Magic Johnson Recognizes and Explains His Hatred of Larry Bird…
Larry Bird and Magic Johnson will always be connected. Their matchup in the thrilling 1979 NCAA championship game marked the start of a storied rivalry that propelled the NBA to unprecedented heights.
This rivalry grew stronger when Johnson played for the Los Angeles Lakers and Bird for the Boston Celtics. The 1960s rivalry between the teams was reignited. It evolved into not just the Celtics against Lakers match, but also Bird versus Magic. In the 13 years that it lasted in the NBA, the rivalry turned from animosity to friendship. Magic recently said that he hates Bird, but he claimed he never had similar feeling toward the legendary Michael Jordan.
Following Johnson’s Michigan State’s victory over Bird’s Indiana State in the ’79 championship game, everything for the NBA came into place. The Lakers selected Magic Johnson with the top pick in the draft, and Bird entered the league having agreed to the highest-paying rookie contract ever signed by an NBA player. Bird was selected by the Celtics as a junior the year before, but he decided to finish out his senior year.
The NBA’s environment was altered by the two. During the 1980s, the NBA Finals were reached by either the Lakers or the Celtics. Throughout the decade, they faced off against one another three times in the championship round. Magic and the Lakers emerged victorious twice, in 1985 and 1987. In1984, Bird’s Celtics prevailed.
Basketball fans have to witness this clash. The NBA planned many preseason meetings between them because the league couldn’t get enough of their matchups. The NBA expanded thanks to Magic and Bird. TV sales skyrocketed. The NBA expanded to a global sport.
Bird and Magic were rivals at first. They thereafter turned into vile rivals.
“We wouldn’t say nothing before,” Magic remarked in a 1991 interview with Sports Illustrated. We wouldn’t even shake hands—all we would do is glare at one another.
However, we’ll now have a brief conversation about the court: “I got you that time,” “What are you doing on me?” “This is unstoppable,” “You’re too big to be out here,” small things of that nature. It’s enjoyable.
On a recent episode of the Dan Patrick Show, Magic talked back about his time spent competing against Bird. He claimed that until after their games, he was unaware of the two’s influence on the league.
Johnson stated, “I don’t think we understood.” We knew the 1979 NCAA title game was unique when we heard it was and continues to be the most watched collegiate basketball contest. They were unbeaten, and I finished second in the race for college basketball player of the year, behind (Bird). The national final matchup between the two best players may have been the first, in my opinion.
Magic opened up about how much he hated Bird.
Johnson said, “We hated each other in the beginning.” We had no choice because I wound up on the Lakers and he on the Celtics. The Celtics had defeated the Lakers for, what, seven straight games, so you knew there would be animosity there.
“I had to hate him because we met and they beat us in ’84,” he went on. I had to despise the Boston Celtics. We made friends at his house in French Lick, Indiana, where we shot that commercial, I think in 1987.
Bird, Magic, and Jordan rose to prominence as the league’s faces in the late 1980s. If Magic ever despised Jordan as much as he loathed Bird, Patrick questioned.
He remarked, “I didn’t get a chance to hate Michael because we only played in the 1991 Finals once.” “I believe that because of our numerous games together and the friendship that developed with Larry while we were in college, it extended to the two most illustrious teams in NBA history. We loathed each other because of this.
“Michael, I believe that the Bulls and Celtics’ membership in the Eastern Conference and their frequent games may have contributed to the animosity. We really only played that one game against them in 1991. I was unable to harbor hatred toward Michael.
