'After the Dance': Magic Johnson picks his five players who would have been stars in his and Jordan's era

'After the Dance With Stephen A Smith: A SportsCenter Special' saw ESPN host and NBA expert commentator, Smith interact with the legends of the game and one of them was NBA legend, Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson (Getty Images)
Magic Johnson (Getty Images)

'The Last Dance' may have been done this Sunday, but that hasn't stopped the show from being widely discussed across the world. 'After the Dance With Stephen A Smith: A SportsCenter Special' saw ESPN host and NBA expert commentator, Smith interact with the legends of the game and one of them was NBA legend, Magic Johnson. One of the questions the Hall of Famer was asked were names of five current players who would have been stellar performers and stars in the era Magic and Johnson played in. 

"Well that's really easy for me," Johnson said. "LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Stephen Curry, Anthony Davis, and Giannis Antetokounmpo." While talking about Durant, he also added: "No question, that guy can score in any era." When it came to Curry, "Steph Curry could still shoot the way he's shooting right now," he opined. According to Bleacher Report, Curry has four of the top six seasons in NBA history in made three-pointers, a technique that would have made him difficult to defend back in the day.

Johnson also said Davis and Antetokounmpo "could definitely play in the era that I was in."  The show also saw big names in the form of Shaquille O'Neal, Whoopi Goldberg, Robin Roberts, and Anthony Anderson. As far as the 'The Last Dance' goes, the 10-part ESPN docuseries final episodes, 9 and 10,  averaged 5.9 million viewers across the world. Fans have been optimistic about the special and this fan tweet describes it perfectly— "Stephen A. Smith’s best work has always been with the NBA. Great to see him and Magic talking about MJ."

'The Last Dance' traced the final season of the Chicago Bulls under Phil Jackson while also going in-depth by dishing out never-seen-before footage and some valuable information by Jordan himself. 'After the Dance' comes across as an additional welcome piece of content after the massive impact the ESPN docuseries had on fans worldwide. 

Who are your five players who could have been among the greats in Johnson and Jordan's times?

'The Last Dance' is available for streaming on Netflix. 

GET THE BIGGEST ENTERTAINMENT STORIES
STRAIGHT TO YOUR INBOX.

MORE STORIES

Amazon's two-part docuseries follows Melania Trump's preparations for her return to the White House and the moments after the inauguration.
2026-11-06T17:33:16.000Z
Dwight Manfredi's criminal empire faces a new challenge as 'Tulsa King' Season 5 introduces powerful New York gangster with extensive street network.
2026-11-06T16:13:38.000Z
Netflix's 'North of North' brings the fictional town of Ice Cove to life using real Arctic landscapes, neighbourhoods, and historic landmarks.
2026-11-06T14:06:52.000Z
A Chicago clip of the Mike and Lucas actors in 1980s-style outfits has fans revisiting the Vecna mind theory.
2026-11-06T12:17:40.000Z
With Jo making a new friend and Simone recovering from a medical procedure, Kwan comes across an unexpected family member.
2026-11-06T11:56:01.000Z
Sarah Drew plays a Christmas shop owner whose cheerful face and sharp inner voice tell two stories.
2026-11-06T11:46:52.000Z
Ben Whishaw‘s character Sam faces deadly ultimatums, dangerous debts, and major life decisions in the ‘Black Doves’ Season 2 finale
2026-11-06T06:49:21.000Z
David Boreanaz will play Jim Rockford, a private investigator who is now on parole after being wrongfully imprisoned
2026-11-06T05:10:15.000Z
‘Black Doves’ creator Joe Barton shares an update on potential Season 3 plans as the Netflix thriller ends Season 2 on a cliffhanger
2026-11-06T04:39:35.000Z
Chris Pratt will return in 'Savage Son,' which is Jack Carr’s third novel in the book series
2026-11-06T04:02:47.000Z