Magic Johnson Shuts Down Anthony Edwards’ Claim That Only Michael Jordan Possessed Skills During Their Era

Anthony Edwards stated that Michael Jordan was the only NBA player who "really had skill," but Magic Johnson doesn't pull any punches in his response.

Twenty-three-year-old NBA player Anthony Edwards recently said that NBA Hall of Fame legend Michael Jordan was the only NBA player who “really had skill.” Another NBA Hall of Famer, Magic Johnson, responded with a statement that should keep comments like that from coming out of Edwards’ mouth.

In a recent Wall Street Journal article, the Minnesota Timberwolves player said he didn’t get a chance to watch NBA games from earlier years, yet said that although people say it was tougher to play in earlier years, he disagreed with players having skills back then.

“I didn’t watch it back in the day, so I can’t speak on it,” he told the media outlet. “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.”

Although he claimed to have not seen people play to determine their skill, his arrogance in saying that NBA players weren’t skillful had people reacting to what he said. One of those people, Los Angeles Lakers legend, NBA champion, and successful businessman Magic Johnson, spoke to Stephen A. Smith about the Team USA player’s statement.

“Well, you know, I don’t never respond to a guy that’s never won a championship,” Johnson said. “It’s not nothing to really say. He didn’t win a college championship; I don’t know if he even 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

The New York Post reported that Johnson and Smith spoke while they were at the Yaamava Resort & Casino.

According to Sports Illustrated, Edwards also commented earlier this summer that had basketball fans shaking their heads. Before Team USA started its gold medal journey at the Paris Olympics, he stated that on a team that featured future Hall of Famers like LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, and Joell Embiid, he told reporters that he, not them, should be the number one option for the Games.