Magic Johnson names his all-time Lakers starting five, leaves out LeBron James

Los Angeles Lakers legend and Naismith Hall of Famer Magic Johnson is widely regarded as the greatest point guard of all time and one of the franchise’s most iconic players. Having spent his entire career in purple and gold, Johnson led the Lakers to five NBA championships, building a legacy defined by championships, MVPs, and the Showtime era.

That Johnson is often considered the greatest Laker ever is remarkable in itself, given the team’s storied history. The Lakers are tied for second in most NBA championships with 17, and 33 Hall of Famers have suited up for the franchise. From 1984 to 2016, at least one future Hall of Famer was on the roster every single season — including six during the dynasty years of 1982 to 1985.

With such an illustrious past, naming an all-time Lakers starting five is no easy task. During a recent interaction with fans and media, Johnson was asked to make his picks — and his choices sparked plenty of debate.

When a rookie Magic Johnson started at center in place of an injured teammate Kareem, and helped the Lakers to the NBA title with an incredible 42 points and 15 rebound performance 🏆🪄 pic.twitter.com/HxZlRonZnf

— Fastbreak Hoops (@FastbreakHoops5) August 24, 2025

“Kobe is going to be one, with Kareem,” Magic began. “Nobody is like Kobe — his killer mentality, hitting big shots over and over. But more than that, he loved being a Laker, loved playing in Los Angeles, and he represented the city. We miss him. Nobody is like Kareem either. Oh my goodness, the skyhook, the intelligence, the basketball IQ — it was off the charts. I just loved playing with Kareem.”

The inclusions of Kobe Bryant and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were no surprise. Both are among the greatest players in NBA history and central figures in multiple Lakers championship eras.

But filling out the rest of the lineup proved more difficult.

“I would say Kareem, Shaq, Kobe, and when I think about it, you have to put Wilt and Jerry in there. James Worthy would definitely qualify. But you try to do five Lakers, and it’s impossible. Because now you’ve got to put LeBron in there, too. I don’t know how you get to just five,” Johnson admitted. “But if you put all the Lakers against any other team, we would beat them.”

Johnson’s comments highlight the near-impossible task of narrowing down a roster filled with all-time greats. Leaving LeBron James outside his immediate top two will certainly raise eyebrows, but Johnson’s perspective reflects the overwhelming depth of Lakers history — from Wilt Chamberlain’s dominance in the 1970s, to the Showtime dynasty of the 1980s, to the Kobe and Shaq three-peat of the 2000s, and most recently, LeBron leading the Lakers to the 2020 title.

When it comes to greatness in Los Angeles, there’s no shortage of legends — which is exactly why even Magic Johnson himself struggled to keep his list to just five.

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