Magic Johnson is without a doubt one of the greatest players in NBA history. The Los Angeles Lakers legend is even considered the greatest player of all-time in the minds of many with his impressive resume.
Along with the distinction as an all-time great, Magic is as opinionated as any NBA Hall of Famer who has stayed in the public eye since retiring.
Recently, Magic met with Lakers president Jeanie Buss to offer advice about the direction of the storied franchise and also appeared on ESPN giving his thoughts on the best NBA head coaches of all time:
As much as Johnson respected and enjoyed playing for Pat Riley in Los Angeles, the 57-year-old chose to go with another Lakers legend in Phil Jackson at the top of his list. Boston Celtics’ Red Auerbach is also mentioned along with Riley and the only current NBA head coach in Gregg Popovich.
These legendary coaches account for 31 NBA titles with Jackson leading the way with 11. Jackson, who is no stranger to being called the greatest NBA head coach of all time, won five NBA titles with the Lakers and six with the Chicago Bulls with some NBA greats leading the way in Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Scottie Pippen, and Michael Jordan.
