Magic Johnson
Earvin Johnson Jr. was born on the 14th of August 1959 in Lansing, Michigan. His father worked at General Motors while his mother cleaned homes and prepared meals after her own work shifts ended. The family lived with six siblings and three half-siblings from his father's previous marriage. Young Earvin often walked the garbage route alongside his father during summer months. Neighborhood children mocked him by calling him "Garbage Man" because of this chore.
His parents instilled a strong work ethic that shaped his character. He idolized basketball players like Bill Russell for their championships rather than just athletic ability. Earl Monroe and Marques Haynes also inspired his daily practice routines. By eighth grade he scored 48 points in a single game to prove his dominance.
Schooling plans changed dramatically when busing sent him to Everett High School instead of nearby Sexton High School. White parents refused to send their children to school while rocks were thrown at buses carrying black students. Larry his brother had been kicked off the basketball team after a confrontation during practice. Johnson joined the team but faced anger when teammates ignored him during drills.
Head coach George Fox intervened before a fight could erupt between Johnson and another player. A small group of black students looked to him as their leader despite the hostility. Fred Stabley Jr. gave him the nickname Magic after recording a triple-double of 36 points, 18 rebounds, and 16 assists as a sophomore. His mother believed the name was sacrilegious since she was a devout Christian.
In his final high school season Johnson led Everett to a 27, 1 win-loss record. The team won an overtime victory in the state championship game. He dedicated this victory to Reggie Chastine who died in a car accident the previous summer. Johnson ran from his home crying uncontrollably upon learning of Chastine's death. They played basketball together or rode around in Chastine's car almost every day.
Johnson chose Michigan State over Indiana and UCLA because Jud Heathcote promised he would play point guard. Future NBA draftees Greg Kelser Jay Vincent and Mike Brkovich were already on the roster. As a freshman he averaged 17.0 points 7.9 rebounds and 7.4 assists per game. The Spartans reached the Elite Eight but lost narrowly to Kentucky.
The 1978, 79 season brought Michigan State to the championship game against Larry Bird's Indiana State Sycamores. This became the most-watched college basketball game ever with a final score of 75, 64 for Michigan State. Johnson received Most Outstanding Player honors at the Final Four after averaging 17.1 points 7.6 rebounds and 7.9 assists per game across two years.
He entered the 1979 NBA draft after completing his collegiate career. Los Angeles Lakers selected him first overall that year. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was the team's center who had failed to win a championship despite being the leading scorer in NBA history. Johnson wore number 32 since Abdul-Jabbar kept number 33 from their time together.
Lakers coach Jack McKinney made rookie Johnson a point guard even though Norm Nixon held that position. He averaged 18.0 points 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists during his rookie season. The team compiled a 60, 22 record before reaching the 1980 NBA Finals against Philadelphia 76ers.
Abdul-Jabbar sprained his ankle in Game 5 of the series and could not play in Game 6. Coach Paul Westhead started Johnson at center instead. Johnson recorded 42 points 15 rebounds 7 assists and 3 steals in a 123, 107 victory while playing guard forward and center simultaneously. He became the only rookie to win NBA Finals MVP awards.
Early in the 1980, 81 season Johnson suffered torn cartilage in his left knee. He missed 45 games and described rehabilitation as feeling more down than ever before. Pat Riley later said Johnson's return made the Lakers a divided team. Houston Rockets upset the Lakers 2, 1 after Johnson airballed a last-second shot in Game 3.
Johnson signed a 25-year $25 million contract with the Lakers in 1981. This was the highest-paying contract in sports history up to that point. A heated dispute arose between him and coach Paul Westhead who made the team slow and predictable. Lakers owner Jerry Buss fired Westhead and replaced him with Riley.
Despite off-court troubles Johnson averaged 18.6 points 9.6 rebounds 9.5 assists and 2.7 steals per game during the 1981, 82 season. He joined Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson as the only players to tally at least 700 points 700 rebounds and 700 assists in one season. The Lakers defeated Philadelphia 4, 2 in the 1982 NBA Finals after Johnson recorded a triple-double in Game 6.
The 1982, 83 season marked Johnson's first of nine consecutive double-double seasons. He averaged 16.8 points 10.5 assists and 8.6 rebounds per game while earning his first All-NBA First Team nomination. The Lakers reached the Finals again but were swept by Moses Malone's Sixers despite injuries to teammates Nixon James Worthy and Bob McAdoo.
West traded Norm Nixon to free Johnson from sharing ball-handling responsibilities before his fifth season. The Lakers won their first game against Boston Celtics but lost Game 2 in overtime after Gerald Henderson scored a layup. Dennis Johnson stole the ball from Earvin in the final minute of Game 7 ending the series. Friends Isiah Thomas and Mark Aguirre consoled him until morning in his Boston hotel room.
Abdul-Jabbar scored 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in Game 2 of the 1985 Finals. His 36 points in Game 5 helped establish a 3, 2 lead for Los Angeles. The team defeated Boston in six games with Johnson averaging 18.3 points 14.0 assists and 6.8 rebounds during the championship series. Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson called this win the highlight of their careers.
Johnson played in the McDonald's Open tournament in Paris France during October 1991. He was named MVP after helping the Lakers win gold. A physical examination before the 1991, 92 NBA season revealed he had tested positive for HIV. He made a public announcement on the 7th of November 1991 stating he would retire immediately.
His wife Cookie and unborn child did not have HIV according to his press conference statement. He dedicated his life to battling the deadly disease while acknowledging he contracted it through numerous sexual partners. Only a small percentage of HIV-positive American men had contracted it from heterosexual sex at that time.
