Magic Johnson recently stunned fans with an untold story that could have altered the course of NBA history forever. During an appearance on *The Jennifer Hudson Show*, Magic disclosed that a simple coin flip in 1979 determined whether he’d play for the Chicago Bulls or the Los Angeles Lakers. If that flip had gone the other way, *Magic Johnson Had Been a Chicago Bull*, and the league’s entire trajectory might have shifted. Instead, the outcome placed Magic in Los Angeles, forever transforming NBA history.
What If Magic Johnson Had Been a Chicago Bull?
“It was all down to a coin flip,” Magic said, reflecting on the life-altering moment. “Imagine if I had landed in Chicago—no Michael Jordan in the Bulls, and no Magic with the Lakers.”
That coin flip, a seemingly insignificant act, had colossal implications. The Lakers, who had secured the first-round pick from the Utah Jazz, won the toss and selected Magic Johnson. From there, a dynasty was born, and NBA history would never be the same.
If fate had sided with Chicago, Magic Johnson would have ended up playing for a struggling Bulls team. With limited talent around him, would Magic have been the revolutionary player we know today? Could he have revived a franchise lacking the depth and star power of the Lakers?
Los Angeles was already home to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, an NBA legend who would become the cornerstone of multiple championship runs alongside Magic. Without that support, it’s doubtful Magic could have propelled the Bulls to immediate glory. The Lakers’ success set the stage for one of the fiercest rivalries in sports history—the Magic-Bird showdown. This rivalry, particularly their three NBA Finals clashes, revived the league from declining popularity and financial woes. Would the NBA have survived without this East-West showdown between the Lakers and Celtics? Unlikely.
Magic’s reflection opened another Pandora’s box—Michael Jordan. Without Magic heading to the Lakers, would the Bulls have ever drafted Jordan in 1984? If Magic was already guiding the Bulls, their need for Jordan could have vanished. In this alternate reality, Jordan’s legendary run in Chicago—the six championships, the GOAT debate—might have never happened. Without both Magic in LA and Jordan in Chicago, basketball as we know it could have been utterly different.
Magic and Larry Bird saved the NBA. Their rivalry—sparked by that coin flip—was the driving force behind the league’s resurgence in the 1980s. Without Magic in Los Angeles, Bird’s Celtics wouldn’t have had their iconic adversary, and the Lakers-Celtics Finals could have become a forgotten footnote. The excitement they generated wasn’t just sports drama—it was economic salvation for a league on the verge of collapse.
In hindsight, this coin flip was more than a trivial decision. It dictated not only which jersey Magic Johnson wore but also the entire fate of the NBA, the legacies of Magic, Bird, and Jordan, and the rise of basketball to global prominence.
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