Magic Johnson and Larry Bird's rivalry began in college and continued in the NBA. Bird won the Rookie of the Year Award over Johnson, which still bothers Johnson today. However, Johnson won the championship and Finals MVP during his rookie year, making up for the loss of the award. Data shows that Bird deserved the award, as he had better stats and led his team to a better record. Despite this, both players had exceptional first seasons and their rivalry became one of the greatest in sports history.
