Magic Johnson: The GOAT, the king, the legend...

Ashley Martin6 said:Actually, just tell him he needs to trim those ends a little, maybe just a couple of inches.

Do you even realize what "a couple of inches" means to a man?! 😲 He shouldn't touch a single thing; he’s got exactly enough length right where it needs to be... 😂

Elizabeth Patel67 said:Exactly! You focus on the game, while we stay focused on what actually matters—the essentials. For instance, if he were to cut his hair, I’d be stuck driving myself to games all the time; but as it stands, I have two friends tagging along. One of them has this guy friend with a car who’s basically guaranteed to show up whenever she does, so my transportation is sorted—no driving required. The other one is the type to grab the tickets ahead of time, which saves me from ever having to wait in line. Honestly, LeBron James's hairstyle makes my life significantly more organized and pleasant. We love LeBron. 😂

..haha, well, if that's how you want to play it... 😁

...and look, we women understand sports—well, I certainly do—but we can't help but keep an eye on the players too... hehe... especially LeBron... 😍 😍 😍 😍

Elizabeth Patel67 said:You seriously have no idea what a couple of inches means to guys?!... 😲 Let him say whatever he wants, he’s got just enough length to get the job done... 😂

You've got a point there, let's just leave his stats alone and keep everything exactly how it is...👍

Ashley Martin6 said:Actually, just tell him to trim those ends a bit—maybe just a couple of inches.

..no, I disagree—he shouldn't touch a thing; it looks perfectly fine as it is... 😍😍🙂

Maybe just pack it up and move over to Teenage. Or honestly, just head out to some rural town in the Midwest...

Alex Cook said:Maybe we should just move the whole discussion over to Teenage. Or perhaps relocate everything to some tiny rural town in the Midwest?

...nope—there isn't a single thread about Balić over there...😁

Well, technically speaking, there’s one little thought rattling around in my head... though that might just be the product of a long, lonely monologue during a restless night in the Midwest... Look, I consider myself a rational woman, someone who is far above this kind of teenage nonsense. It is truly exhausting how many times I find myself having to repeat the same points over and over again when things actually get serious... 😂 But fine, I’ll concede. The discussion really ought to be centered on the game itself. It truly should.

Look, sorry, sometimes it’s just hard to focus on nothing but his play, but alright, let's move on.
I was at the New York-Miami game yesterday 😂 and LeBron James played the first half. I think he scored 0 goals, and for the first five minutes, he was constantly trying to score but just couldn't find his rhythm, so the team stayed at zero for those first 4-5 minutes...

Ashley Martin6 said:Look, excuse me, but sometimes it is just genuinely difficult to focus solely on his performance—but fine, let’s move past it.
I was at the New York-Miami game yesterday 😂 and LeBron James played the first half; I believe he scored zero goals, and during those opening five minutes, he was constantly trying to find his rhythm but couldn't quite pull it off—leaving the team scoreless for about the first 4-5 minutes.

..And honestly, why would he feel the need to prove anything against Miami... he needs to prove himself against Anheuser-Busch this Saturday... though I suspect he has already proven more than enough by now... but whatever...🙏🙏🙏

Sophia Grant said:..Why would he even bother trying to prove anything against New York-Miami... he needs to show up against Anheuser-Busch this Saturday... I think he's already proven himself plenty... but hey...🙏🙏🙏

It’s not about proving anything, honestly. It was just fun watching him miss everything.
And this Saturday, he's gonna show everyone why he's the best player on the planet.

Ashley Martin6 said:Look, it wasn't about proving a point—it was just genuinely amusing how much he missed everything.
And this Saturday, he’ll remind everyone exactly why he's considered the greatest player on the planet.

..ahaaa, hhh... my bad, then. I clearly interpreted that entirely differently... 😁😁😁

Ashley Martin6 said:but there was something genuinely charming about how absolutely everything kept missing the mark.

Calling it "charming" when they can't hit the broad side of a barn is one thing, 😵but you aren't going to win any ladies over by starting a debate about Magic Johnson...😂 I mean, he didn't even put one in the net! Or at least, I had somehow convinced myself in my own misguided way that he managed to score just one.

