Were The 1981-82 Los Angeles Lakers First Big Three Of NBA?

Troy Hudson | Feb 3, 2025

Mar 7, 1980; Inglewood, CA, USA; FILE PHOTO; Los Angeles Lakers center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (33) and guard Magic Johnson (32) look on as point guard Norm Nixon (10) shoots a free throw against the Chicago Bulls at The Forum. Mandatory Credit: David Boss-USA TODAY NETWORK / David Boss-Imagn Images

NBA great Bob McAdoo was an assistant coach with the Miami Heat when they field a team that featured LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh.

At the time, the Heat were billed as the "Big Three."

But McAdoo also claims there was an original Big Three. That consisted of when he teamed with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1981-82 season. All three players were or eventually became MVPs. It led to McAdoo even calling out media personality Stephen A. Smith at the time.

"That was one hell of a team," McAdoo told Back In The Day Hoops On SI. "I was watching First Take one day and they were talking about the Big Threes. They were talking about LeBron, Dwyane and Chris Bosh. And then they went to OKC and they started talking about Westbrook and Harden. I found Stephen A. Smith's number and said, `You know how you guys don't go through history? The Lakers are the only team that could put three league MVPs on the floor at the same time. That was me, Magic and Kareem." 

Those Lakers teams won two championships with McAdoo alongside Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar.

"Those teams were not the first teams that had the Big Three," McAdoo said. "Everybody thinks that stuff is new under the sun. Nobody talks about Magic, Kareem and Bob McAdoo being on the floor at the same time." 

Troy Hudson is a contributor to Miami Heat On SI. He can be reached at troyehudson@gmail.com

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