While Michael Jordan's era of domination undeniably prevented numerous legendary players from securing an NBA championship, it would be neglectful to overlook the abundance of highly skilled basketball players who preceded and coexisted with his reign. Magic Johnson, was one of those players, who not only won three championships after Mike entered the league but beat him to three MVP awards as well.
Consequently, when Anthony Edwards recently made the audacious claim that MJ was the sole skilled player of the old-school era, the LA Lakers legend took offense, reminding the 23-year-old of his actual place in the most subtle manner.
Johnson sounds off on Edwards and his comments
In a recent interview with Stephen A. Smith, the 12-time All-Star was questioned about the viral comments made by Ant-Man. In response, Magic, who never shies away from expressing his opinions on different matters on social media, expressed his blunt reasons why he uncharacteristically chose not to address those remarks.
"I never respond to a guy who's never won a championship," Johnson said. "There's not, nothing to really say. He didn't win a college championship, I don't even know if he won a high school championship."
Anthony Edwards has faced some heat in recent weeks
While Magic isn't alone in firing shots at the Minnesota Timberwolves star, former 6MOTY Eddie Johnson did so in a more upfront manner. Although 'The Smooth Shooter' appreciated Ant's knack for being able to walk his talk, he perceived his recent comments as a desperate attempt to capture attention and position himself as the new Charles Barkley of this generation .
This criticism is understandable. While winning games involve more than just scoring, players like John Stockton and Magic Johnson had game-changing impacts through their playmaking abilities, and Dennis Rodman could alter the course of a game with his rebounding prowess and defense. Although it is understandable that Edwards, as a scorer, views the six-time Finals MVP as his ultimate role model, it is unjust to discredit the skillsets of other legends from the '80s and '90s.
While Edwards' propensity to make bold statements has so far added to his persona and deservingly earned him comparisons to Michael Jeffrey Jordan, he must learn where to draw the line. His blatant remarks will only provide opportunities for other, more accomplished all-timers to highlight the shortcomings in his brief professional resume.
Related: Magic Johnson thinks Kobe would have been in GOAT talks if he was here today: “We know Kobe belonged in that conversation”
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