Magic Johnson stormed into the NBA after leading Michigan State to the 1979 NCAA championship in a celebrated college showdown with Larry Bird’s undefeated Indiana State Sycamores. He was an immediate superstar with the Los Angeles Lakers, and proved his ultimate value in the NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers. When LA center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar went down with an injury, Magic was asked to player center in Game 6. The move played to his incredible versatility, as he turned in possibly the best all-around performance of his career. Normally a 6 ft. 9 in. point guard, he wound up playing all five positions at various times, scoring 42 points, grabbing 15 rebounds, and dishing out seven assists as the Lakers clinched the series playing in Philadelphia.
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