You can connect with Magic Johnson on Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia. Johnson had never seriously considered coaching, but he agreed to take the head coaching position with the Lakers in 1994 at Buss' request. In 1991, . [177] Johnson credits Buss with giving him the business knowledge that enabled him to become part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. 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". The game was played at a gym inside Fort McNair, and reporters covering the president were not allowed to enter. Magic Johnson 's 20-year-old son hit the Sunset Strip, hand in hand with his boyfriend . Johnson asserted that for him, the 82-game regular season was composed of 80 normal games, and two LakersCeltics games. Senate. 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. [223] In 2015, he once again endorsed Hillary Clinton in her second presidential campaign. [63][64] Early in the 198182 season, Johnson had a heated dispute with Westhead, who Johnson said made the Lakers "slow" and "predictable". [103][104] Although the series was portrayed as a matchup between Johnson and Jordan,[105] Bulls forward Scottie Pippen defended effectively against Johnson. 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. 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. 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]. The basketball game was part of festivities organized to celebrate Obama's 49th birthday. Fantasy owner Saul Zaentz would further embark upon a career as a film . Earvin "Magic" Johnson is sharing his story in the upcoming four-part docuseries They Call Me Magic, which will stream on Apple TV+ April 22. The book detailed their on-court rivalry and friendship with one another. [28] In the last championship series of his career, Johnson averaged 18.6points on .431shooting, 12.4assists, and 8.0rebounds per game. Magic Johnson, who has spearheaded developments in underserved urban communities in the decades since his ending his legendary NBA career, is pushing for more investments from commercial real estate into initiatives that benefit minority areas. April 12, 2012 4:54am. [7][8] He also holds the record for most career assists in the playoffs. [107] At the time, only a small percentage of HIV-positive American men had contracted it from heterosexual sex,[92][108] and it was initially rumored that Johnson was gay or bisexual, although he denied both. [33] He was selected to the 197879 All-American team for his performance that season. We exercise a proven expertise in business strategy, urban planning and developing creative business solutions to drive unparalleled results for our clients and partners. [77][92][93] After the teams split the first six games, Lakers forward and Finals MVP James Worthy had his first career triple-double of 36points, 16rebounds, and 10assists, and led his team to a 108105win. Although Johnson denied responsibility for Westhead's firing,[66] he was booed across the league, even by Laker fans. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson spent years competing against each other and being compared to each other. Playing in front of a sold-out arena, Johnson had a triple-double and played the entire game, but his all-star team lost to the Spartans by two points. The proceeds went to the United Negro College Fund, and Johnson held this event for twenty years, ending in 2005. He was 20 years old and the year was 1980. They Call Me Magic will give fans "a rare glimpse into . [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. [10] Suddenly, Earvin Johnson himself emerges out of a puff of smoke, and quickly makes it clear that they don't call him Magic for nothing. [150] The following year, HBO developed a documentary about their rivalry titled Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals, which was directed by Ezra Edelman. [192] The experience taught him to listen to his customers and find out what products they wanted. [179] In 1998, Johnson hosted a late night talk show on the Fox network called The Magic Hour, but the show was canceled after two months because of low ratings. Our company We Build Businesses In the past 30 days, commercials featuring Magic Johnson have had 27,434 airings. Magic was the fourth of seven children Earvin Sr. and Christine had together. And the first few months, I was miserable at Everett. Playing with the Canberra Cannons of Australia's National Basketball League instead of his usual group of players, Johnson's team defeated the Spartans 10485, as he scored 12 points, with 10 assists and 10 rebounds. Similarly, Bird admitted that Johnson's daily box score was the first thing he checked in the morning. 8. It's safe to say that without their common sponsor bringing them together, they likely wouldn't have hung out that day. The rising reality star is the son of NBA legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson and his wife, Earlitha "Cookie" Johnson. [115] After qualifying for the Olympics with a gold medal at the 1992 Tournament of the Americas,[116] the Dream Team dominated in Olympic competition, winning the gold medal with an 80 record, beating their opponents by an average of 43.8 points per game. Johnson recently revealed plans for a documentary on his life to be released. [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. After practicing and playing in several pre-season games, he retired again before the start of the regular season, citing controversy over his return sparked by opposition from several active players. In the final game of the CBA series, Johnson had 30 points, 17 rebounds, and 13 assists, leading the All-Stars to a 126121 victory over the Oklahoma City Cavalry. [39], Johnson did not initially aspire to play professionally, focusing instead on his communication studies major and his desire to become a television commentator. "Earvin Johnson" redirects here. [114] The Dream Team, which along with Johnson included fellow Hall of Famers such as Bird, Michael Jordan, and Charles Barkley, was considered unbeatable. In this dramatic, exciting, and inspirational autobiography, Magic Johnson allows readers into his life, into his tirumphs and tragedies on and off . Earvin "Magic" Johnson is the only NBA rookie to date to receive the Finals MVP Award. [77][109], Johnson's HIV announcement became a major news story in the United States,[108] and in 2004 was named as ESPN's seventh-most memorable moment of the previous 25 years. [28], At the age of 36, Johnson attempted another comeback as a player when he re-joined the Lakers during the 199596 NBA season. [3][55][56] He also became one of four players to win NCAA and NBA championships in consecutive years. [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. [44][130] The Lakers had a record of 2210 in the games Johnson played, and he considered his final comeback "a success. The clip starts off with Lakers owner, Jerry Buss, played by John C. Reilly, waking up one morning and . [26] He also idolized players such as Earl Monroe and Marques Haynes,[27] and practiced "all day". Published March 15, 2021 Advertiser Magic Johnson literally pops up, or a longform musical number with Gladys Knight," she says. 