Lakers: Kyle Kuzma and the six most impressive rookies in team history

3. Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson could have gone down as the best player of all-time if his career was not shortened by HIV. Johnson is already regarded by many as the best point guard in NBA history and may be the only one to challenge Kobe Bryant as the best Laker of all-time. Although Michael Jordan would have eventually given him a run for his money, Johnson was carving out a career that screamed greatest of all-time.

It all started with his rookie campaign, where surprisingly, he did not win the NBA Rookie of the Year award. The first-overall pick, who was his biggest on-court rival and off-court friend, Larry Bird, took home the trophy. This ended up being just another chapter in the infamous Magic vs. Bird rivalry that was arguably the best in NBA history.

In his rookie campaign, Johnson averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game. This was just the start for Johnson, who began churning out triple-double and came very close several times to averaging one throughout the course of the season.

Johnson played like a bigger, better scoring, Lonzo Ball. The rebounding and assist numbers between the two are staggering similar, however, Johnson exhibited a knack to score the basketball as well. He was the NBA’s LeBron James before LeBron James. Except Johnson actually played the point, something James hasn’t done besides some brief stretches.

Now an owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Los Angeles Sparks and the president of basketball operations for the Lakers, Johnson has been continuing his legacy.