Magic Johnson has hit back at Anthony Edwards over his claim that Michael Jordan was the only skilled player of their era, brutally telling the USA Olympics star: ‘I never respond to a guy that’s never won a championship.’
Edwards, who helped America capture gold at this summer’s Paris Olympics, recently sparked controversy by suggesting that Jordan was the only NBA player who possessed any natural talent back in his day.
‘I didn’t watch it back in the day so I can’t speak on it,’ the Minnesota Timberwolves shooting guard told The Wall Street Journal. ‘They say it was tougher back then than it is now, but I don’t think anybody had skill back then. [Jordan] was the only one that really had skill, you know what I mean?’
Given his iconic stints with the LA Lakers came just before Jordan’s with the Chicago Bulls, Johnson has more reason than most to take issue with Edwards’ assessment.
Magic Johnson has brutally hit back at Anthony Edwards (right) over his claim that Michael Jordan was the only skilled player of their era
However, the five-time NBA champion and three-time MVP refused to even acknowledge his comments when asked about them by ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith over the weekend.
‘I never respond to a guy that’s never won a championship,’ Johnson said about Edwards.
‘There’s not nothing to really say. He didn’t win a college championship. I don’t even know if he won a high school championship.’
Johnson is widely considered one of the greatest basketball players of all time after winning five NBA Championships with the Lakers between 1980 and 1988.
He was named the NBA Finals MVP on three occasions, while also featuring in the NBA All-Star Game 12 times.
The 65-year-old, who along with Jordan was a member of USA’s famous ‘Dream Team’ Olympics squad in 1992, remains the NBA’s all-time leader in average assists per game in both the regular season (11.19) and the playoffs (12.35).
Edwards claimed that Michael Jordan was the only talented player of his era back in the day
Johnson issued a savage put-down to the USA Olympics star over his lack of championships
He mocked Edwards over his failure to land a title at professional, college and high-school level up to this point
Edwards, meanwhile, is still seeking his first championship after four seasons with the Timberwolves.
The former Georgia college star has been named an All-Star on two occasions, though he is yet to make it to an NBA Finals.
Last season Minnesota suffered defeat in the Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Mavericks.
However, Edwards followed that disappointment up by playing a part in USA’s gold-medal triumph at the Olympics this month.
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NBA icon Magic Johnson issues brutal put-down to Anthony Edwards after USA Olympics star’s controversial Michael Jordan statement
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Publish date : 2024-08-25 12:59:00
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