June 23, 2017; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Los Angeles Lakers president of basketball operations Magic Johnson speaks to media before introducing newly drafted player Lonzo Ball at Toyota Sports Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Ranking Lakers Legends Proves Tough for NBA Great

Originally posted on Fastbreak on SI | By Justin Grasso | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 9:45 PM ET

The former 1979 first-overall NBA Draft pick, Magic Johnson, has strong ties to the Los Angeles Lakers.

When Johnson has an opinion on his former team, basketball fans better listen. Recently, Los Angeles fans were curious about Johnson’s top Lakers players of all time.

At an LA Dodgers event, Johnson attempted to name a top five—he couldn’t.

Too Many to Name

Magic Johnson, excluding himself, dropped a handful of names he would add to the list. It started with Kobe Bryant and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.

“Kobe going to be one with Kareem,” Johnson said, according to Lakers Nation. “Nobody is like Kobe. His killer mentality, hitting big shots after big shots, but also loved being a Laker, loved playing in Los Angeles. He represented the city. Let’s clap for Kobe. We miss him.

“Nobody is like Kareem. Oh my goodness, the skyhook. He was so intelligent, basketball IQ off the charts. I just loved playing with Kareem. He’s just awesome.”

Kobe Bryant spent his entire NBA career with the Lakers. During that time, he won five NBA Championships, he was the NBA’s MVP once, and he appeared in 18 All-Star Games. Bryant left the game with four All-Star MVP nods and two NBA Finals MVP acknowledgements.

Abdul-Jabbar started his career with the Milwaukee Bucks, but made his way to LA in 1975. He spent 14 seasons playing for the Lakers. He won five titles in LA, to go with his six total. He was a six-time NBA MVP and a 19-time All-Star during his playing career.

“I didn’t play with Wilt, I didn’t play with Jerry. You have to put them in there,” Johnson continued.

“Shaq was amazing. So I better say the guys I was able to see, because it would be wrong if I tried to go back. So I would say Kareem, Shaq, Kobe, and when I think about it, you have to put Wilt and Jerry in there. James Worthy would definitely qualify.”

What About LeBron James?

LeBron James didn’t spend a long time in LA, but he helped bring another NBA Championship to the club in 2020. It’s unclear how much longer LeBron will play, but he seems to be on pace to retire as a member of the Lakers.

The 2025-2026 NBA season will mark James’s eighth-straight year with the Lakers. He has played in over 400 games, averaging 26 points, eight rebounds, and eight assists. He was an All-Star each time, and nearly won the league’s MVP title for the fifth time in his career during the 2019-2020 season at age 35.

“You’ve got to put LeBron now,” Johnson added. “You try to do five Lakers, and it’s impossible because you’ve got to put LeBron now. So I don’t know how you get to five.”