FIRST TAKE Stephen A gloats Magic Johnson to ANT after he said MJ was only player that had skill NBA

Edwards still making headlines Edwards told wsj when it comes to the Michael Jordan era they say it was tougher back then than it is now but I don't think anybody had skill back then Michael Jordan was the only one that really had skill this sparked a responds from Lakers Legend Magic Johnson who said that he doesn't respond to anybody that hasn't won a championship and hasn't won a championship at the high school level or the college level are Magic's comments fair or foul give name they're Fair he's a five-time champion universally recognized as the greatest point guard in the history of basketball um I love Anthony Edwards he's one of my top two favorite players in the game and I'm praying he wins a championship because seeing this brother on national TV and a national Spotlight is something that is beautiful for basketball fans everywhere but when you come out with a statement that you know what the really the only skilled player was Michael Jordan that's flagrantly disrespectful to the old God uh Larry Bird wasn't skilled magic Isa Isaiah Thomas was one of the greatest skilled gods in the history of basketball Magic Johnson was 69 uh six9 point guard we had never seen anything like him and one of the things that I pay attention to Shannon is that I'm very apt in bringing up the fact that if it were not for the Pioneers others wouldn't be what what they are there's no way that you didn't mirror your game after somebody when you were in route to a Hall of Fame football career before there was Dr J there was Connie Hawkins for crying out loud before there was Michael Jordan there was Dr J okay before you know before there was Vince Carter there was MJ okay before you know I mean Kobe Bryant and stuff like that came later so I look at it from that standpoint and I'm of the mindset wait a minute here you know I you know I don't like that you can't say something like that but the other thing that I would say is this understand how profound Magic Johnson statement was when when I was interviewing him at this event last week what he said also applies to Charles Barkley it applies to the Patrick Ewings of the world it applies to a Sean Kemp of the world or a Paul even today the Paul georgees of the world the Russell Westbrooks of the world uh and the James hardens of the world and various others so magic didn't sit up there and just say today's generation he said anybody who has it who's played but hasn't won a title don't get to get my attention as to who I was or who anybody was that actually won championships you know what I'm saying in terms of measuring our skill level because he's highlighting this far more more that goes into it than what the human eye just sees on the basketball court Stephen A I've known Magic Johnson 30 years not as well as you know him right I was shocked with the veracity in which you said what he said because normally magic is a lot more diplomatic he's a lot more PC now behind the scenes it's a whole different argument but he's a lot more diplomat he's a lot more diplomatic for him to take that tone in the harshness in which he said it lets me know he was highly agitated by what aunt said now Stephen A it's hard for me to sit here and as we were talking about with d uh uh with do just a minute ago Evolution happens these guys they have better training they have better nutrition and they have the Advent Advent of having saw what those guys did and studied those guys it's hard for me to believe that the inventions today are not better than some of the inventions we had TW 30 years ago that just happens do I believe the players as a hold they're more skilled players that can do multiple things AE elijuan was highly skilled you still I I'm not so sure that we've seen a big man that can dominate both ends of the Court like he could the man did a quadruple double they took one quadruple double away said it was it was faulty he went back and got another one two days later so that just shows you the skill level yes bird was skilled magic was highly skilled yes but as a whole Stephen A it would be hard pressed for you to say having covered the game as long as you have to say that they're not more skilled players guys that can shoot dribble and do multiple things today than they were 20 30 years ago it's just not true because the guys have gotten better the guys have practiced more the guys have uh coach better their nutrition is better guys work out harder the training yes but for for Antman to say that Mike was the only skilled player and when you had Isaiah you had bird and you had Elijah one a bro it was a lot of skilled players and by the way and the great players will always be great by the way Mark Maguire Mark aguire was skilled Adrien Dantley was skilled yeah okay let let's be very very clear about Charles Barkley is one of the greatest forwards in the history of basketball we can have we can we can knock him for not rebound but but that's right I mean Sean Kemp that wasn't skilled you understand I'm saying I mean I mean Gary pton that wasn't skilled I mean think about this Mar I mean listen I go back to Mark Price For Crying Out Loud out of Georgia Tech that was playing in Cleveland all of those years that brother wasn't skilled Allen Houston wasn't skilled Larry Johnson wasn't skilled Ying wasn't skilled I mean wait a minute now I mean there was a whole bunch of Ballers there was a whole bunch of cats that were playing that were very skilled the skill level might have elevated now but would you have known what to be Ant-Man if it were not for the Pioneers that had paved way that had given you a visual of what you could be that's where it emanates from and that's what we got to remember I'll just remind everyone he started with the quote saying that I never saw any of these guys play so I mean it's kind of much a do about nothing when you think of well just be just because you don't see well see that's why you shouldn't say that because you didn't see that's what I'm saying kind of contradicted himself actually work exactly before before he continued with the statement if you saw the entirety of the quote right here you go right and the thing is uh uh Stephen A and Molly is that when you look at it maybe some of the rules but the way the guys can shoot the basketball Stephen you you have been at the games earlier and you watch these guys the 13th guy on the bench can just flat out shoot the ball they guys those guys go 10 15 shots and don't miss a shot and they're shooting from 20 22 25 ft away it's crazy the way they can shoot the basketball yes the rule Chang it yes Stephen they don't let you the uh uh the hand check below the line the forarm they us to put your uh let you put your forearm in some of the rules but the guys the way Luca and the way jic and the way these guys can the skill level is just off the chart but a you can't say because you didn't see it that doesn't mean they weren't skilled yeah absolutely well falling in the bars because you didn't hear it it didn't make a sound yeah coming up uh Dan's take on the quarterback facing the highest expectations the season might make Stephen A and Shannon's heads explode stay tuned for that heated debate plus to the Cowboys we looking a lock in Dak Prescott before week one kicks off we'll get into it for [Music] [Music] w for for for for is for I [Music] [Music] for