[36] He officially returned to the team on January 29, 1996,[128] and played his first game the following day against the Golden State Warriors. [171][172], Johnson is a Christian[173] and has said his faith is "the most important thing" in his life. [129], After the Lakers lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs,[136] Johnson initially expressed a desire to return to the team for the 199697 NBA season, but he also talked about joining another team as a free agent, hoping to see more playing time at point guard instead of power forward. [19][218], Johnson is a supporter of the Democratic Party. With the Google Pixel 6, Serbian fans become fans of the Nuggets with the help of the smartphone's translation feature. [16] He stated that his wife Cookie and their unborn child did not have HIV, and that he would dedicate his life to "battle this deadly disease". Johnson was publicly critical of Van Exel, saying his actions were "inexcusable. [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. [49][50] Johnson averaged 18.0points, 7.7rebounds, and 7.3assists per game for the season, was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Team, and was named an NBA All-Star Game starter. 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. Cedric Ceballos, upset over a reduction in his playing time after Johnson's arrival, left the team for several days. [143], Johnson and Bird were first linked as rivals after Johnson's Michigan State squad defeated Bird's Indiana State team in the 1979 NCAA finals. [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. Johnson delivers a passionate message about his life story and everyone can make a difference their own community. [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. Although Johnson's retirement prior to the 199293 NBA season voided this contract, Buss insisted that he still be paid. Johnson was awarded his third Finals MVP title after averaging 26.2points on .541shooting, 13.0assists, 8.0rebounds, and 2.33steals per game. Johnson's mother, originally from North Carolina,[29] had also played basketball as a child, and she grew up watching her brothers play the game.[26]. [111] Johnson led the West to a 153113win and was crowned All-Star MVP after recording 25points, 9assists, and 5rebounds. [33] He was selected to the 197879 All-American team for his performance that season. ", "Hillary Clinton Fundraisers Coming to Beverly Hills", "The Greatest Is Honored by The Diplomat", "Magic Johnson combats AIDS misperceptions", "Magic Johnson assists drugmaker to advertise HIV treatment", "Iconic Staples Center changing its name to Crypto.com Arena in reflection of changing times", "NBA unveils new trophies, awards honoring Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson", "2017 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame: Dream Team", "1992 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team", "Magic Johnson and Natalie Cole Honored at NAACP Awards Show", Basketball-Reference.com: Magic Johnson (as a coach), NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player, 1979 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award, Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording, Citizen Kane (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein, Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Movie on Record, The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography, Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents Earth (The Audiobook), America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't, Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth, Wayland Baptist Women's Teams (19481982), Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, NAACP Image Award Jackie Robinson Sports Award, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Magic_Johnson&oldid=1142219451, African-American sports executives and administrators, African-American television talk show hosts, All-American college men's basketball players, American chief executives of food industry companies, American expatriate basketball people in Denmark, American expatriate basketball people in Sweden, American sports executives and administrators, Basketball players at the 1992 Summer Olympics, Michigan State Spartans men's basketball players, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, National Basketball Association All-Stars, National Basketball Association broadcasters, National Basketball Association players with retired numbers, Olympic gold medalists for the United States in basketball, Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball), United States men's national basketball team players, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected biographies of living people, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 10-time NBA champion (five as a player, five as owner/executive), Trophy named in Johnson's honor (Earvin "Magic" Johnson Trophy) awarded to, 1992 Olympic gold medal (U.S. national team), 1977 Michigan high school state champion (Lansing Everett High School). Johnson did join the basketball team but became angry after several days when his new teammates ignored him during practice, not even passing the ball to him. Magic Johnson Music signed R&B artist Avant as its first act. 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. [197][198], In 1990, Johnson and Earl Graves Sr. obtained a large interest in the Washington, D.C. PepsiCo bottling operation, making it the company's largest minority-owned facility in the U.S.[199] Johnson became a minority owner of the Lakers in 1994, having reportedly paid more than $10million for part ownership. [175], Johnson had an extremely close relationship with Lakers owner Jerry Buss, whom he saw as a mentor and a father figure. [57], Early in the 198081 season, Johnson was sidelined after he suffered torn cartilage in his left knee. Johnson sold his remaining interest in the stores back to the company in 2010, ending a successful twelve-year partnership. Johnson stated that his aim was to "help educate all people about what [HIV] is about" and teach others not to "discriminate against people who have HIV and AIDS". [33] In an August 2011 interview, Johnson said that in retrospect he wished that he had never retired after being diagnosed with HIV, saying, "If I knew what I know now, I wouldn't have retired. The basketball game was part of festivities organized to celebrate Obama's 49th birthday. [16] Many articles praised Johnson as a hero, and the then-U.S. President George H. W. Bush said, "For me, Magic is a hero, a hero for anyone who loves sports. Double your traffic. [206], In January 2012, Johnson joined with Guggenheim Partners and Stan Kasten in a bid for ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. Magic