Magic Johnson responds to Anthony Edwards over ‘skill’ comments

Magic Johnson responds to Anthony Edwards over ‘skill’ comments

Last week, Anthony Edwards talked to the Wall Street Journal after winning his first-ever Gold Medal with Team USA. Edwards was asked a question about how this current era compares to previous ones.

Here is what he had to say:

“I didn’t watch it back in the day so I can’t speak on it,” Edwards recently told Lane Florsheim of 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. [Michael Jordan] was the only one that really had skill, you know what I mean? So that’s why when they saw Kobe [Bryant], they were like, ‘Oh, my God.’ But now everybody has skill.”

Former Los Angeles Lakers great Magic Johnson, who won five NBA Titles and three MVPs in 13 active seasons, didn’t take too kindly to those words.

While he was at Yaamava Resort & Casino with ESPN NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith over the weekend, Johnson responded.

“I never respond to a guy who’s never won a championship,” Johnson told Smith. “He didn’t win a college championship, I don’t even know if he won a high school championship.”

"I never respond to a guy who's never won a championship… He didn't win a college championship, I don't even know if he won a high school championship."

Magic Johnson didn't hold back while responding to Anthony Edwards' comments 👀😳

(via https://t.co/gnCFAy8D5B / IG) pic.twitter.com/8KUrvm4vZw

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 25, 2024

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While Edwards did acknowledge that he didn’t watch, it is pretty crazy to make that remark right after saying you can’t speak on the skill-level during Jordan’s era.

Johnson’s a perfect example; he’s arguably the greatest point guard of all-time who ushered the “Showtime Lakers” with uncanny ballhandling and passing ability at 6-foot-9.

Have players evolved over time? Absolutely. Has the game evolved? Absolutely. But the one thing about Edwards’ comments is that, even if he didn’t watch players play before he was born, this current generation is going to take what he said and run with it like it’s a fact … when it’s not.

Hakeem Olajuwon. Kevin McHale. Larry Bird. Larry Johnson. Grant Hill. Jerry West. Whether they were before MJ’s time or during, I could go on and on. Go back and watch the tape because I shouldn’t have to do any convincing.

Whether Johnson’s personal jabs were the way to go is another story–he’s not wrong, but it also would’ve been an ideal time to educate the youth and public about the previous generations of basketball.

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