'It may not look like I see you, but I see you. So, if you're open, be ready' - Mitch Kupchak on Magic's court vision

A point guard's primary job has always been setting up the offense and getting his team involved. While today's PGs have become scorers, they used to be pure playmakers and the ones who saw everything on the floor.

Magic Johnson was the epitome of that, as his court vision is unparalleled by any other player to this day. Earvin's former teammate Mitch Kupchak once shared the best piece of advice the Michigan State product gave him about being on his squad.

"I say, 'Well, Earvin, I don't know when you're going to pass me the ball, because, well, you're not looking at me. Magic told me, 'It may not look like I see you, but I see you. So, if you're open, be ready,'" Mitch explained.

Magic was all about his squad and teammates

The 6'9'' Kupchak arrived to the Los Angeles Lakers in 1981 after five solid seasons with the Washington Bullets. However, Mitch was having a hard time adjusting to his new team and the bright lights of L.A. Thankfully, he had Magic by his side to help him on and off the court.

"On my second or third day in L.A., we were in Palm Springs and had just finished practice. So Magic comes up to me and says, 'Mitch, why don't you drive back to L.A. with me? He probably just sensed that I was having a tough time and thought, 'Hey, I wanna spend some time with Mitch.' He asked me how things were going, if there was anything he could do better," Kupchak shared the story.

Mitch would end up getting two championships as a small cog of the "Showtime Lakers," but his story was the perfect example of Johnson's nature and character. While Kupchak wasn't one of his more prominent sidekicks, Earvin cared about getting him happy and comfortable.

That was the true definition of a leader and floor general. Magic did the same for guys like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, James Worthy, Byron Scott, Michael Cooper, Kurt Rambis, and many more, helping them shape maybe even better careers than expected. And all that while winning and doing it in style.

Magic could have gotten more recognition

While many remembered Johnson as the best point guard and distributor of the ball ever, the man himself always felt he would have gotten better respect if he focused on scoring more. It even made Earvin jealous of Larry Bird, as the Boston Celtics legend was getting more attention due to his higher-scoring numbers.

"Did I resent the attention he got for that?" Magic said. "Of course. Shoot, I had some game, too. But people don't count assists the way they do points. There was nothing I could do about it."

Despite the resentment, Magic never fell out of his tracks. Johnson kept true to himself and focused on being the ultimate point guard for his squads. It led him to become a five-time champion and four-time leader in assists, as Earvin is remembered for his court vision and leadership to date.