There are LOTS of moments that are already Top Shot famous: LeBron’s no-look 3, the LaMelo cool cat reward, Ja’s TSD Dunk. On the occasion of the Magic Johnson drop, we wanted to take a look at moments that are truly iconic within NBA historical lore. What moments on the platform would be instantly recognizable to an NBA fan who had never heard of Top Shot? It’s a reason collectors seem so excited for the Magic Anthology: it really is an anthology – full of the absolute most famous and most impactful highlights from one of the greats to ever play. To form our list we used the following criteria:

Is the player a Hall of Famer level talent?
Would it qualify for a player’s :90 career highlight reel?
Does the play epitomize the player?
Are there historical intangibles attached to it? E.g. did it break a record, secure a championship, beat a rival?

Each of the plays below met at least 3 of these criteria. Without further ado, our Top 10:

Magic’s Rookie Finals Start at Center: Magic Johnson was a pretty successful point guard in the 1979-1980 season, finishing second in the Rookie of the Year voting to a guy named Larry Bird. But in Game 6 of the NBA Finals, with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar out with a sprained ankle, Magic stepped in with his first career start at Center. Magic had 42 points, 15 rebounds, and 7 assists in leading the team to an NBA Championship and winning the Finals MVP.

Giannis’ Series-Defining Finals Block: In the 2021 NBA Finals, the Bucks were down 2-1 in the series but had a 2-point lead late in the fourth quarter. DeAndre Ayton was rolling for an alley-oop lob from Devin Booker when Giannis came across the lane to block the shot and preserve the victory for the Bucks and even the series at 2-2. The Bucks would go on to win the NBA Finals behind additional epic performances from Giannis and Jrue Holiday. This was the play that set up Giannis for his first championship.

LeBron’s Kobe Tribute: Less than two weeks after Kobe Bryant tragically and unexpectedly passed away in a helicopter accident, Lebron James found himself with a breakaway dunk. When Lebron elevated, he threw down the same reverse windmill dunk that Kobe hammered home on that exact basket 19 years prior. It was an incredible homage from one NBA icon to another.

Steph’s Record Setting 3: The greatest shooter in NBA history breaks the record for all-time three point field goals made, at the NBA’s most iconic venue no less. Curry had long-since changed the game of basketball when he broke Ray Allen’s record for all-time three pointers made, but that doesn’t diminish the moment for Steph, his teammates, and his family who were in attendance.

Magic’s “Around the World” Assist: Magic changed the game with his passing, bringing the razzle-dazzle to the Showtime Lakers and inventing new ways to wow the crowds. No pass better epitomizes that style – Magic collecting the rebound, getting out on the break, and ultimately flipping a beautiful dime through multiple defenders for the dunk. An anchor for any credible Magic career highlight reel.

Iverson’s Double-Cross: The hook shot: Kareem. The bank shot: Tim Duncan. The crossover: Allen Iverson. There are only a few moves in NBA history that are almost singularly defined by one player, and Allen Iverson’s crossover dribble is certainly one of them. In the Run It Back set we got his most iconic crossover of all time – the infamous “double cross”, which left poor Antonio Daniels on the ground twice in the same play as Iverson blew by for a lay-up.

Magic’s Head Fake Assist: One of the greatest assists ever from maybe the best passer ever. Oft-emulated but never truly replicated. Magic’s assist here stands the test of time even though it’s not a game winner or a Finals play. Another fixture on any career highlight reel.

Manu’s Finals Dunk: In 2013, with 28.2 seconds remaining in Game 6 and a 3-2 series lead, the Spurs led Miami 94-89, hoping to clinch their fifth NBA Championship. Then Ray Allen hit one of the most clutch shots in NBA history, Miami went on to win Game 6 in OT, and then clinched their second straight title two days later. In 2014, Manu and the Spurs got their revenge. Ginobili muscled his way to the rim before slamming a left-handed dunk over Chris Bosh in the 5th and final game of the series, avenging their heart-breaking loss a year earlier while simultaneously ending the Big Three era in Miami.

D-Wade’s scoop: A career highlight reel staple play from a Championship year. Like Magic’s flashy assists, D Wade’s mid-air contortions defined his early career.

Magic’s Game-Winning Runner: Magic’s style was extremely unique, finding ways to impact the game through his passing, scoring, rebounding, and overall play-making. That uniqueness was on display here, as Magic willed the win against the hated Celtics with a 20-foot running bank shot. The victory over their bitter rival combined with the flair of the play make this an all-timer from Magic.