Magic Johnson
After growing up in Lansing, Michigan, Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. took his basketball talent to Michigan State University. He reached the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight and the championship game in his two respective years with the Spartans and then declared for the 1979 NBA Draft.
The Los Angeles Lakers took Johnson with the first overall pick, setting into motion 13 seasons with the franchise. Considered one of the best point guards of all time, Magic won five championships and an NBA Finals MVP with the Showtime Lakers. Following an HIV diagnosis in 1991, he retired from the NBA to address his health. Johnson did represent the United States at the 1992 Olympics, winning a gold medal with the Dream Team. After returning to the Lakers for one season, he retired for the final time in 1996.
In 2002, Johnson entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame as both an NBA player and member of the Olympic Dream Team. He served as the Lakers' President of Basketball Operations from 2017 to 2019. The now-62-year-old continues to advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and safety.
- Former teams: Los Angeles Lakers
- Position: Point guard, shooting guard, and power forward
- Height: 6'9″
- Accomplishments: Five-time NBA champion, three-time Finals MVP, 12-time All-Star, 10-time All-NBA, and 2002 Hall of Fame induction
- Drafted: No. 1 overall in 1979 by the Los Angeles Lakers
- Shoots: Right
- Nicknames: Magic, The Magic Man, Tragic, E.J. the Deejay
Visit Magic Johnson's Basketball Reference page.
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A broken-down Larry Bird wasn't sure about joining the 1992 Dream Team until his old rival, Magic Johnson, got involved.
Things looked bleak after Game 1 of the 1985 NBA Finals for Magic Johnson's Lakers vs. Larry Bird's Celtics. Then Pat Riley stepped in.
Magic Johnson claims that if he was drafted by the Chicago Bulls instead of the Los Angeles Lakers, the team never would've gotten Michael Jordan.
As Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics celebrated their 1984 championship, LA Lakers star Magic Johnson was watching from his hotel room window.
After turning down a deal with Nike, here's a look at how much money Magic Johnson made by signing with Converse in 1979!
Magic Johnson may not officially be working for the Los Angeles Lakers, but he did a good job of explaining the franchise's offseason challenges/
Magic Johnson said he was “upset” the playoff series between the Boston Celtics and Milwaukee Bucks had to come to an end.
