Magic Johnson explains what he considers to be a superstar, and no player is better suited to that definition than Michael Jordan.
The term “superstar” is often a topic of discussion among NBA fans. There are plenty of great stars in basketball, but only the elite have won the superstar title.
Players like LeBron James, Stephen Curry and Kevin Durant are best suited to that billing in the modern NBA. But young stars like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic can also assert themselves.
The subject of what defines a superstar has appeared in Tyreese Halliburton very recently. Stephen A. Smith sparked several discourses when he insisted that Halliburton was not a superstar despite the incredible playoff runs so far. Halliburton had the opportunity to respond, but the discussion got even more heated
The current NBA Finals ratings support Smith’s argument, but what Magic Johnson initially said to him in the take narrowed down the definition further.
When he appeared in First Take, Magic Johnson discussed many issues. When he wasn’t busy rebuking the Knicks to trade Donte Divincenzo, Johnson made some insightful analysis.
Stephen A. Smith asked Magic Johnson to define what makes a superstar in the modern NBA, discussing Luka Donsic about the Lakers. The five-time NBA champion responded by saying it was his ability to attract crowds when entering a hostile environment.
“The person who can go down the road and sell the building… I’m going to meet that person. You have to go to the box office… Larry Bird? People are running to the house (to see him).
“And of course, Michael Jordan, the greatest of all players. People are going home to meet him. Or they’re trying their best to enter the arena to watch that brother play. It’s a superstar. You can go to the road and sell the building.”
It’s not surprising that Magic Johnson calls Michael Jordan a great superstar.
However, this data supports Johnson’s claim that Jordan is, in fact, the biggest superstar in NBA history.
A study conducted by Versus Review compared Michael Jordan, Lebron James, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’neal by drawing skills.
The numbers show that Jordan was far the biggest draw between the four superstars. Naturally, Jordan was followed by LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neill.
However, the power of the stars, combined with the Lakers’ Kobe and Shack’s star power, appears to have been enough to escape the fans and pack the arena. The complete results below are:
| Superstar/Superstar combination | Positive impact on away team ticket sales |
| Kobe Bryant/Shaquille O’Neal (Lakers) | 16.90% |
| Michael Jordan | 16.86% |
| LeBron James | 8.26% |
| Kobe Bryant | 8.03% |
| Shaquille O’Neill | 7.32% |
In fact, when comparing the farewell seasons of the three superstars (LeBron James is still an active player), the results are pretty much the same. In fact, Jordan dominated the outcome despite having two different farewell tours.
| Superstar | Positive impact on away team ticket sales |
| Michael Jordan (1998) (First farewell) | 26.1% |
| Michael Jordan (2003) (Second farewell) | 14.9% |
| Shaquille O’Neill (2011) | 9.4% |
| Kobe Bryant (2016) | 8.3% |
The numbers prove the points of the magical Johnson. Michael Jordan is far the biggest superstar in NBA history.
When LeBron James announces his retirement from the NBA, he will have to wait for the numbers that will draw him to the road.
Given the time he’s played in the NBA, it’s unlikely that LeBron can take Michael Jordan.
His presence has been somewhat normalized for over 20 years, and fans may choose to not fire absurd amounts of money to get a glimpse of the king one last time.
That’s a pretty speculative take. But for now, like many other debates, Michael Jordan can easily rest on the mountain top as the best superstar ever.