Would Chicago Bulls Drafting Magic Johnson Affected Michael Jordan's Legacy?

The Chicago Bulls nearly had a chance to take Magic Johnson in 1979 draft but lost a coin flip to the Los Angeles Lakers. Five years later, the Bulls took Michael Jordan

The sporting world is often determined by circumstances. 

Sometimes, players ended up in the right situation. Just imagine if a coin flip went the other way regarding NBA greats Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan. In 1979, the Los Angeles Lakers won a coin toss over the Chicago Bulls on who would have the No. 1 pick in the draft. 

The Lakers won, giving them the ability to select Johnson. The Bulls chose David Greenwood, who was a journeyman during his 12 seasons. 

So what would have happened if the Bulls won that coin toss? According to Johnson, Jordan would have never become an icon in Chicago. Johnson explained during an appearance on the Jimmy Kimmel show in 2022. 

“Jimmy, no question about it, can you believe that if I had went to the Bulls there would be no Michael Jordan in Chicago," Johnson said. 

Johnson may be correct. 

With Johnson in charge, the Bulls may have been more successful and never had a chance to draft Jordan with the No. 3 pick in the 1984 draft. Regardless, Johnson said he was thankful for the opportunity of teaming with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and James Worthy to form the "Showtime" Lakers during the `80s. It also worked out for Jordan, who eventually led the Bulls to six titles in the `90s and is considered the greatest player in NBA history by many. 

"But I'm glad that I ended up here [Los Angeles] and playing with Kareem [Abdul-Jabbar] and all that," Johnson told Kimmel. 

Jordan would likely say the same about his teammates and path with the Bulls. 

That Time Los Angeles Lakers Great Magic Johnson Shunned The Kansas City Kings

Shandel Richardson is the publisher of Back In The Day NBA. He can be reached at shandelrich@gmail.com