[217] In 2018, Los Angeles FC debuted in MLS as an expansion team, and in 2022 won the MLS Cup. [44] The Lakers again reached the Finals, and for a third time faced the Sixers, who featured center Moses Malone as well as Erving. [41], During the 197879 season, Michigan State again qualified for the NCAA tournament, where they advanced to the championship game and faced Indiana State, which was led by senior Larry Bird. [4] Several of his achievements in individual games have also been named among the top moments in the NBA. [113], Johnson was chosen to compete in the Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics for the U.S. national team, dubbed the "Dream Team" because of the NBA stars on the roster. Then in 1985, Converse asked Johnson and Bird to tape a shoe commercial in French Lick, Ind., Bird's hometown. It got me out of my own little world and taught me how to understand white people, how to communicate and deal with them. He shares his latest ventureMagic Johnson Development Corporationwhich develops commercial property in neglected urban and suburban neighborhoods. [192] The experience taught him to listen to his customers and find out what products they wanted. [226][227], To prevent his HIV infection from progressing to AIDS, Johnson takes a daily combination of drugs, also called a drug cocktail. [28] The Spartans reached the Elite Eight, but lost narrowly to eventual national champion Kentucky. After showing Schultz the tremendous buying power of minorities, Johnson was able to purchase 125 Starbucks stores, which reported higher than average per capita sales. He had become more powerful and stronger than in his earlier years, but was also slower and less nimble. [152], Johnson introduced a fast-paced style of basketball called "Showtime", described as a mix of "no-look passes off the fastbreak, pin-point alley-oops from halfcourt, spinning feeds and overhand bullets under the basket through triple teams. Double your traffic. [185], Johnson runs Magic Johnson Enterprises, a conglomerate company that has a net worth of $700million;[13] its subsidiaries include Magic Johnson Productions, a promotional company; Magic Johnson Theaters, a nationwide chain of movie theaters; and Magic Johnson Entertainment, a film studio. [121][122], Johnson returned to the NBA as coach of the Lakers near the end of the 199394 NBA season, replacing Randy Pfund, and Bill Bertka, who served as an interim coach for two games. [163], On February 21, 2017, Johnson replaced Jim Buss as the president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers. Michael B. Jordan, LeBron James, Kevin Durant, Fanatics.com TV Spot, 'All-In Challenge' Featuring Kevin Hart, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ellen DeGeneres, Samsung Galaxy Note II TV Spot, 'Big Day' Featuring LeBron James, NBA TV Spot, 'This Is Why We Play: Anthem', AT&T Wireless TV Spot, 'The Codes We Live By' Feat. This site uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. [40], Before the 199293 NBA season, Johnson announced his intention to stage an NBA comeback. [28] In the last championship series of his career, Johnson averaged 18.6points on .431shooting, 12.4assists, and 8.0rebounds per game. [48] Coach Paul Westhead, who had replaced McKinney early in the season after he had a near-fatal bicycle accident,[49][54] decided to start Johnson at center in Game 6; Johnson recorded 42points, 15rebounds, 7assists, and 3 steals in a 123107 win, while playing guard, forward, and center at different times during the game. Johnson was publicly critical of Van Exel, saying his actions were "inexcusable. [213] He won the WNBA championship as the owner in 2016. Other Facts: 9. [36] Johnson played with the team frequently over the next several years, with possibly the most memorable game occurring in November 2001. [157] The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inducted him in 2002. [40] Playing with future NBA draftees Greg Kelser, Jay Vincent, and Mike Brkovich, Johnson averaged 17.0points, 7.9rebounds, and 7.4assists per game as a freshman, and led the Spartans to a 255record, the Big Ten Conference title, and a berth in the 1978 NCAA tournament. and his parents couldn't be happier for their kid. Charles Barkley, Samuel L. Jackson, Magic Johnson, Sue Bird, National Basketball Association TV Spot, 'NBA Voices' Song by Andra Day, Capital One QuickSilver TV Spot, 'Fortune Teller' Ft. Charles Barkley, Samuel L. Jackson, Spike Lee, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention TV Spot, 'COVID-19: NBA: Protect Yourself', Magic Card TV Spot Featuring Magic Johnson, Google Pixel 6 TV Spot, 'Magic Johnson Meets Magic Eraser', NBA TV Spot, 