I don't think he handed over a single one.
Man, the line for tickets for Cleveland today is absolutely insane... wow...

redgardener17 said:Man, what an idiot from Basel. How can a sport like tennis—which is basically just a hobby for rich, softies who are terrified of actual physical contact—ever be compared to handball, basketball, or football?
(Leaving rugby, hockey, and water polo out of this for now).
I hate any sport where someone letting one rip in the stands causes a replay.👎
Screw this choice. 👎

p.s. why isn't that loser from figure skating on this list either????

Look, man, if you've never actually gripped a tennis racket seriously, don't talk about it... being the best handball player on the planet is a hundred times harder than being the best tennis player... just look at how things work... you think Roger Federer would even stay relevant if he smoked two packs a day and didn't train EVERY SINGLE DAY?? Buddy, he’d drop below the top 20 instantly... as soon as he slowed down on training, his results tanked... a tennis player can't afford to skip training or fail to prep before a major tournament, whereas a handball player can (take Magic Johnson, for example)... tennis players usually start at five years old, and by fifteen, they're grinding for over four hours a day... it's brutal... once handball players reach the top, they have enough instinct to keep them going even with decent results, while tennis players just can't... and I'll say it plainly: being the best table tennis player in the world is probably the hardest thing there is... I'm sure of it...

As for Magic Johnson... he's the greatest handball player ever... the guy had a vision for the game that nobody else ever had and likely never will... passing lanes no one else could see... a level of swagger no one else possessed... explosiveness that was unmatched... and for all his relatively small stature compared to the giants, he still had incredible physical strength... that's why they use flying substitutions—to swap him out on defense so he doesn't burn out, since he might be a bit weaker there.

Comparing him to Karabatić... yeah, Karabatić might be tougher on defense... but offensively, he isn't better by a long shot... honestly, I'd say he's a better shooter because when he lets it fly, it's a goal 90% of the time... he scores from positions most people wouldn't even dare attempt... then he finishes the play with a nice drive and swaps back in with Dominiković... offense matters way more than defense... I'd rather have the best scorer than the best defender any day...

Nobody has ever played handball like he did, and nobody will for a long time....🙏🙏🙏🙏

Justin Thompson44 said:Look, man, if you’ve never actually played serious tennis, don’t even start... being the best handball player on the planet is a hundred times easier than being the world's top tennis pro... just look at the facts here... do you really think Roger Federer could stay afloat if he was smoking two cartons a day and skipping his daily training sessions?? My friend, he’d drop below the top 20 instantly... once he slowed down on the training a bit, his results tanked... a tennis player can't afford to skip practice or skimp on prep before a major tournament, whereas a handball player can (just look at Magic Johnson)... besides, tennis players usually start training at age five, and by fifteen, they’re pulling four-hour sessions every single day... it's intense... once handball players reach the top, they can basically coast on pure instinct and skill to maintain high-level results, while tennis players simply can't... and I'll say this with total confidence: being the best table tennis player in the world would be the hardest thing out there... I'm certain of it...

Regarding Magic Johnson... he's the greatest handball player ever... the kind of guy who had a vision for the game that nobody else ever possessed and probably never will... passing lanes no one else saw... a level of audacity that was totally unique... explosive power... and all that physical strength despite being relatively short compared to the other giants on the court... that's why they use flying substitutions—so someone can sub him out for defense... because he might be slightly weaker there, and more importantly, so they don't burn him out...

As for the comparison with Karabatić... sure, he's better than Magic Johnson on defense... but offensively? He isn't better in any way... honestly, I'd argue he's a better shooter, because when he pulls the trigger, it's a goal 90% of the time... he fires from positions where most guys wouldn't even dare to take a shot... then he finishes the play with a nice drive and swaps out with Dominikovic... offense is way more important than defense anyway... it's better to be the best scorer than the best defender...

Nobody has ever played handball like he did, and honestly, we won't see it again for a long time....🙏🙏🙏🙏

Let me start from the end here...

While I was reading your post from the beginning, I honestly thought you were just one of those wannabe handball fans from the 2003 era in Portugal...

But once I got to the end and read your claim that offense matters more than defense, it became pretty clear you don't actually know much about the sport you're talking about...

