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. [143] He later joined the Danish team The Great Danes. Similarly, Bird admitted that Johnson's daily box score was the first thing he checked in the morning. 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. [150] The following year, HBO developed a documentary about their rivalry titled Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals, which was directed by Ezra Edelman. 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. [3][4][5][6] Johnson played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Magic Johnson is a top business keynote speaker, former NBA great, and Chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises. Johnson's autobiography is Johnson, Earvin (1992). By using iSpot.tv, you accept our, Visit California TV Spot, 'Living the Dream' Feat. 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. Other Facts: 9. 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]. "[119], During his retirement, Johnson has written a book on safe sex, run several businesses, worked for NBC as a commentator, and toured Asia, Australia and New Zealand with a basketball team of former college and NBA players. [154] He holds the All-Star Game single-game record for assists (22), and the All-Star Game record for career assists (127). [177] It was this arrangement that allowed Johnson to coach the team without receiving any additional salary. [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. Fantasy owner Saul Zaentz would further embark upon a career as a film . Although Andre was raised by his mother, he visited Johnson each summer, and later worked for Magic Johnson Enterprises as a marketing director. [40], Before the 199293 NBA season, Johnson announced his intention to stage an NBA comeback. Magic Johnson: My Life. 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. [230] He has advertised GlaxoSmithKline's drugs,[231] and partnered with Abbott Laboratories to publicize the fight against AIDS in African American communities.[230]. [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. [128] Despite these difficulties, the Lakers finished with a record of 5329 and fourth seed in the NBA Playoffs. In the final minute of the game, Johnson had the ball stolen by Celtics center Robert Parish, and then missed two free throws that could have won the game. 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. [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. [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. [112] The game ended after he made a last-minute three-pointer, and players from both teams ran onto the court to congratulate Johnson. He wondered why so many athletes had failed at business, and sought advice. [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. "[3] Bleacher Report also listed Johnson first in its all-time NBA point guard rankings. 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. At the age of 42, Johnson played with the All-Stars against his alma mater, Michigan State. 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 [28], At the age of 36, Johnson attempted another comeback as a player when he re-joined the Lakers during the 199596 NBA season. 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 ). Nov 4, 2021 at 12:46 pm ET 1 min read. [48] Lakers coach Jack McKinney had the 6-foot-9-inch (2.06m) rookie Johnson, who some analysts thought should play forward, be a point guard, even though incumbent Norm Nixon was already one of the best in the league. [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. [33] Johnson dedicated the championship victory to his best friend Reggie Chastine, who was killed in a car accident the previous summer. 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 . [217] In 2018, Los Angeles FC debuted in MLS as an expansion team, and in 2022 won the MLS Cup. [58] Johnson returned before the start of the 1981 playoffs, but the Lakers' then-assistant and future head coach Pat Riley later said Johnson's much-anticipated return made the Lakers a "divided team". [47] Despite Abdul-Jabbar's dominance, he had failed to win a championship with the Lakers, and Johnson was expected to help them achieve that goal. After leaving the NBA in 1991, Johnson formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a barnstorming team that traveled around the world playing exhibition games. [33], Despite their on-court rivalry, Johnson and Bird became close friends during the filming of a 1984 Converse shoe advertisement that depicted them as enemies. It's true that I hated missing out on Sexton. Despite two triple-doubles from Johnson during the series, Finals MVP Jordan led his team to a 41win. Although they were facing the defending NBA champion Houston Rockets, the Lakers had home court advantage in the five-game series. After a triple-double from Johnson in Game 6, the Lakers defeated the Sixers 42, as Johnson won his second NBA Finals MVP award. [146] With the two future Hall of Famers, the league won a whole generation of new fans,[147] drawing both traditionalist adherents of Bird's dirt court Indiana game and those appreciative of Johnson's public park flair. 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. [177], In 1997, his production company Magic Johnson Entertainment signed a deal with Fox. [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. Our company We Build Businesses 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. 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. [26] He also idolized players such as Earl Monroe and Marques Haynes,[27] and practiced "all day". [33] He was selected to the 197879 All-American team for his performance that season. [158] ESPN's SportsCentury ranked Johnson No. Learn more at www.magicjohnsonenterprises.com. They're Midwesterners, they were bigger players who handled the ball skillfully and they thought about their teammates' success. 1979 NCAA Championship Game. [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 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". [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. Magic Johnson Development Corporation, which develops commercial property in long neglected . 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. [125][176] After Johnson ended his coaching stint, Buss sold him a 4% stake in the Lakers for $10 million, and Johnson served as a team executive. 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 . [20], Earvin Johnson Jr. was born in Lansing, Michigan, to General Motors assembly worker Earvin Sr. and school janitor Christine. The proceeds went to the United Negro College Fund, and Johnson held this event for twenty years, ending in 2005. [227] Johnson was later criticized by the AIDS community for his decreased involvement in publicizing the spread of the disease. [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. The basketball game was part of festivities organized to celebrate Obama's 49th birthday. Kenan Draughorne. He also missed several games due to a calf injury. Other biographies include: On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [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. Magic Johnson 's 20-year-old son hit the Sunset Strip, hand in hand with his boyfriend . Read also Don Johnson Left Barbra Streisand to Remarry Melanie Griffith Following Her Pregnancy Basketball legends Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson visited the "Late Show With David Letterman" Wednesday to discuss their friendship - which began in . 