LeBron James vs Magic Johnson

4of 9 lines

5of 9 lines

LeBron James and Magic Johnson compared on their NBA careers: LeBron James played 23 seasons, 2003-04 to 2025-26, Magic Johnson 13 seasons, 1979-80 to 1995-96. LeBron James averaged 26.8 points a game to Magic Johnson's 19.5. LeBron James won 4 titles, Magic Johnson won 5 titles.

Who has the better career numbers?

Magic Johnson leads in 5 of the 9 lines, LeBron James in 4. Bold marks the better figure; playing time — games, minutes, at-bats, innings — is not scored.

LeBron James and Magic Johnson career per game

1,622	GP	906
37.6	MIN	36.7
26.8, better	PTS	19.5
7.5, better	REB	7.2
7.4	AST	11.2, better
1.5	STL	1.9, better
0.7, better	BLK	0.4
50.7	FG%	52, better
34.8, better	3P%	30.3
73.7	FT%	84.8, better
59	TS%	61, better

Career totals

LeBron James and Magic Johnson career totals

43,440, better	PTS	17,707
12,095, better	REB	6,559
12,016, better	AST	10,141
2,417, better	STL	1,724
1,185, better	BLK	374
50.7	FG%	52, better
34.8, better	3P%	30.3
73.7	FT%	84.8, better
59	TS%	61, better

How do they compare in the playoffs?

LeBron James and Magic Johnson postseason

302	GP	190
41.2	MIN	39.7
28.2, better	PTS	19.5
8.9, better	REB	7.7
7.2	AST	12.3, better
1.7	STL	1.9, better
1, better	BLK	0.3
49.5	FG%	50.6, better
33.2, better	3P%	24.1
74.1	FT%	83.8, better
58.3	TS%	59.5, better

Where each stands all time

LeBron James and Magic Johnson all-time places

1st (43,440), better	Points	90th (17,707)
16th (12,095), better	Rebounds	127th (6,559)
4th (12,016), better	Assists	8th (10,141)
6th (2,636), better	3-pointers made	—
6th (2,417), better	Steals	26th (1,724)
64th (1,185), better	Blocks	—

Among the NBA players with a career line on file, regular season, counting stats only — the same lists the records pages run on.

Titles and awards

LeBron James and Magic Johnson titles and awards

4	Championships	5, better
4, better	Finals MVP	3
1	All-Rookie First Team	1
4, better	All-NBA Second Team	1
13, better	All-NBA First Team	9
4, better	MVP	3
3, better	All-Star MVP	2
1, better	Rookie of the Year	—
5, better	All-Defensive First Team	—
1, better	All-Defensive Second Team	—
4, better	All-NBA Third Team	—

Awards come from the league’s published winner lists; a championship counts a season played for the club that won it.

Season by season

Lined up by career year, not by calendar: each row is the players’ nth season.

LeBron James and Magic Johnson season by season

1st	2003-04	20.9, better	5.5	5.9	1979-80	18.0	7.7, better	7.3, better
2nd	2004-05	27.2, better	7.4	7.2	1980-81	21.6	8.6, better	8.6, better
3rd	2005-06	31.4, better	7.0	6.6	1981-82	18.6	9.6, better	9.5, better
4th	2006-07	27.3, better	6.7	6.0	1982-83	16.8	8.6, better	10.5, better
5th	2007-08	30.0, better	7.9, better	7.2	1983-84	17.6	7.3	13.1, better
6th	2008-09	28.4, better	7.6, better	7.2	1984-85	18.3	6.2	12.6, better
7th	2009-10	29.7, better	7.3, better	8.6	1985-86	18.8	5.9	12.6, better
8th	2010-11	26.7, better	7.5, better	7.0	1986-87	23.9	6.3	12.2, better
9th	2011-12	27.1, better	7.9, better	6.2	1987-88	19.6	6.2	11.9, better
10th	2012-13	26.8, better	8.0, better	7.3	1988-89	22.5	7.9	12.8, better
11th	2013-14	27.1, better	6.9, better	6.3	1989-90	22.3	6.6	11.5, better
12th	2014-15	25.3, better	6.0	7.4	1990-91	19.4	7.0, better	12.5, better
13th	2015-16	25.3, better	7.4, better	6.8	1995-96	14.6	5.7	6.9, better
14th	2016-17	26.4	8.6	8.7	—	—	—	—
15th	2017-18	27.5	8.6	9.1	—	—	—	—
16th	2018-19	27.4	8.5	8.3	—	—	—	—
17th	2019-20	25.3	7.8	10.2	—	—	—	—
18th	2020-21	25.0	7.7	7.8	—	—	—	—
19th	2021-22	30.3	8.2	6.2	—	—	—	—
20th	2022-23	28.9	8.3	6.8	—	—	—	—
21st	2023-24	25.7	7.3	8.3	—	—	—	—
22nd	2024-25	24.4	7.8	8.2	—	—	—	—
23rd	2025-26	20.9	6.1	7.2	—	—	—	—

What the columns mean: PTS · REB · AST