The Los Angeles Lakers didn't just add a talented player to the team when they drafted Magic Johnson in 1979. They found a perfect co-star for Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , the most dominant center in the league at the time.
Unlike other superstars, Abdul-Jabbar didn't have a hard time adjusting to Johnson's addition. If anything, he didn't feel much of a change as he was still the Lakers' go-to guy.
However, Kareem admitted that it meant a lot that he now had someone to share the responsibility with. With KAJ and Earvin leading the charge, a new era in the Purple and Gold organization commenced.
"I saw the change as a positive move for both the team and me," Abdul-Jabbar wrote in his 1990 autobiography, Kareem via The Ringer . "I've never had to be, or wanted to be, the only one on the mountaintop. I have never had any problem sharing. It lifted a burden off."
"That year, the 1986-87 season, turned out to be the easiest year I had in the NBA," he continued. "I was still strongly involved in the offense, but not carrying the primary load, and I had everything to give when I was needed."
Johnson quickly made an impact in his debut season with the Lakers . Even though it was his Boston Celtics counterpart, Larry Bird, who won the Rookie of the Year award, Magic won an NBA title and the Finals MVP.
In the next 10 years, the Lakers would win four more championships with Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar. For Kareem, that stretch was fun and he didn't have an issue with Magic embracing the role of a co-leader as they went along.
However, Abdul-Jabbar revealed that even with the younger Earvin leading the team, the Lakers still demanded that he take over some games. That wouldn't have been a problem if "Cap" were the same age as Magic.
Kareem understood because Johnson wasn't really a scorer. With that in mind, in the final years of his legendary career, Abdul-Jabbar had to push himself on nights when they needed to score.
"It was as if I were a first tenor who'd agreed to sing in the chorus, then was asked to sing first tenor again and whose chops, accordingly, weren't right there. … So last season became a tough one for me," Kareem described.
Related: The former NBA star turned his career earnings into a nine-figure fast-food empire
Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson played 10 seasons together. That stint has become famously known as the Showtime Lakers. Keyword: Showtime.
Right from the jump, Magic's style epitomized the Showtime Lakers' identity. As it turns out, Kareem, despite being known for his serious demeanor, also enjoyed being a showman. This explains why, despite their huge age gap, Abdul-Jabbar and Magic had great chemistry .
"There was a 12-year difference (between Magic and me), a generational difference, really, but we had enough in common to go out there and make the fans happy and make the Laker management happy," Abdul-Jabbar once reflected in a separate discussion. "That's why we're hanging together."
In the NBA, most legendary duos experienced power struggles and conflicts in their journey. It's quite fascinating to learn that it was never the case with Kareem and Magic.
Related: "No question" - Magic Johnson explains why he'd pick Kareem Abdul-Jabbar over Kobe Bryant
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Jan 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the Old School section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
