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When Magic Johnson passed the torch to Michael Jordan in the 1991 NBA Finals
The 1991 NBA Playoffs saw the rise of the Chicago Bulls, led by Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen, and head coach Phil Jackson.
The start of the MJ era
The Bulls ended two eras in 1991. First, the Pistons’ dominance in the league sweeping them in four games in the Eastern Conference Finals after getting eliminated by them for two consecutive years.
Then, the Bulls reached the NBA Finals and beat Magic Johnson and the Lakers in five games. Those legendary Lakers teams would not win an NBA Championship until Shaquille O’Neal, and Kobe Bryant arrived.
Johnson signaled when he knew it was Jordan’s league and not his. In an interview with The Ringer’s Bakari Sellers, Johnson mentioned the moment he and his teammates knew they weren’t going run the NBA in the 1990s as they did in the 1980s.
“He came up on the right side and came up with the tongue out. We all jumped, we thought we had him. And he switched it to his left mid-air. We said, ‘You know what, passing of the torch.’ I told him, it’s your turn now, it’s your time now,” Johnson explained.
Jordan and Johnson’s friendship
According to Johnson, Jordan hugged him after the Bulls won their first championship in 1991. Jordan was so happy he cried. Johnson shared that it was a special moment for him and Jordan.
“When they beat us, we met in between both locker rooms and he just put his arms and just started crying. He was so happy that he had won, that he busted through. That was a special moment for him and myself,” Johnson said.
Jordan and Johnson became close friends over the years. They got along while playing for the 1992 Dream Team, and over the years, Johnson has often called Jordan the best NBA player and entertainer of all time.
“For me? Michael Jordan, Michael Jackson, and Beyoncé are the three greatest entertainers of my lifetime; and you could probably throw Muhammad Ali in there.” Johnson noted.
