"I'm taking Michael all day" - Magic Johnson would still sign Michael Jordan in fantasy GOAT draft even if LeBron James won seven titles

Michael Jordan and LeBron James have solidified their status as two of the greatest players ever. That said, it would be a toss-up for any NBA general manager hypothetically given the chance to pick between the two. That's exactly what happened to Los Angeles Lakers legend and former executive Magic Johnson .

In an interview with Patrick Bet-David, Johnson was asked to choose between James and Jordan in a GOAT fantasy draft. To add some spice to it, Bet-David noted that in the given scenario, LeBron already has seven NBA titles to his name. To everybody's surprise, Magic still selected MJ.

"Michael. I'm taking Michael all day," he said . "Look, I love me some LeBron. I think besides his jumping ability, we are similar at what we did cause he makes his teammates better; he's great in terms of he wants to win… LeBron has done great things for the game today… But I gotta take Michael."

Magic opposed the LeBron vs. Jordan GOAT debate

Johnson is one of those NBA legends who believe that the number of NBA championships is a vital metric in crowing the rightful GOAT. For Magic, James could possibly surpass Jordan by winning more titles .

However, the Lakers icon also stressed that even if LeBron fails to do so, people should not use it to discredit "The King" and his accomplishments as a player.

"I don't want people always getting mad— we've got to celebrate both guys; Michael is the best, and we should celebrate him and celebrate LeBron. I hate when people get mad at you when you take one or the other. We should just say, 'Hey, Michael is special,' and he's the best to me because he never lost in the NBA Finals, and he averaged over 30 points a game. That guy is just unbelievable," the five-time NBA champion said .

MJ and LeBron were both invaluable assets

Regardless of what Johnson feels about the LeBron vs. Jordan GOAT debate, what remains a fact is that both legendary players are invaluable assets to all the teams they have played for due to their extraordinary skills, competitive spirit, and leadership qualities.

On top of that, MJ and James are not just exceptional athletes but also influential and charismatic figures off the court. That said, it's a no-brainer for any NBA team to pounce on either of the consensus NBA GOAT candidates if the opportunity presents itself.

Related: "It was the cheerleaders doing whatever they can to appease him" - Scottie Pippen on how NBA media covered Michael Jordan