Rumors spread suggesting Johnson was gay or bisexual though he denied both claims. He later accused Isiah Thomas of spreading these rumors which Thomas denied. ESPN named his announcement as the seventh-most memorable moment of the previous 25 years in 2004. President George H.W. Bush called him a hero for anyone who loved sports.
Fans voted Johnson as a starter for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game at Orlando Arena despite player concerns about contamination risks. Karl Malone argued teammates would be at risk if Johnson sustained an open wound while playing. Johnson led the West to a 153, 113 victory recording 25 points 9 assists and 5 rebounds. Players from both teams ran onto the court after his last-minute three-pointer to congratulate him.
The Dream Team competed in Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics with ten of twelve players named on the NBA's list of 50 Greatest Players. They won gold with an 8, 0 record beating opponents by an average of 43.8 points per game. Johnson averaged 8.0 points and 5.5 assists during the tournament despite knee problems limiting his playtime.
Johnson returned to coach the Lakers near the end of the 1993, 94 season replacing Randy Pfund and Bill Bertka. He took over a team that had a 28, 38 record winning his first game 110, 101 against Milwaukee Bucks. Five former teammates including Vlade Divac Elden Campbell Tony Smith Kurt Rambis James Worthy and Michael Cooper were on the roster.
He coached a team that finished the season on a ten-game losing streak before announcing resignation as head coach. His final record as a head coach was 5, 11 stating it was never his dream to coach. He chose instead to purchase a 5% share of the team in June 1994 for $10 million.
At age 36 Johnson attempted another comeback as a player when he rejoined the Lakers during the 1995, 96 NBA season. He raised his bench press from 135 to 300 pounds while increasing weight to 255 pounds during retirement workouts. Officially returning to the team on the 29th of January 1996 he played his first game the following day against Golden State Warriors.
Coming off the bench Johnson recorded 19 points 8 rebounds and 10 assists helping the Lakers win 128, 118. On February 14 he scored 15 points along with 10 rebounds and 13 assists in a victory against Atlanta Hawks. Playing power forward he averaged 14.6 points 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds per game in 32 games.
The Lakers had a record of 22, 10 in games Johnson played finishing fourth seed in playoffs. They faced defending champion Houston Rockets but lost three games to one after averaging only 7.5 points per game for remainder of series. Johnson initially expressed desire to return for 1996, 97 season before changing mind and retiring permanently.
Johnson joined Guggenheim Partners and Stan Kasten in a bid for ownership of Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team in January 2012. His group won proceedings paying $2 billion for the franchise with Mark Walter as controlling owner. The Dodgers won World Series titles in 2020 2024 and 2025 under this ownership structure.
He partnered with Peter Guber on Dayton Dragons minor league team selling out more than 1,000 consecutive games. This record stood until they sold their stake in 2014. Together with Guggenheim they bought Los Angeles Sparks WNBA team in 2014 winning championship in 2016.
Johnson announced co-ownership of Major League Soccer expansion franchise Los Angeles FC beginning play in 2018. The club won MLS Cup in 2022 marking another championship victory. In 2023 he invested $240 million in group headed by Josh Harris purchasing Washington Commanders NFL team for $6.05 billion.
This represented his greatest achievement in business career considering lifelong fandom of professional football. He previously held talks buying Miami Dolphins and Las Vegas Raiders before joining unsuccessful bid on Denver Broncos in 2022. September 2024 saw him join ownership group of Washington Spirit NWSL team.
Magic Johnson Enterprises conglomerate reached net worth of $700 million through subsidiaries including theaters and entertainment companies. First theater location closed in Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in 2010 reopening as Rave Cinema 15 in 2011. He launched cable TV network Aspire featuring programming targeted at black audiences similar to BET or TV One.
Elizabeth Glaser convinced Johnson to go public about HIV diagnosis before she died from the disease. She made him promise becoming face of disease helping people educate others about it during a 2011 Frontline interview. After announcing infection November 1991 he created Magic Johnson Foundation combating HIV initially then diversifying goals.
Campaigns sought showing risk not limited to intravenous drug users or homosexuals despite common associations. Aim was helping educate all people what HIV is about teaching others not discriminate against infected individuals. Research papers documented Magic Johnson effect rapidly correcting public understanding who got infected with HIV.
A West Virginia University paper argued large but temporary increase number AIDS diagnoses heterosexual men following announcement prolonged patients lifespans earlier medical care access. Another study found announcement associated increased concern attitude behavior changes leading reduced risk. Johnson takes daily antiretroviral drugs blocking virus progression while advertising GlaxoSmithKline medications partnering Abbott Laboratories fighting AIDS African American communities.
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Common questions
When and where was Earvin Johnson Jr. born?
Earvin Johnson Jr. was born on the 14th of August 1959 in Lansing, Michigan.
How did Magic Johnson get his nickname during high school?
Fred Stabley Jr. gave him the nickname Magic after recording a triple-double of 36 points, 18 rebounds, and 16 assists as a sophomore at Everett High School.
What happened when Magic Johnson played center in the 1980 NBA Finals?
Magic Johnson recorded 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals to win Game 6 while playing guard forward and center simultaneously after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sprained his ankle.
Why did Magic Johnson retire from basketball in November 1991?
A physical examination before the 1991, 92 NBA season revealed he had tested positive for HIV so he made a public announcement on the 7th of November 1991 stating he would retire immediately.
Which teams did Magic Johnson help purchase ownership stakes in starting in 2012?
His group won proceedings paying $2 billion for the Los Angeles Dodgers in January 2012 and later bought the Washington Commanders NFL team for $6.05 billion in 2023.