Magic Johnson, the legendary Los Angeles Lakers player was part of one of the greatest teams of all time. He played in eight of the 10 NBA finals in the 80s. And why wouldn’t it be? The legendary Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was also on the team. With both of them on the team, the only place that the team could go was upward. And that explains their dominance on the basketball court.

Magic Johnson recently talked about his rookie year with the Lakers, and how he was intimidated by the NBA All-time top scorer’s reserved attitude. But gradually, Abdul-Jabbar loosened up a little and both of them made history.

Magic Johnson on Kareem’s Lakers

Magic Johnson won his first NBA championship ring in his second season at the Los Angeles Lakers. The team was an unstoppable force. The five-time NBA champion remembered his early Lakers days very fondly, and justifiably so.

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The 12-time All-Star revealed how it was a daydream to play for the Lakers until he suddenly was on the pitch, with one of the greatest players ever, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. Johnson also described how it was difficult to form a relationship and gain Abdul-Jabbar’s trust.

“First game, we down one, three seconds to go. We throw it to him at the free throw line, the boy turns, shoots a sky hook, on that. I go run , I never seen nobody shoot a skyhook from the free throw line,” the NBA legend said. He added, “I jump on him, I’m hugging him, I’m choking him. Damn that was a good shot.”

Subsequently, Johnson recalled how the six-time NBA champion scolded him after the game in the locker room on how they have 81 more games to go for the season and they cannot celebrate prematurely. Johnson then replied, “Listen, If you hit a shot like that 81 more times, I’m gonna jump in your arms 81 more times”.

The Lakers legend further explained how the incident changed his relationship with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. As the six-time NBA champion understood it is okay to let loose sometimes. After about twenty games, Abdul-Jabbar dunked on somebody and volunteered for a high five with Magic. And that moment paved the way for the rise of a dynasty in the 80s.

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The LA Lakers were a formidable side, unstoppable and fearless. The team played eight of the 10 finals Played in the decade and won five of them.

Their reign of the Lakers ended as Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls came to dominate the 90s.