Did Magic Johnson just shade LeBron James? The five-time NBA champion’s praise of the new-look Los Angeles Lakers is raising serious eyebrows.
While celebrating the Lakers’ 10-2 start, Johnson dubbed the Luka Doncic-led roster “mentally and physically tougher” than last season’s, a line many interpreted as a sharp parting shot at James.
“Last year, the Lakers were a slow team that got beat in transition – but not this season,” Johnson wrote on X on Tuesday.
“This team is mentally and physically tougher, and that’s why they’re 10-2!”
It’s worth noting that the average age of the 2025-26 Lakers starting unit was 31.2 years, largely due to aging veterans such as James and Marcus Smart. By contrast, this year’s starting five averages 26.2 years (with an overall roster average of 25.1), and no player on the team is older than 30-year-old Kevon Looney.
Magic Johnson High on Lakers
As such, it’s not surprising that this year’s Lakers are better in transition. JJ Redick’s team currently ranks tied for 10th in transition points (24.3), fourth in transition FG% (.594) and seventh in points per fast-break possession (1.18). By contrast, last year’s Lakers ranked 18th in transition points (22.4) and 19th in attempts (14.5 per game).
Johnson is also impressed by the Lakers’ bench depth, which proved decisive in Monday’s 124–114 win over the Atlanta Hawks. Newcomers Sandro Mamukelashvili and Collin Sexton combined for 41 points, leading Johnson to emphasize that the win was about more than just MVP frontrunner Luka Doncic’s 32-point performance.
“The Lakers’ win wasn’t just about Luka Doncic (even though he scored 32 points),” the Hall of Famer wrote on X. “It was about Collin Sexton’s 18 points, Sandro Mamukelashvili’s five 3s on the way to 23 points, Walker Kessler’s 21 points and 10 rebounds, and Ziaire Williams’ 12 points. That production, along with Thiero’s defense, is why they were able to walk away with the win!”
Lakers Off to 10-2 Start
Johnson also reserved special praise for Lakers head coach JJ Redick.
“The Lakers’ win over the Hawks yesterday showed that JJ Redick has become a great NBA coach,” Johnson wrote on X.
“His in-game switch from man-to-man to a zone defense changed the trajectory of the game, and he’s outstanding at drawing up plays out of timeouts!”
The Lakers (10-2) are primed to extend their winning streak to seven games when they face the lowly Milwaukee Bucks (1-10) on Tuesday. With Austin Reaves (illness) set to return, the Lakers open as massive 12.5-point favorites despite playing on the road.
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