[190] In 2012, Johnson launched a cable TV network called Aspire, featuring programming targeted at black audiences, similar to networks such as Black Entertainment Television (BET) and TV One. [40], Before the 199293 NBA season, Johnson announced his intention to stage an NBA comeback. According to the Los Angeles Times, Magic Johnson's earliest and arguably most vocal champion was a childhood friend named Reggie Chastine.A fellow playground baller in Lansing, Michigan, Chastine was teammates with Johnson at Everett High School and got the future star thinking about being a future star, that achievements like all-state and All-American selections were possible, if not probable. [154], Johnson was exceptional because he played point guard despite being 6ft 9in (2.06m), a size reserved normally for frontcourt players. [7][8] He also holds the record for most career assists in the playoffs. [72] In a losing effort against Philadelphia, Johnson averaged 19.0points on .403shooting, 12.5assists, and 7.8rebounds per game. And the first few months, I was miserable at Everett. [89] Johnson had another productive season with averages of 19.6points, 11.9assists, and 6.2rebounds per game despite missing 10 games with a groin injury. [44][130] The Lakers had a record of 2210 in the games Johnson played, and he considered his final comeback "a success. Peter Guber, who is the co-owner of the Golden State Warriors, owns a small stake in the Dodgers along with Johnson. From creating job opportunities within communities, to reshaping the corporate understanding of urban areas, our work raises awareness, enhances social value and increases the economic strength of those we serve. A Defining Lunch. [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. [203], In the wake of the Donald Sterling controversy, limited media reports indicated that Johnson had expressed an interest in purchasing the Los Angeles Clippers franchise. His father played high school basketball in his home state of Mississippi,[29]and Johnson learned the finer points about the game from him. [215] The temporary name was Los Angeles Football Club,[216] which later became permanent in 2015. [43] After two years in college, during which he averaged 17.1points, 7.6rebounds, and 7.9assists per game, Johnson entered the 1979 NBA draft. He missed 45games,[44] and said that his rehabilitation was the "most down" he had ever felt. [87] The game-winning shot, which Johnson dubbed his "junior, junior, junior sky-hook",[87] helped Los Angeles defeat Boston in six games. Nov 4, 2021 at 12:46 pm ET 1 min read. NBA Legend Magic Johnson Discusses Ecolab Science Certified Partnership with Forbes Johnson underscores how the Ecolab Science Certified program is helping businesses advance cleaner, safer practices and people reclaim their social lives September 29, 2021 Apple TV+ today announced "They Call Me Magic," the highly anticipated four-part documentary event that takes an illuminating, holistic look into the life and career of one of the world's most iconic figures, Earvin "Magic" Johnson, will premiere April 22 on Apple TV+. Learn more at www.magicjohnsonenterprises.com. [33] He was selected to the 197879 All-American team for his performance that season. and his parents couldn't be happier for their kid. [170] Johnson resides in Beverly Hills and has a vacation home in Dana Point, California. Johnson and his wife, Cookie, also have a daughter named Elisa, whom they adopted in 1995. Other biographies include: On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. "Earvin Johnson" redirects here. With so many ways to love the NBA, Google says the Pixel 6 is built for all fans. Two-time Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame inductee: College Basketball Hall of Fame (class of 2006), 2016 WNBA champion (as part owner of the Sparks), 2020 World Series champion (as part owner of the Dodgers), This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 04:30. Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. and his family wife Cookie, daughter Elisa and sons Andre and EJ were joined by a star-studded roster of celebrities and professional athletes In this dramatic, exciting, and inspirational autobiography, Magic Johnson allows readers into his life, into his tirumphs and tragedies on and off . [80] After the Lakers defeated the Celtics in six games, Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson, who averaged 18.3points on .494shooting, 14.0assists, and 6.8rebounds per game in the championship series,[81][82] said the Finals win was the highlight of their careers. [75] The Lakers won the first game, and led by two points in Game 2 with 18seconds to go, but after a layup by Gerald Henderson, Johnson failed to get a shot off before the final buzzer sounded, and the Lakers lost 124121 in overtime. ", "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! [131][132] He missed two games and was stripped of his title as team captain. Magic's son EJ Johnson, 29, wore a fabulous silver sequined gown paired thigh-high black boots for the big moment, accessorizing with diamond necklaces and a black clutch. "[134] Johnson was himself suspended five days later, when he bumped referee Scott Foster, missing three games. [204], In 2015, Johnson completed his planned acquisition for a "majority, controlling interest" in EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, which manages $14.5 billion in annuities, life insurance and other financial products. He was 20 years old and the year was 1980. They're Midwesterners, they were bigger players who handled the ball skillfully and they thought about their teammates' success. The Slovenian notched up a 30th career triple-double in his 146th game in the NBA, reaching the milestone in 44 fewer games than Magic . Although Andre was raised by his mother, he visited Johnson each summer, and later worked for Magic Johnson Enterprises as a marketing director. [33] Johnson dedicated the championship victory to his best friend Reggie Chastine, who was killed in a car accident the previous summer. Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had contracted HIV, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game, winning the All-Star MVP Award. At the age of 42, Johnson played with the All-Stars against his alma mater, Michigan State. 