Jordan s first player in league history was Magic Johnson, but unfortunately his career was too short

On July 15, in the brilliant galaxy of basketball history, Michael Jordan's "GOAT" (the greatest in history) status has almost become a consensus, but if we turn back to the 1980s, the league's flag figure is undoubtedly "magic" Elvin Johnson. The legendary point guard of the Los Angeles Lakers redefined basketball with his gorgeous passes, unsolvable field vision and natural leadership temperament. If the HIV virus hadn't suddenly ended his peak career in 1991, he would have been very likely to have completely sealed the controversy of "the first person in history" in his own era.

##1. The Magician era: From rookie to dynasty creator

At the 1979 NBA Draft, the Magic joined the Lakers as the No. 1 pick, and helped the team to enter the Finals with an average of 18 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists in the rookie season. In the crucial sixth game, he replaced the injured Jabbar as center, scored 42 points, 15 rebounds and 7 assists, led the team to win the championship and won the FMVP - a feat that is still the ceiling of rookie players. Throughout the 1980s, his "Black and White Battle" with "Big Bird" Bird became the core engine of the NBA's global expansion. The "Showtime" Lakers led by the Magicians won three championships in five years (1982, 1985, 1987), and was elected as MVP three times (1987, 1989, 1990).

Unlike Jordan's scoring king's dominance, the value of the Magician lies in his full-dimensional control of the game. At 2.06 meters tall, he was able to play from No. 1 to No. 5, and his winning goal against the Celtics in the 1987 Finals, and his epic performance of averaging 21.4 points and 13.6 assists per game in the 1984 Finals, proving his killer character at a critical moment. The famous sports writer Pat Riley once commented: "He makes all teammates better, and this influence is comparable to Russell."

###2. The crushing advantage of data and honor

Compared with Jordan's previous superstars, the Magician's achievements are a fault-leading leader. In his 13-year career (including a brief comeback in 1996), he won 5 championships, 3MVP, 3FMVP, 12 All-Stars, and 9 team-on-one, with a total of 10,141 assists (fifth in history) and an average of 11.2 games (first in history). In the 1987-88 season, he became the only player in NBA history to win both MVP, FMVP and assists. What's even more amazing is his playoff performance: averaged 19.5 points, 7.7 rebounds and 12.3 assists per game, ranking first in history in terms of assists, and his winning rate is as high as 74% (190 wins and 66 losses).

If calculated based on "hypothetical prolonging of career", the magician was still at its peak when he was forced to retire at the age of 31. In the 1990-91 season, he averaged 19.4 points, 7 rebounds and 12.5 assists per game, was selected for the first team and led the team to the finals. Medical research shows that HIV virus did not significantly affect its athletic ability at that time. Referring to the longevity of point guards such as Carl Malone and Stockton, it is entirely possible that the magician will continue to perform efficiently until the age of 35 or even longer. Conservatively estimated that his cumulative assists in his career will exceed 15,000 times (now the first in history is Stockton's 15,806 times), and the total number of championships may tie Jordan's 6 championships.

###33. The pioneer of business and cultural influence

Magicians contributed far more to the NBA than the arena. He was the league's first true global idol. His finals with Bird set a record rating in 1984, paving the way for Jordan's later business empire. He pioneered the tactical revolution of "high point guards", and the templates of modern players such as Jokic and Doncic can be traced back to his game style. After retiring, he continued to expand his influence as a Lakers shareholder, business tycoon and AIDS prevention and control advocate. In 2020, Forbes estimated that his net assets reached US$600 million, far exceeding most stars of his contemporaries.

In contrast, Jordan's two retirements (1993, 1998) also shortened his peak period, but his image was further mythical due to the explosive growth of the media in the 1990s. ESPN senior journalist Bill Simmons wrote in The Book of Basketball: "If the Magician had Jordan's marketing team and a healthy lifespan, the GOAT debate would be much more complicated - after all, he proved that winning did not have to rely on dominating the ball."

###4. Regrets and Legacy: Unfulfilled Talents

The 1991 HIV diagnosis cost the Magician the opportunity to face Jordan head-on. Although he scored 25 points and 9 assists and was elected as MVP in the 1992 All-Star Game, his comeback plan was eventually stranded. By contrast, Jordan still won the sixth championship at the age of 35, and the Magician's career came to an abrupt end at the most experienced golden age.

History cannot be rewritten, but the legacy left by the magician is enough to shock future generations. He proved that basketball can be a perfect combination of team art and individual heroism, with a career PER efficiency value of 24.1 (7th in history) even higher than Bird (23.5) and O'Neal (26.4). As Kobe said in his autobiography "The Spirit of Mamba": "The Magician's passing seems to have predicted the future in advance. He is the person who really makes basketball 'cool'." Perhaps the criterion for measuring greatness is never limited to data, but how he changed the sport - at this point, Magic Johnson's name is always tied with Jordan.