Just imagine Magic Johnson’s nonchalant, no-look pass. Add to it the blink and you miss it fast break of James Worthy. And the stoic presence of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose skyhook would derail any moment of the opponents. Add them together, and you get the perfect recipe of the Showtime Era. From the 1979 season to the 1990-91 season, the team reached 9 finals. That’s how a dynasty is built. On the hardwood, they were inseparable. Despite the trash-talking amongst each other, the connection even runs thick now.

Unlike the Bulls dynasty, where the players are not on the same page, the Lakers’ legend had a small reunion. James Worthy on Instagram shared the photo of 6 Purple and Gold franchise icons. The caption was “Catching up w Cap & spending time w my brothers 💜💛 #showtime #lakers #lakersforlife.” Starting from left, we had Byron Scott, James Worthy, AC Green, Michael Cooper, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, and Mychal Thompson all together. And yes, the one person missing was 3x Finals MVP, Magic Johnson.

Surely, there must be a reason why Magic was not part of it. Later, Thompson on X shared that the banter between the teammates is still alive. “Had lunch with theez LEGENDS today just to REMIND them that it was I who led them to their Rings…Fa sum reeson they didnt agree and MADE ME pick up the tab…” The father of Klay Thompson joined the team later in 1987, but the team had already won 3 championships. As everybody knows, it was Kareem Abdul-Jabbar who was the captain of the ship, not Thompson.

In fact, the trash-talking and love from Mychal were also visible during his interaction on X. One fan made sure to add Magic Johnson in this group picture with the help of Photoshop. Prompting Thompson to add, “There he is…Greatest NBA leader…EVER…” Another netizen simply added that it is rare to see icons together in one place with wide smiles across their faces. Again, Thompson replied with a very genuine warmth, “Yeah Dm…gotta take advantage of evry opportunity to hang out with the Legends wen they ALLOW me to…”

From the 1980s to the early ’90s, this era didn’t just change the game—it redefined it. A fast-paced, run-and-gun style of basketball that was no less than a spectacle for the fans.

Magic Johnson and Co.’s captain is now in better health

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is now 78 years old. More importantly, in 2023, he had a bad fall during a concert in Los Angeles and underwent hip surgery. The news caught everyone off guard. However, there was nothing to worry about. His rep, Deborah Morales, came out and confirmed that there were no complications. Plus, KAJ would only need three months to recover. This was old news, but recently another public appearance caused some concerns.

The Showtime era captain appeared at a Jackie Robinson Day tribute at Dodger Stadium. However, at the time, he was in a wheelchair and needed some assistance to get up and deliver his speech. Because of that moment a fan said to Mychal Thompson that this time, Abdul Jabbar looks better. “The Captain looking good, a lot better than he was looking at recent past public appearances. Happy to see it. #Kareem”. The 2x NBA champion replied with the same optimism.

“Yesss…Cap looks Great…Watta stud…” Two things that stood out from the picture were that, till today, the players have the same level of respect towards each other. And the fans who watched them are still grateful for the Lakers’ legends for gracing their screens and dominating on the hardwood for years.