Kareem Abdul-Jabbar vs Magic Johnson
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Magic Johnson were contemporaries, their careers overlapping for 10 seasons. On the floor, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the higher-volume scorer (24.6 points per game to 19.6); Magic Johnson was the more efficient scorer (61.0% true shooting to 59.2%); Magic Johnson created more for others (11.2 assists per game to 3.6). Kareem Abdul-Jabbar holds the edge on accolades — 6 MVPs, 6 championships, 2 Finals MVPs and the #2 all-time ranking to Magic Johnson's #7.
Career averages
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 24.6 | Points / game | 19.6 |
| 11.2 | Rebounds / game | 7.2 |
| 3.6 | Assists / game | 11.2 |
| 0.7 | Steals / game | 1.9 |
| 2.0 | Blocks / game | 0.4 |
| 55.9% | Field goal % | 52.0% |
| 1.7% | 3-point % | 22.9% |
| 72.7% | Free throw % | 84.3% |
| 59.2% | True shooting % | 61.0% |
| 1,560 | Games played | 906 |
Advanced metrics
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's era.
Advanced stats weren't tracked in Magic Johnson's era.
Playoff averages
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 24.3 | Points / game | 19.5 |
| 10.5 | Rebounds / game | 7.7 |
| 3.2 | Assists / game | 12.3 |
| 0.8 | Steals / game | 1.9 |
| 2.0 | Blocks / game | 0.3 |
| 53.0% | Field goal % | 50.6% |
| 0.0% | 3-point % | 18.5% |
| 74.2% | Free throw % | 83.6% |
| 237 | Playoff games | 190 |
Accolades
| Kareem Abdul-Jabbar | Stat | Magic Johnson |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | MVP awards | 3 |
| 2 | Finals MVP | 3 |
| 6 | Championships | 5 |
| 18 | All-Star selections | 11 |
| 10 | All-NBA 1st Team | 9 |
| #2 | All-time GOAT rank | #7 |
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