Shawn Kemp crowns Magic Johnson as the GOAT: "I think Magic was the best because he was the total team player"

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Shawn Kemp believes Magic Johnson is the greatest player ever because he made everyone around him better. With five rings and three MVPs to his name, the former Michigan Spartan proved that a first mentality can make you a basketball immortal.

When interviewed by Basketball Network, Kemp explained exactly why he ranks Magic as one of the NBA’s greatest players.

“I think Magic was the best because he was the total team player. It’s not about how many points, how many rebounds; it’s about the person who can work with everybody, make them better. He played with so many great players I don’t know anybody else who played with as many great players and won five championships.”

“The ball was in his hands the majority of the time, and that is why I think he was probably the best even though Michael Jordan was the best scorer, Wilt Chamberlain was the best big man, Magic Johnson was the best all-around player,” he said.

An all-round game matters

Kemp’s perspective is refreshing, especially considering he’s taken a team approach to a debate that is regurgitated day in and day out by the same views. At the end of the day, basketball is a team sport, and Kemp outlined that he valued that over any attribute a superstar brought to the table.

“I think the GOAT is not the best scorer, not the best rebounder. The GOAT is the general, and he is the one who passes the ball and gets everybody involved. If we all watch basketball, I would say Magic Johnson and Larry Bird are the greatest two players of all-time, but my favorite player is Magic Johnson.

“He was a facilitator, and he was the general. He passed the ball and did everything that needed to be done. He is the only player that I know who started at point guard, but in his rookie season, he started at center and won the championship,” he added.

An outlier opinion

While many don’t share Kemp’s sentiment on Magic being the greatest player of all time, there’s no doubt he makes a strong argument. The Lakers legend is certainly a worthy name that should warrant consideration for the GOAT title, given outside of his basketball excellence, he played a role in fundamentally saving the league and paved the way for it to go global.

His game spoke for itself, and while he was ahead of his time from a versatility and athletic standpoint, Magic used his gifts to elevate his teammates and made passing the ball cool during an era when basketball was still trying to find its identity.

Amassing over 10,000 assists in his career, along with many individual and team accolades, shows that Magic prioritized his teammates and their success. In return, he won more than most. So Kemp believes Johnson’s case is as good as anyone’s when it comes to the GOAT debate and it’s hard to argue otherwise.