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. [36] Johnson played with the team frequently over the next several years, with possibly the most memorable game occurring in November 2001. [37], Although Johnson was recruited by several top-ranked colleges such as Indiana and UCLA, he decided to play close to home. 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. [9] 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. [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. The majority of NBA fans consider Jordan to be the best ever, with Magic being the best point guard ever. [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. "Even in the summer, you had your . Johnson says he agreed to it, but he was nervous because he had . [73], Prior to Johnson's fifth season, Westwho had become the Lakers general managertraded Nixon to free Johnson from sharing the ball-handling responsibilities. [162] In 2022, the NBA began awarding MVPs for the conference finals; the Western Conference Finals MVP trophy is named in Johnson's honor, while the Eastern Conference trophy is named after Bird. It got me out of my own little world and taught me how to understand white people, how to communicate and deal with them. In 1991, . 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. Buss took a special interest in Johnson, introducing him to important Los Angeles business contacts and showing him how the Lakers organization was run, before eventually selling Johnson a stake in the team in 1994. He had become a dominant junior high player, once scoring 48 points in a 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. [95] It was the fifth and final NBA championship of his career. [141][142] Johnson also became a co-owner of the club;[143] however, the project failed after one season and the club was forced into reconstruction. 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. [200] Johnson sold his ownership stake in the Lakers in October 2010 to Patrick Soon-Shiong, a Los Angeles surgeon and professor at UCLA,[201] but continued as an unpaid vice president for the team. He ultimately decided to attend Michigan State when coach Jud Heathcote told him he could play the point guard position. [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. [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. 1,006 ratings37 reviews. [207] In March 2012, Johnson's ownership group was announced as the winner of the proceedings to buy the Dodgers. [18] As such, in 2014, Johnson was named one of ESPNW's Impact 25. [87] The game-winning shot, which Johnson dubbed his "junior, junior, junior sky-hook",[87] helped Los Angeles defeat Boston in six games. [10] 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. [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. The first Magic Johnson Theater located in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, closed in 2010 and re-opened in 2011 as Rave Cinema 15. 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? [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. [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. Published March 15, 2021 Advertiser 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. However, after Johnson went down with a hamstring injury in Game 2, the Lakers were no match for the Pistons, who swept them 40. The retired point guard welcomed his first child, son Andre, 42, with ex-girlfriend. Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson has become a living testament to advances in medicine that have turned human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from a . From his humble beginnings to his league debut as the Los. Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.He is the only person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Finals . [107] He admitted to having "harems of women" and talked openly about his sexual activities because "he was convinced that heterosexuals needed to know that they, too, were at risk". Magic Johnson, Paul George Song by Dreamville, Old Navy This Way Onward TV Spot, 'Introduction' Featuring Magic Johnson, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention TV Spot, 'COVID-19: NBA: Together', Google Pixel 6 TV Spot, 'Anthem: NBA Playoffs' Ft. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Magic Johnson, Capital One TV Spot, 'Final Four' Feat. [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. [83], Johnson again averaged a double-double in the 198586 NBA season, with 18.8points, 12.6assists, and 5.9rebounds per game. While Johnson is considered the leader of the ownership group, the controlling owner is Mark Walter, chief executive officer for Guggenheim Partners. His father played high school basketball in his home state of Mississippi,[29]and Johnson learned the finer points about the game from him. [67] Despite his off-court troubles, Johnson averaged 18.6points, 9.6rebounds, 9.5assists, and a league-high 2.7steals per game, and was voted a member of the All-NBA Second Team. [123][124] Johnson, who took the job at the urging of owner Jerry Buss, admitted "I've always had the desire (to coach) in the back of my mind." [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. Ten of the 12 players on the team were named on the NBA's list of, Principal owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, Brooklyn Atlantics/Grays/Bridegrooms/Grooms/, Michigan State Spartans men's basketball 197879 NCAA champions, 1992 Tournament of the Americas Gold medal, 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, List of career achievements by Magic Johnson, List of athletes who came out of retirement, List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders, List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders, List of National Basketball Association career turnovers leaders, List of National Basketball Association career free throw scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff steals leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff turnovers leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff free throw scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association players with most assists in a game, List of National Basketball Association players with most steals in a game, "Magic weekend is on tap as Johnson set for NBA encore", "202122 Big Ten Men's Basketball Media Guide", "Daily Dime: Special Edition The 10 Greatest Point Guards Ever", "NBA All-Time Player Rankings: Top 10 Point Guards", "NBA 75: Top 75 NBA players of all time, from MJ and LeBron to Lenny Wilkens", "NBA 75: At No. ISBN0-449-22254-3. "Obviously, my family's always been in the spotlight," EJ told Out in 2014. In his own way, he is becoming a fashion reference and an example for the transgender community. Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player.