'Unbelievable is Big' Featuring Magic Johnson. [85][86] The Lakers met the Celtics for the third time in the NBA Finals, and in Game 4 Johnson hit a last-second hook shot over Celtics big men Parish and Kevin McHale to win the game 107106. In 1992, Buss had given Johnson a contract that paid him $14 million a year, as payback for all the years he was not the league's highest-paid player. [222] He endorsed and appeared in campaign ads for unsuccessful Los Angeles mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel in 2013. [44] The Lakers reached the Finals for the third year in a row, where Johnson's Lakers and Bird's Celtics met for the first time in the postseason. Magic Johnson is a top business keynote speaker, former NBA great, and Chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises. Education: Attended Michigan State University, 1977-1979. [200] Johnson sold his ownership stake in the Lakers in October 2010 to Patrick Soon-Shiong, a Los Angeles surgeon and professor at UCLA,[201] but continued as an unpaid vice president for the team. [74] Johnson averaged another double-double season, with 17.6points, 13.1assists, and 7.3rebounds per game. In 1991, . [44] Johnson shares the single-game playoff record for assists (24),[152] holds the Finals record for assists in a game (21),[152] and has the most playoff assists (2,346). [33], Despite their on-court rivalry, Johnson and Bird became close friends during the filming of a 1984 Converse shoe advertisement that depicted them as enemies. Although Andre was raised by his mother, he visited Johnson each summer, and later worked for Magic Johnson Enterprises as a marketing director. His favorite basketball player was Bill Russell, whom he admired more for his many championships than his athletic ability. He is also part of a group of investors that purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 and the Los Angeles Sparks in 2014,[18] and was part of the ownership group that established Los Angeles F.C. The former athlete,. [151], In 905NBA games, Johnson tallied 17,707points, 6,559rebounds, and 10,141assists, translating to career averages of 19.5points, 7.2rebounds, and 11.2assists per game, the highest assists per game average in NBA history. "[28][33] Johnson could dominate a game without scoring, running the offense and distributing the ball with flair. A Defining Lunch. Magic Johnson Investments He has had partnerships previously with Starbucks, 24-Hour Fitness, T.G.I Fridays, and AMC Theatres. [137] By the time he returned to the Lakers in 1996, the Magic Johnson All-Stars had amassed a record of 550, and Johnson was earning as much as $365,000 per game. [202] In February 2017, Johnson returned to the Lakers as an advisor to Jeanie Buss. 17 in their "50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century"[159] In 2006, ESPN.com rated Johnson the greatest point guard of all time, stating, "It could be argued that he's the one player in NBA history who was better than Michael Jordan. "[3] Bleacher Report also listed Johnson first in its all-time NBA point guard rankings. 8. By the time he had reached the eighth grade, Johnson had begun to think about a future in basketball. [98], Playing without Abdul-Jabbar for the first time, Johnson won his third MVP award[99] after a strong 198990 NBA season in which he averaged 22.3points, 11.5assists, and 6.6rebounds per game. Earvin "Magic" Johnson, William Novak. Johnson learned everything he could about business, often meeting with corporate executives during road trips. After a triple-double from Johnson in Game 6, the Lakers defeated the Sixers 42, as Johnson won his second NBA Finals MVP award. [146] With the two future Hall of Famers, the league won a whole generation of new fans,[147] drawing both traditionalist adherents of Bird's dirt court Indiana game and those appreciative of Johnson's public park flair. Magic Johnson Development Corporation, which develops commercial property in long neglected . Real-Time Video Ad Creative Assessment While Charles Barkley, Samuel L. Jackson and Magic Johnson ready themselves for the Final Four of March Madness, Barkley shares that he got four percent cash back on his tickets via the Capital One Savor card. EJ was born June 4, 1992, during a turbulent time in Magic's life. [72] In a losing effort against Philadelphia, Johnson averaged 19.0points on .403shooting, 12.5assists, and 7.8rebounds per game. [154], Johnson was exceptional because he played point guard despite being 6ft 9in (2.06m), a size reserved normally for frontcourt players. Magic Johnson Music signed R&B artist Avant as its first act. [143] He later joined the Danish team The Great Danes. [37], Although