In pro basketball, winning is everything, and only a few can embody that drive better than Magic Johnson. As the mastermind behind one of the most electrifying offenses in NBA history, the Los Angeles Lakers icon was laser-focused on championships, bagging five NBA titles in just a decade. But winning at all costs sometimes meant bending the rules—or so his rivals claimed. Many have called Johnson out for his relentless nature on the court, hinting that he would do anything, even cheat, to secure a win during his iconic UCLA runs. Former NBA star and longtime Magic fan Baron Davis shared a side-splitting story from that time that’s only adding fuel to the fire.

Recently appearing on the STRAIGHT GAME PODCAST, Baron Davis got a chance to share some classic Magic moments. When asked about those UCLA sprints back in the day, Davis couldn’t hold back his laughter. The podcast hosts nudged him to spill the beans on the cheating legends surrounding Magic. With a grin, Davis declared, “You ain’t played at UCLA unless you got cheated by Magic Johnson.”

Davis explained that Johnson’s rule was simple: never let anyone take the ball from him. “I’ll never forget—it was one of the biggest moments of my life,” Davis said on the podcast, “Magic pushed it on the break at UCLA, and I ran right in front of that fool and took the ball. Boom. I went down, laid it up, and he was like, ‘Oh, good job, young fella. Bring it back up to me.’”

Davis quickly realized Magic had his own playbook when he protested, “But I didn’t touch you,” only for Johnson to respond, “Hey bro, don’t even worry about it. Just get back and play some defense.” And the irony? Davis had just declared Magic his idol moments earlier on the podcast.

Even Kobe Bryant, who once squared off with Magic one-on-one, got a taste of Johnson’s sneaky tactics. During a Jimmy Kimmel appearance, Kobe hilariously recalled how Magic manipulated the score mid-game. “It’s 10-6,” Kobe said, only for Magic to quickly correct him. “No, it’s not, it’s 10-9!” Stunned, Kobe knew he was fighting a losing battle. “I’m like, ‘Wait, what the? All right, I’m done!” But what does the Michigan alum have to say about the accusations?

Magic Johnson reflected on “cheating” accusations last year

Back in 2023, in an episode of the All The Smoke podcast, the 5x NBA champion sat down with hosts Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson. The conversation took a hilarious turn when fellow NBA legend Paul Pierce joined in, sharing a hilarious story that had everyone in stitches.

The story revolved around a pickup game where Johnson missed a game-winning shot. But rather than accept defeat, Magic called back the play, insisting Pierce had fouled him. “In reality, there was never any contact,” Pierce recalled.

As Pierce recounted the tale, the entire studio erupted in laughter. The Lakers legend, however, was quick to defend his actions. He explained that his so-called “cheating” was actually a teaching moment. “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,” Johnson said. The lesson? Toughen up, because the NBA isn’t always fair.

Stay tuned for more such updates and join us for the exciting second episode of the “Dual Threat Show” as our host BG12 sits down with Georgia Bulldogs star and Mountain West All-Freshman Team Selection, Asia Avinger.