The term ‘superstar’ is often a topic of debate among NBA fans. There are a lot of great stars in basketball, but only the elite get the title of superstar.

Players like LeBron James, Stephen Curry, and Kevin Durant best fit that billing in the modern NBA. But some younger stars, like Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic, can also make a case for themselves.

The subject of what defines a superstar has come up quite recently with Tyrese Haliburton. Stephen A. Smith sparked some discourse when he claimed Haliburton wasn’t a superstar, despite his incredible playoff run so far. Haliburton had his chance to respond, but the discussion has only gotten more heated

While the current NBA Finals ratings back up Smith’s argument, what Magic Johnson told him on First Take narrowed the definition down even further.

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During an appearance on First Take, Magic Johnson discussed a host of issues. When he wasn’t busy reprimanding the Knicks for trading Donte DiVincenzo, Johnson gave some insightful analysis.

Stephen A. Smith asked Magic Johnson to define what makes a superstar in the modern NBA while discussing Luka Doncic on the Lakers. The five-time NBA champion responded by saying it’s their ability to draw a crowd when entering hostile environments.

“A person who can go on the road and sell the building out… I’m going to see that person. You gotta be box office… Larry Bird? People are running home (to watch him). Charles Barkley? People are running home. Shaq, Kobe.”

“And then, of course, the greatest of every player, Michael Jordan. People are running home to see him. Or they’re trying their best to get into the arena to see that brother play. That’s a superstar. A guy who can go on the road and sell the building out.”

Magic Johnson calling Michael Jordan the greatest superstar ever isn’t surprising, given how much respect the two have for each other.

But the data actually backs up Johnson’s argument that Jordan is the greatest superstar in NBA history.

In a study conducted by Versus Review, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal were compared on their drawing power.

The numbers show that Jordan was by far the biggest draw among the four superstars. Following up Jordan, unsurprisingly, were LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Shaquille O’Neal.

However, it appears the combined star power of Kobe and Shaq on the Lakers was enough to get away fans to pack out an arena. Here are the full results below:

In fact, if we compare the farewell seasons of three of the superstars (LeBron James is still an active player), the results are pretty much the same. In fact, Jordan dominated the results despite having two different farewell tours:

The numbers prove Magic Johnson’s point. Michael Jordan, by far, is the greatest superstar in NBA history.

We will have to wait and see the kind of numbers LeBron James pulls in on the road when he announces his retirement from the NBA.

It’s unlikely that LeBron will be able to usurp Michael Jordan, given how long he has been playing in the NBA.

His presence for over 20 years has become somewhat normalized, and fans may opt not to shell out an absurd amount of money to catch a glimpse of the King, one last time.

That is a fairly presumptuous take. But for now, much like in many other debates, Michael Jordan can rest easy at the top of the mountain as the greatest superstar ever.