Magic Johnson may be in the same tier as Michael Jordan in the pantheon of NBA all-time greats, but he is well aware that “His Airness” was just different. Everybody knows how tough MJ was mentally, though according to Johnson, the same thing could be said about Mike physically.
During an appearance on Club Shay Shay in 2022, Magic flat-out admitted that there was no way he could smoke, drink, gamble, stay up late, and perform at the highest level the following day like Jordan.
“He was the strongest, not basketball player, athlete I’ve ever seen because he could [smoke, drink and gamble]. If I tried to do that, I’d be 0 for 15, no assist, I’d be dragging [laughs],” Johnson told Shannon Sharpe.
Mike tried to lure Magic to join him
Over the years, Jordan and Magic developed quite a friendship. They were already close pals by the time they spearheaded The Dream Team and traveled to Barcelona for the 1992 Olympics.
“He was the strongest, not basketball player, athlete I’ve ever seen because he could [smoke, drink and gamble]. If I tried to do that, I’d be 0 for 15, no assist, I’d be dragging [laughs],” Johnson told Shannon Sharpe.
Mike tried to lure Magic to join him
Over the years, Jordan and Magic developed quite a friendship. They were already close pals by the time they spearheaded The Dream Team and traveled to Barcelona for the 1992 Olympics.
While in Barcelona, Johnson said MJ invited him to have a good time late at night. Knowing that he couldn’t keep up with Jordan, Magic gave it a hard no.
“He tried to get me to do it with him during the Dream Team… I said, ‘Mike, I can’t hang up to 4 o’clock [in the morning].’ You have your drinks, get up, go play 18 rounds of golf, sleep for an hour and then come get 30 [points] by halftime. I can’t do that,” Johnson pointed out. “I can’t do that. I know who I am”
What if Jordan lived healthy?
Everybody witnessed Jordan dominating his era while living an unhealthy lifestyle off the court. For the better part of his prime, MJ won six NBA titles, five league MVP honors, and ten scoring titles.
With that in mind, it’s hard not to wonder what more Jordan could have accomplished had he opted to live healthy. Former Utah Jazz center Olden Polynice once thought out loud about it.
“Can you imagine if this guy ate right instead of eating McDonald’s, did not drink, and did not smoke?” Polynice told NBA insider Brandon “Scoop B” Robinson of Bally Sports. “Can you imagine that Michael Jordan? And actually, worked out on the regular? That Michael Jordan? Holy Christmas.”
Jordan’s peak lasted until 1998. He made an epic NBA return in 2001 but was no longer the same player. Perhaps the smoking, drinking, and lack of rest finally took a toll on his body at that point. Still, not all NBA players could do what Jordan did during his heyday.