Defense is the entire foundation that leads to easy points... fast breaks and semi-fast breaks...

Let's talk about Magic Johnson for a second... phenomenal player... but regarding your claim that he's the greatest of all time, I only have a few thoughts... Richardson and Dushebajev...

I won't go too deep into the philosophy here... though you could find plenty more examples among that Swedish-Icelandic generation...

And as for training and raw talent... handball is arguably the worst ball sport when it comes to injuries... and if you aren't training properly, those injuries will come knocking on your door every single day...

"Flying substitutions" in handball? What on earth are you talking about?

And regarding tennis, Federer, and training... if Federer had even a tiny bit of wit combined with Magic Johnson's imagination, he would have been absolutely untouchable...

Look, I'm not denying his greatness... the man is an elite athlete... but he's a machine... just like Karabatić... or even better, Dinart...

Magic Johnson is pure wit and imagination...

And to wrap up the whole training and readiness debate in tennis... what "trick" did Goran Ivanišević use to win Wimbledon?

Was it just training, or was it pure brilliance?

Justin Thompson44 said:Man, you really think Roger Federer could pull it off if he was smoking two packs a day and skipping training sessions?? My friend, he’d drop out of the Top 20 faster than you can blink...

I honestly can't let this one slide without a few 🤣🤣🤣🤣

Look, if you stop training daily and start smoking two packs a day in tennis, you're done. It's over. Your career is dead in the water.

Then there's the second thing—which is just plain ridiculous—the whole idea of even comparing Roger Federer to Magic Johnson. One is a team player, the other plays an individual sport. In tennis, if you're having an off day, you lose the match. Period. In team sports like basketball or football, if you're having a bad day, the coach just pulls you out, and your team still has a shot at winning.
And another thing... in a team sport, you can kind of "get by" even if you're lacking something—maybe you aren't fast enough, or your jump is weak, or your shot is shaky... But in an individual sport? That doesn't exist. You have to be at least 75% perfect in every single aspect of the game if you want to stay at the top. For the absolute best? You probably need to be north of 85%...
Consider this my response to you too, Adam Collins4, regarding

Adam Collins4 said:As for tennis, if Federer just had a tiny bit of that sense of humor and Magic Johnson's imagination, he'd be absolutely unstoppable...

You honestly think you can dominate handball without hitting at least 85% across the board? I’m talking everything—fitness, court vision, shooting, defensive positioning... the whole nine yards.

That’s exactly why Karabatić is sitting at the top right now... he’s just a hair more prepared than everyone else (kind of like how the entire French squad operates—they’ve got the vision, the shot... and don't even get me started on the defense... though there's also the matter of how they actually play it and what they're allowed to get away with...)

redgardener17 said:God, I can't stand that guy from Basel. How on earth does a sport like tennis—which feels like a pastime for pampered, soft elites who are terrified of actual physical contact—even compare to handball, basketball, or football?
(I’m intentionally leaving out rugby, hockey, and water polo).
It’s a joke—a sport where if someone farts in the stands, they basically replay the point.👎
This entire selection is garbage. 👎

p.s. why isn't that idiot from figure skating included in the poll????

So, what, volleyball is for "softies" too?? Give me a break. When it comes to sheer physical conditioning, you won't find anyone tougher than football players—they actually deal with half the exhaustion levels of handball or basketball players. And honestly, claiming tennis is just for people afraid of contact is a pathetic take. You really think tennis players picked their sport just because they wanted to avoid bumping into someone??

Adam Collins4 said:Do you really think in handball you don't need to be hitting at least 85% across the board if you want to be the best? I'm talking conditioning, court vision, shooting, defense... everything.

That’s exactly why Karabatić is the king right now... he’s just a hair more prepared than everyone else (kind of like how the whole US national team operates—they've got the vision, the shot... and don't even get me started on their defense... plus there's the way he plays it and how much he gets away with...)

Look, obviously you need to be sitting at 75-80-85% in every single category, but let's be real—how many players actually ARE at that level? Barely anyone. And what happens to the rest of them? They’re just the ones "tagging along." You see examples of that all the time. American, for instance...😁