Johnson was also having success in college at Michigan State.In his senior year, Magic led his school to a 26-6 record that was good enough . He had become more powerful and stronger than in his earlier years, but was also slower and less nimble. Earvin "Magic" Johnson, William Novak. When Magic Johnson heard of the proposal he told Converse ' You're crazy, I'm not shooting no commercial with Larry .' Eventually, Magic was persuaded and expected to shoot the commercial in LA. [176] Calling Buss his "second father" and "one of [his] best friends", Johnson spent five hours visiting Buss at the hospital just a few months before his death from cancer. He also has a son, Andre Johnson, from a previous relationship. [23] Johnson looked forward to playing at Sexton High School, a school with a very successful basketball team and history that also happened to be only five blocks from his home. "[119] Johnson said that despite the physical, highly competitive practices and scrimmages leading up to the 1992 Olympics, some of those same teammates still expressed concerns about his return to the NBA. [177] It was this arrangement that allowed Johnson to coach the team without receiving any additional salary. [33] Johnson dedicated the championship victory to his best friend Reggie Chastine, who was killed in a car accident the previous summer. What Is Magic Johnson's Net Worth? As. Johnson had never seriously considered coaching, but he agreed to take the head coaching position with the Lakers in 1994 at Buss' request. The book detailed their on-court rivalry and friendship with one another. Johnson left after eight months, saying that the White House had "utterly ignored" the work of the panel, and had opposed the commission's recommendations, which included universal healthcare and the expansion of Medicaid to cover all low-income people with AIDS. [103][104] Although the series was portrayed as a matchup between Johnson and Jordan,[105] Bulls forward Scottie Pippen defended effectively against Johnson. A Defining Lunch. . [28] Buss was also unhappy with the Lakers' offense and had intended on firing Westhead days before the WestheadJohnson altercation, but assistant GM Jerry West and GM Bill Sharman had convinced Buss to delay his decision. "I think D'Angelo has really grown and matured," Johnson said . 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. [65] After Johnson demanded to be traded, Lakers owner Jerry Buss fired Westhead and replaced him with Riley. He shares his latest ventureMagic Johnson Development Corporationwhich develops commercial property in neglected urban and suburban neighborhoods. "[108], Despite his retirement, Johnson was voted by fans as a starter for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game at Orlando Arena, although his former teammates Byron Scott and A. C. Green said that Johnson should not play,[110] and several NBA players, including Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone, argued that they would be at risk of contamination if Johnson suffered an open wound while on court. "In the. When did Magic Johnson have his son? [144][145] The rivalry was also significant because it drew national attention to the faltering NBA. [128] Despite these difficulties, the Lakers finished with a record of 5329 and fourth seed in the NBA Playoffs. Magic Johnson and Larry Bird met for the first time in the NCAA national championship. [227] Johnson was later criticized by the AIDS community for his decreased involvement in publicizing the spread of the disease. 4/2/2013 8:45 AM PT. Combining his playing career and sports ownership career, Johnson has 10 NBA championships, five each as a player and later as a minority owner of the Lakers. After making a bunny appear out of Samuel L. Jackson's cap, he begins sawing Jim Nantz in half for his final signoff, as Barkley, Jackson and Spike Lee look on in laughter. [63][64] Early in the 198182 season, Johnson had a heated dispute with Westhead, who Johnson said made the Lakers "slow" and "predictable". [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. [92] Johnson later accused Isiah Thomas of spreading the rumors, a claim Thomas denied. and his parents couldn't be happier for their kid. During his seventh season in the NBA, he had a meeting with Michael Ovitz, CEO of Creative Artists Agency. In the decisive Game 7 in Boston, as the Lakers trailed by three points in the final minute, opposing point guard Dennis Johnson stole the ball from Johnson, a play that effectively ended the series. [36] Johnson played with the team frequently over the next several years, with possibly the most memorable game occurring in November 2001. May 3, 2021 Old Navy teamed up with NBA Hall-of-Fame superstar, Olympian, entrepreneur and philanthropistMagic Johnsonto share the success stories of three inspiring graduates from the This Way ONward (TWO) program through a video miniseries launched today. They also toured the United States, playing five games against teams from the CBA. About Starbucks Corporation [37], Although Johnson was recruited by several top-ranked colleges such as Indiana and UCLA, he decided to play close to home. [224] He hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign on August 22, 2016. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson shot the first part of the Converse commercial, and when it was time for lunch; Larry made a nice gesture towards his nemesis. He said that he retired because he "didn't want to hurt the game. The 29-year-old reality TV personality came out to the basketball great, 62, in 2010, and at first, the latter wasn't too. Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson has seen a different D'Angelo Russell from the one who started his career in purple and gold. This site uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. 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. [101] Under Dunleavy, the offense used more half-court sets, and the team had a renewed emphasis on defense. [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. [48] Johnson became the only rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award,[48] and his clutch performance is still regarded as one of the finest in NBA history. [113], Several journalists hypothesized that the JohnsonBird rivalry was so appealing because it represented many other contrasts, such as the clash between the Lakers and Celtics, between Hollywood flashiness ("Showtime") and Boston/Indiana blue collar grit ("Celtic Pride"), and between blacks and whites. [177], In 1997, his production company Magic Johnson Entertainment signed a deal with Fox. [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. [56][160][161] At the 2019 NBA Awards, Johnson received the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award (shared with Bird). By using iSpot.tv, you accept our, Visit California TV Spot, 'Living the Dream' Feat. 