[224] He hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign on August 22, 2016. [140], In 1999, Johnson joined the Swedish squad M7 Bors (now known as 'Bors Basket'), and was undefeated in five games with the team. 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. Magic Johnson Enterprises serves as a catalyst for fostering community and economic empowerment by providing access to high-quality entertainment, products and services that answer the demands of multicultural communities. His father played high school basketball in his home state of Mississippi,[29]and Johnson learned the finer points about the game from him. 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. 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. Johnson was a member of the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team ("The Dream Team"), which won the Olympic gold medal in Barcelona. [100] Mike Dunleavy became the Lakers' head coach in 199091, when Johnson had grown to be the league's third-oldest point guard. [154], Johnson was exceptional because he played point guard despite being 6ft 9in (2.06m), a size reserved normally for frontcourt players. [128] Despite these difficulties, the Lakers finished with a record of 5329 and fourth seed in the NBA Playoffs. [211] Johnson and Guber sold their stake in the Dragons in 2014. Although Johnson's retirement prior to the 199293 NBA season voided this contract, Buss insisted that he still be paid. They're Midwesterners, they were bigger players who handled the ball skillfully and they thought about their teammates' success. [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. [181][182] Johnson also co-promoted Janet Jackson's Velvet Rope Tour through his company Magicworks. [84] In the next season, Johnson averaged a career-high of 23.9points, as well as 12.2assists and 6.3rebounds per game,[44] and earned his first regular season MVP award. [138][139] On November 1, 2002, Johnson returned to play a second exhibition game against Michigan State. "I've . Peter Guber, who is the co-owner of the Golden State Warriors, owns a small stake in the Dodgers along with Johnson. 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. [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. . "[33][128], Determined to play competitive basketball despite being out of the NBA, Johnson formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a barnstorming team composed of former NBA and college players. 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. "Very European," says EJ Johnson, the son of Magic Johnson, as he recalls when he came out as gay to his father. [56][160][161] At the 2019 NBA Awards, Johnson received the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award (shared with Bird). [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. [40], Before the 199293 NBA season, Johnson announced his intention to stage an NBA comeback. [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. Magic Johnson Development Corporation, which develops commercial property in long neglected . 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 . Through investment, partnership and consultation, Magic Johnson Enterprises has a portfolio of companies that strategically work together to reinforce the organization's focus on serving emerging, multicultural communities. EXCLUSIVE. 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. This is the untold truth of Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. . [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. [33] He was selected to the 197879 All-American team for his performance that season. What Is Magic Johnson's Net Worth? [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. He ultimately decided to attend Michigan State when coach Jud Heathcote told him he could play the point guard position. [28] The Spartans reached the Elite Eight, but lost narrowly to eventual national champion Kentucky. 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? [120] The 1992 event, which was the first one held after Johnson's appearance in the 1992 Olympics, raised over $1.3 million for UNCF. [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. [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. [154] He holds the All-Star Game single-game record for assists (22), and the All-Star Game record for career assists (127). At the age of 42, Johnson played with the All-Stars against his alma mater, Michigan State. Kenan Draughorne. [19][218], Johnson is a supporter of the Democratic Party. [157] The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inducted him in 2002. He also held the title of team vice president. [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. Although they were facing the defending NBA champion Houston Rockets, the Lakers had home court advantage in the five-game series. Earvin (Magic) Johnson, became one of the best NBA players for 13 years playing with the Lakers. He had become a dominant junior high player, once scoring 48 points in a game. [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. 8. [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. Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson has become a living testament to advances in medicine that have turned human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from a . and his parents couldn't be happier for their kid. [213] He won the WNBA championship as the owner in 2016. The pair launched an initiative to support minority and female-owned businesses, by providing customized health care plans for issues that disproportionately affect people of color. They're Midwesterners, they were bigger players who handled the ball skillfully and they thought about their teammates' success. Johnson delivers a passionate message about his life story and everyone can make a difference their own community. [223] In 2015, he once again endorsed Hillary Clinton in her second presidential campaign. He missed 45games,[44] and said that his rehabilitation was the "most down" he had ever felt. [44] The Lakers again reached the Finals, and for a third time faced the Sixers, who featured center Moses Malone as well as Erving. 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". In Episode 7 of "Binge Sesh," hosts Matt Brennan and Kareem Maddox draw inspiration from Nike cofounder Phil Knight's pursuit of Magic Johnson in "Winning Time.". "[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. 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. Still a commanding presence in popular culture, Johnson made history in 2012 when he became co-owner of MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers. [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. He was 20 years old and the year was 1980. [44] He also joined Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson as the only NBA players to tally at least 700points, 700rebounds, and 700assists in the same season. [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. You can connect with Magic Johnson on Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia. [76][77] During the Finals, Johnson averaged 18.0points on .560shooting, 13.6assists, and 7.7rebounds per game. Random House. Johnson would often help his father on the garbage route, and he was teased by neighborhood children who called him "Garbage Man". Since his retirement, Johnson has been an advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and safe sex,[12] as well as an entrepreneur,[13] philanthropist,[14] broadcaster and motivational speaker. Learn more at www.magicjohnsonenterprises.com. Johnson averaged 8.0 points per game during the Olympics, and his 5.5 assists per game was second on the team. And you can now add to that list one Earvin "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. But being bused to Everett turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me. "Earvin Johnson" redirects here. [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.