Johnson was recruited by several top-ranked colleges such as Indiana and UCLA, he decided to play close to home. It took a 1987 commercial shoot in French Lick, Indiana, to bridge that gap. The 29-year-old reality TV personality came out to the basketball great, 62, in 2010, and at first, the latter wasn't too. ", "NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for Assists Per Game", "NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Assists Per Game", "NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Assists", "Magic Johnson Says It Breaks His Heart That Kobe Bryant Won't Be At Hall Of Fame Ceremony", "Magic Johnson's HIV activism hasn't slowed 22 years after historic announcement", "7: Magic Johnson announces he's HIV-positive", "Magic Touch: Magic Johnson's Fast Break Into Business", "Magic Johnson and other Dodgers owners purchase the Sparks", "Magic Johnson now has championship rings in the NBA, MLB and WNBA", "Rebounding from basketball court to boardroom", "Detroit Board's Busing Decision Termed 'Unwise', "State Basketball Championships Are Now History", "Everett High School - Archives Yearbook (Lansing, MI), Class of 1977", "Consensus All-America Teams (196970 to 197879)", "Magic Johnson Returns To The Breslin Center", "Rookie Makes the Lakers Believe in Magic", "The Extra Pass: Talking "Showtime" Lakers with author Jeff Pearlman", "NBA's Greatest Moments: Magic Fills in at Center", "Sports of The Times; Magic Johnson's Legacy", "Johnson rubs LA's Magic lantern for 25 million bucks", "Seven Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.S. Dollar Amount 1790 to Present", "Moses Helps Dr. J, Sixers Reach Promised Land", "Ticker: Jerry West still fielding Magic Johnson-Norm Nixon questions", "Celtics Win First BirdMagic Finals Showdown", "Isiah blasts Magic Johnson over criticisms in forthcoming book", "Kareem, Lakers Conquer the Celtic Mystique", "Waiting Game Ends for Impatient Pistons", "Johnson Not Ready To Pass Mantle; For 9th Time, Lakers Show Magic Touch", "Bulls Finally Get That Championship Feeling", "Still stunning the world 10 years later", "Knee injury knocks Magic out of Dream Team lineup against Germany", "Magic Johnson wishes he hadn't retired so early (Video)", "Magic Johnson's Gala Midsummer Night Magic Gets $1.3 Mil for UNCF", "Game worn Shaquille O'Neal jersey from "A Midsummer Night's Magic" charity game", "Pro Basketball; Los Angeles Lakers Hire Magic Johnson To Be Head Coach", "199394 Los Angeles Lakers Schedule and Results", "Johnson gets win in first game as coach", "199394 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats", "Pro Basketball; Leaving on His Terms, Johnson Retires Again", "Hitting Referee Costs Van Exel $187,000", "Magic Raises Questions About Laker Confusion", "Outside the Lines: Magic 10 Years Later, and Limits of Loyalty", "Men's Basketball Opens Exhibition Season Against Magic Johnson All-Stars", "Memory Lane: Magic records triple-double in exhibition win vs. Mich. St", "Historias nrdicas: Magic Johnson, el vikingo", "Book review: When the Game Was Ours by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson", "HBO Documentary Revisits Magic JohnsonLarry Bird Rivalry That Saved Basketball", "All-Time Playoffs Individual Career Leaders", "Top N. American athletes of the century", "Jordan to Bird: Top 10 moments in NBA All-Star history", "Larry Bird and Magic Johnson Receive NBA Lifetime Achievement Award", "Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, exec Jim Buss relieved of duties as Magic Johnson takes over basketball operations", "Magic Johnson abruptly resigns as Lakers' president", "Magic Johnson steps down as Lakers' president of basketball operations", "Magic Johnson: Los Angeles Lakers legend resigns", "Earvin Johnson III, Magic Johnson's Gay Son, Goes Public With Boyfriend, Parents Very Proud (Video)", "Magic Johnson's House in Southern California", "Hot property: For Magic Johnson, Dana Point vacation home's a slam dunk", "Magic Johnson on Jeremy Lin: 'God is Good', "Magic Johnson Testifies His Christian Faith in God at Connecticut Huskies vs. Michigan State Spartans NCAA's March Madness 2014 Game", "Magic Johnson, NBA all-stars join Obama, play hoops for troops", "Report: Johnson to became part owner of Lakers", "To Magic Johnson, Jerry Buss was friend, mentor and 'second father', "Magic says Buss made him the man he is today", "Magic Johnson Gives His Label an Assist", "Sports Briefing Pro Basketball; Magic Johnson Signs With ESPN", "Magic Johnson joins ESPN, ABC as NBA studio analyst", "Magic Johnson on his growing foodservice business", "Former Magic Johnson Theaters reopens as Rave Cinemas", "Starbucks Acquires Remaining Interest in Magic Johnson Enterprises' Urban Coffee Opportunities (UCO)", "Magic Johnson sells his 105 Starbucks franchises", "Magic Johnson wows the crowd and talks minority-owned businesses", "Magic Johnson Says He Wouldn't Have Joined Bird After LeBron James's Move", "Bank On Condos: NBA Great In $71M Tower Deal", "Manhattan-style condos come to Fort Greene", "Magic Johnson buys into D.C.