Even decades after his retirement, Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson remains an icon in the eyes of most NBA fans.
For most fans, Magic Johnson’s biggest contribution remains helping the NBA stand back on its feet during the 1980s. It was the result of Magic’s iconic rivalry against Boston Celtics legend Larry Bird.
The Hall of Famers locked horns in the NBA Finals on three separate occasions, with Johnson holding a 2-1 record over Bird. In some ways, fans fondly remember the two legends teaming up on the 1992 Dream Team more than their rivalry in the 1980s. But it wasn’t the first time that Magic and Bird played on the same side.
Long before representing Team USA at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, Magic and Bird wore the national colors for a World Invitational Tournament in 1978. The round-robin event featured the USA facing off against Cuba, Russia, and Yugoslavia.
Johnson was stunned by the then-Indiana State Sycamores forward’s elite skills. In fact, the future Lakers legend even labeled Bird as the ‘baddest white dude’ after watching him dominate in the Invitational Tournament.
“They would put Larry Bird and I on the same team to scrimmage. It was dominating my mind because he was domianting Jack Giiven – Player of the Year in college basketball. Larry Bird is eating him alive,” Johnson said.
He added: “I couldn’t wait to go home and tell my boys, ‘Man, this dude named Larry Bird is real. This is the baddest white dude I’ve ever seen in my life.’”
Over the years, white players have struggled at times to compete with athletes of color on the court. However, Johnson was blown away by Larry Legend’s basketball prowess.
Bird was later drafted by the Boston Celtics with the sixth overall pick in the 1978 NBA draft. The Indiana State forward went on to have a terrific career and won three NBA championships among other accolades.
Magic and Bird may have become future rivals in the NBA, they have always shared a sense of mutual respect between each other. That was evident from the fact Bird hailed Johnson as arguably the best point guard on Team USA’s 1978 Invitational Tournament roster.
“I thought he’s probably the best guard on the team. We didn’t get to play a lot, but you could tell. When you play with Magic, there’s something about it. You want to make that extra pass. You want to get that rebound, start the break,” Bird said.
Who could have known the two breathtaking prospects would one day carry the NBA on their shoulders?
In a way, Magic and Bird’s rivalry paved the path for future NBA greats. Otherwise, the world could have missed out on some of the most talented players to ever step foot on the hardwood.
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