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. [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. [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. 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. [138][139] On November 1, 2002, Johnson returned to play a second exhibition game against Michigan State. [28] The Spartans reached the Elite Eight, but lost narrowly to eventual national champion Kentucky. You can connect with Magic Johnson on Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia. Here's a look at the life of entrepreneur, philanthropist and NBA Hall of Fame point guard Magic Johnson. [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. 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. [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. [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. [51], The Lakers compiled a 6022record in the regular season and reached the 1980 NBA Finals,[52] in which they faced the Philadelphia 76ers, who were led by forward Julius Erving. [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. [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. [128] Despite these difficulties, the Lakers finished with a record of 5329 and fourth seed in the NBA Playoffs. "We had. [155] Johnson is the only player in NBA Finals history to have triple-doubles in multiple series-clinching games. "I always said Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are the two most important people in NBA history," Barkley said. His plans underwent a dramatic change when he learned that he would be bused to the predominantly white Everett High School instead of going to Sexton,[26][30] which was predominantly black. With help from the HBO . [25], Johnson came to love basketball as a young man. In the past 30 days, commercials featuring Magic Johnson have had 27,434 airings. After leaving the NBA in 1991, Johnson formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a barnstorming team that traveled around the world playing exhibition games. His mother spent many hours after work each night cleaning their home and preparing the next day's meals, while his father did janitorial work at a used car lot and collected garbage, all while never missing a day at General Motors. Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan are two of the greatest players of all time. [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. [163], On February 21, 2017, Johnson replaced Jim Buss as the president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers. [154], Johnson was exceptional because he played point guard despite being 6ft 9in (2.06m), a size reserved normally for frontcourt players. [158] ESPN's SportsCentury ranked Johnson No. "[3] Bleacher Report also listed Johnson first in its all-time NBA point guard rankings. He ultimately decided to attend Michigan State when coach Jud Heathcote told him he could play the point guard position. 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. [71], During the 198283 NBA season, Johnson's first of nine consecutive double-double seasons, he averaged 16.8points, 10.5assists, and 8.6rebounds per game, and earned his first All-NBA First Team nomination. The rivalry with Larry Bird, another NBA superstar, began in college. The 29-year-old reality TV personality came out to the basketball great, 62, in 2010, and at first, the latter wasn't too. [33] Johnson dedicated the championship victory to his best friend Reggie Chastine, who was killed in a car accident the previous summer. The Lakers did not reach the playoffs during Johnson's executive tenure. From Magic Johnson Theaters and Starbucks to Simply Healthcare and The Dodgers, MJE is a measurable success factor in achieving significant return on investment. [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. Still a commanding presence in popular culture, Johnson made history in 2012 when he became co-owner of MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers. The Power of Magic They're Midwesterners, they were bigger players who handled the ball skillfully and they thought about their teammates' success. 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]. Coming off the bench, Johnson had 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists to help the Lakers to a 128118 victory. They bonded during that day but also made a great commercial. "[125] Amid speculation from general manager Jerry West that he may only coach until the end of the season,[125] Johnson took over a team that had a 2838 record, and won his first game as head coach, a 110101 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. [183] He has also worked as a motivational speaker,[15] and was an NBA commentator for Turner Network Television for seven years,[184] before becoming a studio analyst for ESPN's NBA Countdown in 2008. 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 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. Although Andre was raised by his mother, he visited Johnson each summer, and later worked for Magic Johnson Enterprises as a marketing director. [153] He is the only player to average 12 assists in an NBA Finals series, achieving it six times. The former athlete,. He also missed several games due to a calf injury. [44] Jud Heathcote stepped down as coach of the Spartans after the 199495 season, and on June 8, 1995, Johnson returned to the Breslin Center to play in the Jud Heathcote All-Star Tribute Game. [192] The partnership, called Urban Coffee Opportunities, placed Starbucks in locations such as Detroit, Washington, D.C., Harlem, and the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles. [18] As such, in 2014, Johnson was named one of ESPNW's Impact 25. They became friends . [19][218], Johnson is a supporter of the Democratic Party. [72] With Johnson's teammates Nixon, James Worthy, and Bob McAdoo all hobbled by injuries, the Lakers were swept by the Sixers, and Malone was crowned the Finals MVP. [125][127] Johnson, who still had a guaranteed player contract that would pay him $14.6 million during the 199495 NBA season, signed a separate contract to coach the team that had no compensation. [126] He was coaching a team that had five of his former teammates on the roster: Vlade Divac, Elden Campbell, Tony Smith, Kurt Rambis, James Worthy, and Michael Cooper, who was brought in as an assistant coach. [92] Johnson later accused Isiah Thomas of spreading the rumors, a claim Thomas denied. Johnson sold his remaining interest in the stores back to the company in 2010, ending a successful twelve-year partnership. Magic Johnson might be a legendary basketball player, but to his three kids, his most important role is dad. Johnson would often help his father on the garbage route, and he was teased by neighborhood children who called him "Garbage Man". [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. Double your traffic. [38] His college decision came down to Michigan and Michigan State in East Lansing. Let's leave it at that. He wondered why so many athletes had failed at business, and sought advice. [230] He has advertised GlaxoSmithKline's drugs,[231] and partnered with Abbott Laboratories to publicize the fight against AIDS in African American communities.[230].