-area Pepsi bottling operation", "Magic Johnson Becomes Part Owner of Lakers", "Magic Johnson would be interested in buying Clippers, source says", "Magic Johnson reportedly interested in buying Clippers, NBA plans Tuesday press conference on Donald Sterling investigation", "Magic Johnson buys life insurance company", "Wizards, Warriors, and Magic: A Strategic Partnership", "Magic Johnson leads dream team bidding for Dodgers", "Magic Johnson-led group is picked as Dodgers' next owner", "From bankruptcy to a World Series title: Dodgers' ascension is Magic", "New Dragons owners say they won't mess with success", "Capital Buzz: D.C. businessman buying Dayton baseball team", "Magic Johnson, 55, Los Angeles Sparks Co-Owner", "Sparks defeat Lynx for first WNBA championship since 2002", "Magic Johnson, Mia Hamm among owners of new L.A. pro soccer team", "MLS Wants Fans' Help To Pick Team Name, Logo For New 'LA Football Club', "LA's MLS expansion team announces official club name: Los Angeles Football Club", "Justin Bieber, Magic Johnson, Will Ferrell among many stars at MLS Cup 2022", "Magic Johnson backs Angelides for Governor", "Magic Johnson, Bill Clinton team up for Hillary", "Magic Johnson Backing Barbara Boxer for US Senate", "Magic Johnson Endorses President Barack Obama", "Magic Johnson endorses Wendy Greuel for L.A. mayor", "I feel @HillaryClinton will be a great President for the American people and she will make sure that everyone has a voice! Visit California TV Spot, 'Living the Dream' Feat. [62], In 1981, after the 198081 season, Johnson signed a 25-year, $25million contract with the Lakers (equivalent to $75,000,000 in 2021), which was the highest-paying contract in sports history up to that point. [67] Despite his off-court troubles, Johnson averaged 18.6points, 9.6rebounds, 9.5assists, and a league-high 2.7steals per game, and was voted a member of the All-NBA Second Team. [100] Mike Dunleavy became the Lakers' head coach in 199091, when Johnson had grown to be the league's third-oldest point guard. [75] Friends Isiah Thomas and Mark Aguirre consoled him that night, talking until the morning in his Boston hotel room amidst fan celebrations on the street. Magic Johnson says he wanted to hit Howard Stern after the popular radio host made comments about his HIV diagnosis during an appearance on Johnson's short-lived late-night talk show in 1998. [123][124] Johnson, who took the job at the urging of owner Jerry Buss, admitted "I've always had the desire (to coach) in the back of my mind." Magic Johnson joined Shaquille O'Neal and celebrity coach Spike Lee to lead the blue team to a 147132 victory over the white team, which was coached by Arsenio Hall. Bird was adamant that he would not appear in the Converse advert if it was filmed in LA. Read also Don Johnson Left Barbra Streisand to Remarry Melanie Griffith Following Her Pregnancy They also toured the United States, playing five games against teams from the CBA. [10] He also has a son, Andre Johnson, from a previous relationship. That initial battle was an appetizer for the decade that followed as the pair became two of the greatest basketball players in NBA history who developed a fierce personal rivalry during the 1980s that included three meetings in the NBA Finals. [59] The 54-win Lakers faced the 4042 Houston Rockets in the first round of playoffs,[60][61] where Houston upset the Lakers 21 after Johnson airballed a last-second shot in Game 3. [21] Johnson, who had six siblings and three half-siblings by his father's previous marriage,[22][23][a] was influenced by his parents' strong work ethic. After leaving the NBA in 1991, Johnson formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a barnstorming team that traveled around the world playing exhibition games.