Like any other sport, the most important aspect of basketball lies in winning. One man who was hungrier than most was Magic Johnson. The commander of one of the most exciting offenses in league history, the Michigan alumni, wanted nothing more than championships. Throughout his glorious career, Johnson did so five times in a decade. However, it seems he never lost his competitive fire, even 10 years after his retirement. Crashing the All The Smoke Podcast, Boston Celtics legend Paul Pierce revealed the hilarious reason no one can beat the Los Angeles Lakers icon.

The three-time MVP’s competitive spirit is known as a legend in the NBA. But like every other NBA Hall of Famer, Magic Johnson was a straight-up winner. In an interview with Heavy.com, his former teammate Cedric Ceballos revealed there was nothing Johnson didn’t want to compete in. Moreover, his will for victory seemed to be astronomic regarding pick-up games. Notably, Ceballos claimed Magic wanted to win these games no matter what.

Such a high degree of competitiveness might look like a stretch. However, Pierce’s recent admission only validates the Lakers legends winning mentality.

There is no way Magic Johnson will lose

During an episode of All The Smoke podcast, the five-time NBA champion came in as a guest. Surprisingly, even Paul Pierce joined the table and shared a hilarious incident. As a rookie, Magic would bring his crew to play pick-up against some younger NBA players. Even a decade after leaving the game, Pierce claims he never saw Johnson lose. However, Pierce’s story brought out the real truth. Magic refused to lose the game.

READ MORE-After Shock HIV Diagnosis, Magic Johnson Frantically Called His Other Intimate Partners, Leaving Wife Cookie Uneasy

After missing a game-winner, Johnson saw the young players score on the other end. But there was no way the 12-time All-Star would admit defeat. So he called back the ball and said Pierce fouled him. In reality, there was never any contact, according to Paul Pierce.

Hearing the story, the entire studio burst out laughing. Pierce finished the story by saying, “Ain’t no way you can beat Magic”. NBA Twitter soon followed, reacting to Magic’s super-competitive spirit.

https://twitter.com/RealRiteZaya/status/1613755204218015744?s=20&t=iKPytCXH8eaINVa1CWAn0A

When asked for an explanation, the Hall of Famer said he did that for a reason. Notably, Johnson explained, “I always told them, I’m going to teach them one thing. And that’s to understand that everything is not going to go their way in the NBA. So the reason I called that foul was to make him stronger at the end of the day.”

It seems the lesson Magic Johnson tried to instill paid off for Paul Pierce. He revamped Boston Celtics history, ending his career as the second all-time scorer for the franchise. In addition, he also led them to a championship in 2008, ironically against the Los Angeles Lakers. He made a reputation for being a clutch threat, stepping up in the biggest moments.

WATCH THIS STORY???Luka Doncic Surpasses Lakers Legend Magic Johnson; Second Only to Oscar Robertson in Iconic NBA Record

As his career panned out, Johnson can proudly say he drilled the right mindset into Pierce and the younger NBA.