http://www.behindthebasket.com/btb/2012/2/15/why-the-lakers-almost-didnt-pick-magic-johnson-and-why-that.html

1) 5 years into his career, Magic had a reputation as a coach-killer, terrible in the clutch, egotistical, and Sports Illustrated called him “greedy, petulant, and obnoxious.” All of this changed down the road, but you gotta think teams at the top of the draft knew this was who they were getting in the present.
2) Moncrief was a phenomenal shooter – Magic was decent at best and had a good FG% because he was playing on a fastbreak club with great surrounding talent.
3) Moncrief was without question the best defensive guard of the 80′s – Magic was pretty bad but luckily had Kareem behind him.
4) Moncrief was putting up averages of 23 ppg, 7 rpg (and amazing on the offensive glass for a G), and 5 apg before a horrendous set of knee injuries wiped him out from 1986 on. If he came along when arthroscopic surgery existed, this career would have continued, and he would have been one of the 3 best guards of the 80′s, a decade with unbelievable talent.
5) With his best surrounding talent being an over-the-hill Marques Johnson and Terry Cummings, Moncrief lead the Bucks to the decade’s 3rd best winning %. In fact, they finished 1st in their division every year in his prime over the Pistons with Isiah/Laimbeer and the Hawks with Dominique/Willis.

Again, Magic was the right call, but look at how great Moncrief’s career was before his knees took him out: one of the 2-3 best defensive guards ever, a great shooter and slasher who could easily put up 20 ppg with very good rebound-assist averages for the SG position on a team with FAR less talent than Magic or Bird were dealing with. Put him in today’s league with the right surgery and everyone practicing/using 3-pointers, and we’re talking about someone totally different.