“Magic Johnson Could Never Shoot”
Media Gossip/Musings, NBA May 22nd. 2008, 6:15pm
These were the words uttered by New York’s favorite surly radio host, Mike Francesa. He said this on Monday and we jotted the note down, and for whatever reason, we didn’t get to it until today. Blogs are irresponsible? Radio can often be much, much worse. Often, there isn’t time – or the desire? – to look anything up. In this case, something relevant – say, Magic Johnson’s career field goal percentage – might have helped. (The discussion pertained to LeBron being an awful shooter in the wake of the Cavs’ elimination.) The great thing about the internet: Facts!
* For the first nine seasons of his career, Magic averaged less than one three-point attempt per game.
* In seven of those nine seasons, he averaged a three point attempt every other game.
* In eight of his first nine seasons in the league, Magic shot above 50 percent from the field
* In the three seasons he attempted over 100 three-pointers, he shot 31 percent, 38 percent, and 32 percent
Our point? Absolutes are annoying, and one of the highest-rated radio programs in the country can do better. Magic Johnson rarely shot the three-ball. If you want to say, “Magic Johnson wasn’t an awesome three-point shooter,” that’s fine, because his career percentage was only 30 (even though, as evidenced above, he really only shot three’s for three seasons, and his average in that duration was 34 percent).
“Could never shoot?” That phrase is reserved for statements like, “Shaq could never shoot free throws.” Or “Ben Wallace could never shoot free throws.”
13 Responses to ““Magic Johnson Could Never Shoot””
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May 22nd, 2008 at 6:21 PM
Michael Strahan just turned green.
May 22nd, 2008 at 6:46 PM
Oswald couldn’t shoot.
/JFK’s real killer.
May 22nd, 2008 at 6:47 PM
Magic was So Great because he knew When-to-Shoot
May 22nd, 2008 at 6:48 PM
kevin lover could never shoot from half court.
oh never mind.
May 22nd, 2008 at 6:56 PM
MAgic could shoot, he just looked funy doing it, and people remember all the other shooters around him.
May 22nd, 2008 at 10:24 PM
“that’s right, dawg. now let’s talk about the yankees.”
May 23rd, 2008 at 12:21 AM
Dog: Thanks for the call Tony…Now to Greg in Brooklyn
Greg: Hey Guys, first time long time!
Dog: GREG I COM-PLETLY DISAGREE, BAD JOB BY YOU, UNACCEPTABLE
Francesa: Takes sip of diet coke, gets up and leaves room to warm up yesterdays pizza cause the 20/20 is in three few minutes
- Your New York Drive Time Sports Talk Radio WFAN!!!
May 23rd, 2008 at 12:32 AM
Yeah, I think I might be stealing this from Greg Anthony, but the mark of a great player is putting yourself into position to take the shots you can make. Maybe he was an average jump shooter, but being so fantabulously awesome at everything else should more than make up for it.
May 23rd, 2008 at 1:47 AM
way to call Francesa out on his BS
May 23rd, 2008 at 2:12 AM
maybe you misunderstood what francesa said what with the ham sandwich he was stuffing into his mouth
May 23rd, 2008 at 8:50 AM
TBL, why do you still listen to those clowns? ESPN radio is much better. You should listen to Michael Kay’s show.
May 23rd, 2008 at 8:50 AM
Basically you just proved Mikes point. if Magic could shoot he’d take more than 1 trey every three games right??? And just because someone has a high FG% doesn’t make them a good shooter.
May 23rd, 2008 at 9:14 AM
Bigger point to be made: with guys like James Worthy, Byron Scott and Michael Cooper next to him, Magic didn’t have to take too many threes. His job was to run the offense and set everyone else up.