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. [208] The Johnson-led group, which also includes movie executive Peter Guber, paid $2billion for the Dodgers, the largest amount paid for a professional sports team. Let's leave it at that. [28] In 1985, Johnson created "A Midsummer Night's Magic", a yearly charity event which included a celebrity basketball game and a black tie dinner. 10. [214] Johnson announced his co-ownership of a Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion franchise based in Los Angeles on October 30, 2014. [44][130] The Lakers had a record of 2210 in the games Johnson played, and he considered his final comeback "a success. You can connect with Magic Johnson on Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia. [28] The Spartans reached the Elite Eight, but lost narrowly to eventual national champion Kentucky. [212], Together with Guggenheim, Johnson was also involved in the February 2014 purchase of the Los Angeles Sparks team in the WNBA. [69] Johnson later said that his third season was when the Lakers first became a great team,[70] and he credited their success to Riley. Earvin "Magic" Johnson is the only NBA rookie to date to receive the Finals MVP Award. [91] Johnson and Thomas greeted each other with a kiss on the cheek before the opening tip of Game 1, which they called a display of brotherly love. "[128] While Johnson played well in 1996, there were struggles both on and off the court. [40], Before the 199293 NBA season, Johnson announced his intention to stage an NBA comeback. [186] In addition to these business ventures, Johnson has also created the Magic Card, a pre-paid MasterCard aimed at helping low-income people save money and participate in electronic commerce. Although Johnson denied responsibility for Westhead's firing,[66] he was booed across the league, even by Laker fans. Bird was adamant that he would not appear in the Converse advert if it was filmed in LA. In December 2018, Magic Johnson's daughter, Elisa Johnson, and nine of her friends had a terrifying encounter when two armed men broke into a Californian Airbnb house they were staying in. In his own way, he is becoming a fashion reference and an example for the transgender community. We give our clients and partners the edge needed to effectively capitalize on the growing purchasing power and value of multicultural communities. "[3] Bleacher Report also listed Johnson first in its all-time NBA point guard rankings. [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. [3][4][5][6] Johnson played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). In what was the most-watched college basketball game ever,[42] Michigan State defeated Indiana State 7564, and Johnson was voted Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. [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. Converse was the sneaker company with which both players had a shoe deal. 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]. The series started poorly for the Lakers when they allowed an NBA Finals record 148points to the Celtics in a 34-point loss in Game 1. [215] The temporary name was Los Angeles Football Club,[216] which later became permanent in 2015. Johnson recently revealed plans for a documentary on his life to be released. [229], HIV had been associated with intravenous drug users and homosexuals,[226] but Johnson's campaigns sought to show that the risk of infection was not limited to those groups. [106], After a physical before the 199192 NBA season, Johnson discovered that he had tested positive for HIV. In an appearance Wednesday on The View, former Los Angeles Laker Earvin "Magic" Johnson said Dr. Anthony Fauci was one of the doctors who helped him understand and treat HIV after his 1991. Ovitz encouraged him to start reading business magazines and to use every connection available to him. [210] Johnson and Guber were also partners in the Dayton Dragons,[209] a Class-A minor league baseball team in Dayton, Ohio, that sold out more than 1,000 consecutive games, a record for professional sports. By the time he had reached the eighth grade, Johnson had begun to think about a future in basketball. [74] Johnson averaged another double-double season, with 17.6points, 13.1assists, and 7.3rebounds per game. The label, initially called Magic 32 Records, was renamed Magic Johnson Music when Johnson signed a joint venture with MCA in 2000. Larry Bird's college career was taking off at Indiana State after Bird almost quit college after originally attempting to go to Indiana University.. As a senior at Indiana State, Bird led his school to a 33-0 record. The game was played at a gym inside Fort McNair, and reporters covering the president were not allowed to enter. [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. This is the untold truth of Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. . The retired point guard welcomed his first child, son Andre, 42, with ex-girlfriend. "I always said Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are the two most important people in NBA history," Barkley said. 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. There were incidents of racism, with rocks being thrown at buses carrying black students and white parents refusing to send their children to school. [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. [80] However, Abdul-Jabbar, who was now 38years old, scored 30points and grabbed 17rebounds in Game 2, and his 36points in a Game 5 win were instrumental in establishing a 32 lead for Los Angeles. [115][117] Johnson played infrequently because of knee problems,[118] but he received standing ovations from the crowd, and used the opportunity to inspire HIV-positive people. [44] The Lakers advanced to the Western Conference Finals, but were unable to defeat the Houston Rockets, who advanced to the Finals in five games. [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. [170] Johnson resides in Beverly Hills and has a vacation home in Dana Point, California. 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. [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. Johnson was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 and selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021, and became a two-time inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famebeing enshrined in 2002 for his individual career, and again in 2010 as a member of the "Dream Team". After a triple-double from Johnson in Game 6, the Lakers defeated the Sixers 42, as Johnson won his second NBA Finals MVP award.
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