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. Johnson averaged 8.0 points per game during the Olympics, and his 5.5 assists per game was second on the team. You can connect with Magic Johnson on Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia. [227] Johnson was later criticized by the AIDS community for his decreased involvement in publicizing the spread of the disease. [187] In 2006, Johnson created a contract food service with Sodexo USA called Sodexo-Magic. Larry was kicked off the basketball team after a confrontation during practice, prompting him to beg his brother not to play. "[128] While Johnson played well in 1996, there were struggles both on and off the court. Although Johnson denied responsibility for Westhead's firing,[66] he was booed across the league, even by Laker fans. [225], After announcing his infection in November 1991, Johnson created the Magic Johnson Foundation to help combat HIV,[226] although he later diversified the foundation to include other charitable goals. [106], After a physical before the 199192 NBA season, Johnson discovered that he had tested positive for HIV. Then one of our guys catches the ball and scores, and I run back up the floor convinced that he must've thrown it through somebody. Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson has become a living testament to advances in medicine that have turned human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from a . [15] His public announcement of his HIV-positive status helped dispel the stereotype, still widely held at the time, that HIV was a "gay disease" that heterosexuals need not worry about; his bravery in making this announcement was widely commended. Johnson was apprehensive at first because he and Bird never had a serious conversation at that point, and while he agreed to do the commercial, the two superstars didn't talk to each other during the actual shoot (via NPR ). [11] His friendship and rivalry with Boston Celtics star Larry Bird, whom he faced in the 1979 NCAA finals and three NBA championship series, are well documented. "I always said Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are the two most important people in NBA history," Barkley said. [174], In 2010, Johnson and current and former NBA players such as LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Bill Russell, as well as Maya Moore from the WNBA, played a basketball game with President Barack Obama as an exhibition for a group of military troops who had been injured in action. [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). The franchise reached an agreement with free agent LeBron James on a four-year contract in 2018, but efforts to trade for Anthony Davis during the 201819 season proved unsuccessful. "[28][33] Johnson could dominate a game without scoring, running the offense and distributing the ball with flair. Although he played in a celebrity game to honor coach Jud Heathcoate in 1995,[45] this was Johnson's first meaningful game played in his hometown of Lansing in 22 years. In 2006, he publicly endorsed Phil Angelides for Governor of California,[219] in 2007 he supported Hillary Clinton in her presidential campaign,[220] and in 2010 he endorsed Barbara Boxer in her race for re-election to the U.S. According to sports journalist Larry Schwartz of ESPN, Johnson and Bird saved the NBA from bankruptcy. The Lakers did not reach the playoffs during Johnson's executive tenure. After protests from his fellow players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996, at age 36, to play 32games for the Lakers before retiring for the third and final time. In 1991, . Despite two triple-doubles from Johnson during the series, Finals MVP Jordan led his team to a 41win. 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 also missed several games due to a calf injury. [36] Johnson, who finished his high school career with two All-State selections, was considered at the time to be the best high school player ever to come out of Michigan[34] and was also named to the 1977 McDonald's All-American team. [25], Johnson came to love basketball as a young man. Following release of their self-titled, debut album in 1968, CCR would go on to sell more than 50 million albums worldwide. The 29-year-old reality TV personality came out to the basketball great, 62, in 2010, and at first, the latter wasn't too. EJ was born June 4, 1992, during a turbulent time in Magic's life. [157] The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inducted him in 2002. After leaving the NBA in 1991, Johnson formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a barnstorming team that traveled around the world playing exhibition games. "[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. Well, the 2010 NBA Finals are here, and it's time to treat you to a 1986 commercial for Converse shoes featuring two of the NBA's greats of the decade: Larry. 4/2/2013 8:45 AM PT. The superstars' fiery relationship cooled after filming a 1985 Converse commercial filmed in French Lick, Ind., Bird's hometown. Johnson was publicly critical of Van Exel, saying his actions were "inexcusable. He shares his latest ventureMagic Johnson Development Corporationwhich develops commercial property in neglected urban and suburban neighborhoods. [28] In his final high school season, Johnson led Everett to a 271 winloss record while averaging 28.8points and16.8 rebounds per game,[28] and took his team to an overtime victory in the state championship game. [135] Johnson led the way to a Game 2 victory with 26 points, but averaged only 7.5 points per game for the remainder of the series, which the Rockets won three games to one. [4] Several of his achievements in individual games have also been named among the top moments in the NBA. [163], On February 21, 2017, Johnson replaced Jim Buss as the president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers. Bird was adamant that he would not appear in the Converse advert if it was filmed in LA. [16], Johnson initially said that he did not know how he contracted the disease,[16] but later acknowledged that it was through having numerous sexual partners during his playing career.