the defensive end. Kobe Bryant is one of the all-time great defenders. While many fans think that Bryant's defensive reputation is overrated, the coaches of the NBA have nine times put Kobe on the All-Defensive Team.
Was Bird or Magic better?
In fact, Johnson did lead the league in steals two years in a row. His nemesis and friend off the court, Larry Bird, was a much better shooter and defender than Magic ever was. In addition, Bird bested Magic quite convincingly in almost every single major statistical category with the exception of assists.
Who won more titles Bird or Magic?
Magic Johnson - 37 Games, 15-22 (40.5%)
The player that owns the best overall record against Bird was Magic Johnson. During their heyday, the Lakers and Celtics met in the NBA Finals three times where the Lakers won two championships. The Celtics won one championship in 1984.
Why is Magic Johnson considered better than Larry Bird?
Magic's regular season stats are fantastic but don't differ significantly from Larry Bird`s stats. Per game, Bird scored 24.3 points, picked 10 rebounds, and delivered 6.3 assists. In comparison, Magic`s stats are 19.5, 7.2 and 11.2, respectively. However, Magic's playoff stats are better.
Is Kobe the greatest of all time?
Kobe Bryant is the greatest and most legendary of all these players. Bill Russell is a winner, but Kobe is a better player than him, being dominant on both sides of the floor throughout his career (Bill Russell was primarily a defender).
Is LeBron better than Kobe?
Rather surprisingly, Lebron edges out Kobe in every major statistical category, averaging 27.1 vs 25.0 PPG, 7.3 vs 5.2 RPG, 7.0 vs 4.7 APG, 1.6 vs 1.4 SPG, and 0.8 vs 0.5 BPG. Lebron's PPG advantage is magnified by the fact that he posts a True Shooting Percentage of 58.4%, as opposed to Kobe's 55%.
What were Kobe's last words?
Kobe shared some last words of wisdom and motivation before his heartbreaking death. “Hello everyone, I'm so sorry can't be with you tonight,” he said in a video posted on Twitter.
Who was better than Tim Duncan?
But on defense, it's Duncan who really shines. His 93.5 career defensive win shares have been bettered by just four other players in NBA history: Bill Russell, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Hakeem Olajuwon and Wilt Chamberlain. Bryant resides behind those players and 41 other ones.
Who is better Tim Duncan or Shaq?
Shaquille O'Neal has a 33-29 winning record over Tim Duncan. They each won 15 games in the Playoffs.
What did Magic Johnson say about LeBron James?
During an appearance on ESPN's Get Up, Magic Johnson was asked what was a fair criticism of LeBron James in regards to the Lakers' disappointing season. Surprisingly, Johnson said James is to blame for Los Angeles not landing DeMar DeRozan in free agency.
What made Magic Johnson famous?
Please contact support. Magic Johnson won 5 NBA championships and 3 MVP awards during a Hall of Fame career in which he revolutionized the game. He was a 12-time All-Star and a nine-time member of the All-NBA First Team. He surpassed Robertson's career assists record, a mark he later relinquished to John Stockton.
Is Magic Johnson the best point guard ever?
Was there really much question? Magic is not only the greatest point guard of all-time, but you could argue that he's the second greatest player of all-time (I have him third). Magic is the only player in NBA history who could vacillate between all five positions and still be an elite player.