[10]. Nov 4, 2021 at 12:46 pm ET 1 min read. The Lakers took a 32lead in the series, but Abdul-Jabbar, who averaged 33points a game in the series,[53] sprained his ankle in Game 5 and could not play in Game 6. [17] Johnson's first foray into business, a high-end sporting goods store named Magic 32,[17] failed after only one year, costing him $200,000. [221] In 2012, he endorsed Barack Obama for president. [95] It was the fifth and final NBA championship of his career. [33] The Lakers advanced through the 1982 playoffs and faced Philadelphia for the second time in three years in the 1982 NBA Finals. [25] Upon learning of Chastine's death, Magic ran from his home, crying uncontrollably. He's faced challenges all of his life, but now Magic Johnson faces the biggest challenge of all, his own brave battle with HIV. [209] The Dodgers won the 2020 World Series, giving Johnson a Major League Baseball title to his credit. Magic Johnson is one proud father to his son Earvin "EJ" Johnson. Similarly, Bird admitted that Johnson's daily box score was the first thing he checked in the morning. With so many ways to love the NBA, Google says the Pixel 6 is built for all fans. [154], For his feats, Johnson was voted as one of the 50 Greatest Players of All Time by the NBA in 1996,[156] and selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. [181][182] Johnson also co-promoted Janet Jackson's Velvet Rope Tour through his company Magicworks. Charles Barkley said Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are the most important people in NBA history Tuesday was Larry Bird's 65th birthday, and Barkley didn't mince words when he spoke about the former Boston Celtics star. There were incidents of racism, with rocks being thrown at buses carrying black students and white parents refusing to send their children to school. [154] In the 1982 NBA Finals, he was named the Finals MVP averaging just 16.2 points, the lowest average of any Finals MVP award recipient in the three-point shot era. [175], Johnson had an extremely close relationship with Lakers owner Jerry Buss, whom he saw as a mentor and a father figure. After leaving the NBA in 1991, Johnson formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a barnstorming team that traveled around the world playing exhibition games. [165] In an impromptu news conference on April 9, 2019, Johnson resigned from the Lakers, citing his desire to return to his role as an NBA ambassador. He insisted that his health was not an issue, while downplaying questions about returning as a player, saying, "I'm retired. [3][4][5][6] Johnson played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In the past 30 days, commercials featuring Magic Johnson have had 27,434 airings. The Pixel 6 offers the capability to eliminate photobomb fans quickly with the touch of a finger -- even Magic Johnson thinks it's absolute magic. [28] After the game, Fred Stabley Jr., a sports writer for the Lansing State Journal, gave him the moniker[32] despite the belief of Johnson's mother, a devout Christian, that the name was sacrilegious. Magic Johnson TV Commercials We don't make the ads - We measure them Sign up to track 37 nationally aired TV ad campaigns for Magic Johnson. Johnson is 6'9" tall. After winning a national championship with Michigan State in 1979, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, leading the team to five NBA championships during their Showtime era. [112] The game ended after he made a last-minute three-pointer, and players from both teams ran onto the court to congratulate Johnson. Johnson would often help his father on the garbage route, and he was teased by neighborhood children who called him "Garbage Man". [205], He is an investor for aXiomatic eSports, the ownership company of Team Liquid. "[28] Fellow Lakers guard Michael Cooper said, "There have been times when [Johnson] has thrown passes and I wasn't sure where he was going. Our company We Build Businesses Magic Johnson: AIDS is still prevalent video 1991: Magic Johnson's HIV announcement On a recent March night in Los Angeles, Johnson again hugged Hydeia, his 6-foot-9 frame dwarfing her. [44] However, the Lakers bowed out to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference semifinals, which was the Lakers' earliest playoffs elimination in nine years. During his retirement, Johnson began intense workouts to help his fight against HIV, raising his bench press from 135 to 300 pounds, and increasing his weight to 255 pounds. 4.05. [162] In 2022, the NBA began awarding MVPs for the conference finals; the Western Conference Finals MVP trophy is named in Johnson's honor, while the Eastern Conference trophy is named after Bird. Johnson was awarded his third Finals MVP title after averaging 26.2points on .541shooting, 13.0assists, 8.0rebounds, and 2.33steals per game. [107] He admitted to having "harems of women" and talked openly about his sexual activities because "he was convinced that heterosexuals needed to know that they, too, were at risk". 5, Magic Johnson combined dazzling playmaking with charisma to lead the Showtime Lakers to five titles", "Magic Johnson vs. Stephen Curry: Does Warriors star have stats case to surpass Lakers legend as GOAT point guard?