Magic Johnson Takes Vicious Shot at Anthony Edwards Over Michael Jordan Comments

Kristen Wong | Aug 26, 2024

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson wasn’t going to let Anthony Edwards’s comments on the 1990s’ old-school era of basketball fly. 

After the Minnesota Timberwolves star blasted the older NBA generations for players’ lack of skill, Johnson fired back with a savage response to put Edwards in his place. Johnson recently spoke to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith about Edwards’s bold claim, telling Smith that Edwards hardly had the resume to justify his take.

“I never respond to a guy who's never won a championship,” Johnson said. “I've got nothing to say. 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

Johnson’s response comes less than a week after Edwards stirred up controversy by saying Chicago Bulls legend Michael Jordan was the only skilled player of his era. 

“I didn’t watch it back in the day so I can’t speak on it,” Edwards said. “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.”

Where Edwards is lacking in trophies, the 23-year-old guard has made up for in confidence. The Timberwolves star unashamedly declared himself the “No. 1 option" on Team USA’s squad in the Paris Games this summer even with LeBron James, Steph Curry, and Kevin Durant on the roster. 

Last season, Edwards did play a key role in leading Minnesota to the Western Conference Finals, averaging 24.6 points, 8.8 rebounds and 7.8 assists in the five-game series loss to the Dallas Mavericks.

Compared to Johnson’s glittering trove of accolades which include five NBA titles and three league MVP awards, though, Edwards admittedly doesn’t have much to back his takes. He’ll just have to let his on-court play do the talking in the upcoming 2024-25 season.