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For Magic Johnson, playing basketball was just like riding a bike. His career was interrupted when he was diagnosed with HIV in 1991, but he returned to the league and to the Los Angeles Lakers after a four-year hiatus and played like he never left.
As a 37-year-old, Magic Johnson returned to play 32 games for the Lakers in the 1995-96 season, putting up averages of 14.6 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 6.9 assists. As HoopsHype noted, he also finished the season with a better Player Efficiency Rating (21.1) akin to the likes of Scottie Pippen (21.0) and Patrick Ewing (20.9).
Magic Johnson returned to the NBA at age 37 after four years away from basketball, played 32 games and finished the season with better PER than Scottie Pippen, Reggie Miller, Patrick Ewing and Grant Hill.
Just an FYI.
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) October 27, 2018
Magic Johnson is one of the greatest players in the history of the NBA. There's no debate about that. But there's always the question of what could have been if his career didn't take such an unfortunate turn in 1991.
The Hall of Famer's resume is almost too good to be true. Magic was a five-time NBA champion, three-time MVP, three-time Finals MVP, 10-time All-NBA Team member, and five-time assists champion. He was a dominant player in the league for his entire career.
He is also credited for “saving” the NBA from a dip in television ratings and a down era in general for the league. His rivalry with Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics during the '80s reinvigorated interest on the league and helped push the NBA to where it is today. Magic and Bird metaphorically handed the baton to Michael Jordan in the '90s and MJ continued to keep the league relevant.
It would have been fun to watch Magic take on the Bulls of the '90s. His comeback stint in 1996 showed that he was still capable of great things on the basketball court, but it was too little, too late.
