[225], After announcing his infection in November 1991, Johnson created the Magic Johnson Foundation to help combat HIV,[226] although he later diversified the foundation to include other charitable goals. [25], Johnson came to love basketball as a young man. Magic Johnson averaged 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 11.2 assists per game. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002. "A Midsummer Night's Magic" eventually came under the umbrella of the Magic Johnson Foundation, which he founded in 1991. [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. [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. The talent already on Michigan State's roster also drew him to the program. [57], Early in the 198081 season, Johnson was sidelined after he suffered torn cartilage in his left knee. [20], Earvin Johnson Jr. was born in Lansing, Michigan, to General Motors assembly worker Earvin Sr. and school janitor Christine. 1979-80 Johnson 1980-81 Johnson 1981-82 Johnson 1982-83 Johnson 1983-84 Johnson 1984-85 Johnson 1985-86 Johnson 1986-87 Johnson 1987-88 Johnson 1988-89 Johnson 1989-90 Johnson 1990-91 Johnson 1995-96 Johnson 0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 77 37 78 79 67 77 72 80 72 77 79 79 32. 8 of 9! Earvin Johnson Jr. There they faced the Chicago Bulls, led by shooting guard Michael Jordan, a five-time scoring champion regarded as the finest player of his era. [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. [195] Another major project is with insurance services company Aon Corp.[196] In 20052007, Johnson was part of a syndicate that bought the Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower, then the tallest building in Brooklyn, for $71 million and converted the 512-foot high landmark structure from an office building into luxury condominiums. Winning Time again explored the Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird narrative in its season finale. [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. Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. He insisted that his health was not an issue, while downplaying questions about returning as a player, saying, "I'm retired. [226][228] He was also the main speaker for the United Nations (UN) World AIDS Day Conference in 1999,[227] and has served as a United Nations Messenger of Peace. The basketball game was part of festivities organized to celebrate Obama's 49th birthday. A year-by-year list of the Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Award winners: 2021-22 Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors ( Voting) 2020-21 LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets ( Voting) 2019-20 Ja Morant,. [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". Johnson's autobiography is Johnson, Earvin (1992). Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. He said that he retired because he "didn't want to hurt the game. the Deejay, Tragic, The Magic Man, Junior are nicknames for Magic Johnson. $5.00. Then one of our guys catches the ball and scores, and I run back up the floor convinced that he must've thrown it through somebody. Magic Johnson Rookie year stats: 18.0 points (on 53.0 percent shooting), 7.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 2.4 steals There's a famous story of how Magic Johnson actually never wanted to play. Johnson returned to the NBA as a coach but he was still paid his regular player salary. [79], In the 198485 regular season, Johnson averaged 18.3points, 12.6assists, and 6.2rebounds per game, and led the Lakers into the 1985 NBA Finals, where they faced the Celtics again. Shoots: $1,000,000. [207] In March 2012, Johnson's ownership group was announced as the winner of the proceedings to buy the Dodgers. Often regarded as the best point guard of all time, Johnson is also considered to be one of the greatest players in NBA history. [33] He was selected to the 197879 All-American team for his performance that season. Johnson was awarded his third Finals MVP title after averaging 26.2points on .541shooting, 13.0assists, 8.0rebounds, and 2.33steals per game. 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. [28] His career 138triple-double games places him third all-time behind Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. Senate. 3. The Lakers played poorly in a Game 1 loss, prompting Johnson to express frustration with his role in coach Del Harris' offense. 2. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. Magic Johnson PPG 19.5 RPG 7.2 APG 11.2 HEIGHT 6'9" (2.06m) WEIGHT 220lb (100kg) COUNTRY USA LAST ATTENDED Michigan State BIRTHDATE August 14, 1959 DRAFT 1979 R1 Pick 1 EXPERIENCE 13 Years. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. [13][169] The couple adopted a daughter, Elisa, in 1995. [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. Earvin "Magic" Johnson is one of the greatest players in NBA history and Magic Johnson cards continue to see strong interest from collectors. It's true that I hated missing out on Sexton. Johnson, a 20-year-old rookie, enters the fray. After showing Schultz the tremendous buying power of minorities, Johnson was able to purchase 125 Starbucks stores, which reported higher than average per capita sales. [19] During Johnson's ownership of these teams, the Sparks won the 2016 WNBA championship, the Dodgers won the 2020 World Series, and LAFC won the 2022 MLS Cup. [37], Although Johnson was recruited by several top-ranked colleges such as Indiana and UCLA, he decided to play close to home. [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. RELATED: Magic Johnson Just the Latest Member of the Showtime Lakers to Turn a Cold Shoulder to New HBO . At just 20 years old, he remains the. [177] Johnson credits Buss with giving him the business knowledge that enabled him to become part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. 1990 Fleer Basketball Earvin Magic Johnson Card #93 Lakers MINT. [75] In Game 3, Johnson responded with 21assists in a 137104 win, but he made several crucial errors late in the contest during Game 4. His 11.2 assists are an NBA record for assists per game for a career. Johnson sold his remaining interest in the stores back to the company in 2010, ending a successful twelve-year partnership. Total points scored: 17,070 (83rd all time) Magic averaged 19.5 points per game during the. Magic Johnson joined Shaquille O'Neal and celebrity coach Spike Lee to lead the blue team to a 147132 victory over the white team, which was coached by Arsenio Hall. Draft Info. ", "NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for Assists Per Game", "NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Assists Per Game", "NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Assists", "Magic Johnson Says It Breaks His Heart That Kobe Bryant Won't Be At Hall Of Fame Ceremony", "Magic Johnson's HIV activism hasn't slowed 22 years after historic announcement", "7: Magic Johnson announces he's HIV-positive", "Magic Touch: Magic Johnson's Fast Break Into Business", "Magic Johnson and other Dodgers owners purchase the Sparks", "Magic Johnson now has championship rings in the NBA, MLB and WNBA", "Rebounding from basketball court to boardroom", "Detroit Board's Busing Decision Termed 'Unwise', "State Basketball Championships Are Now History", "Everett High School - Archives Yearbook (Lansing, MI), Class of 1977", "Consensus All-America Teams (196970 to 197879)", "Magic Johnson Returns To The Breslin Center", "Rookie Makes the Lakers Believe in Magic", "The Extra Pass: Talking "Showtime" Lakers with author Jeff Pearlman", "NBA's Greatest Moments: Magic Fills in at Center", "Sports of The Times; Magic Johnson's Legacy", "Johnson rubs LA's Magic lantern for 25 million bucks", "Seven Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.S. Dollar Amount 1790 to Present", "Moses Helps Dr. J, Sixers Reach Promised Land", "Ticker: Jerry West still fielding Magic Johnson-Norm Nixon questions", "Celtics Win First BirdMagic Finals Showdown", "Isiah blasts Magic Johnson over criticisms in forthcoming book", "Kareem, Lakers Conquer the Celtic Mystique", "Waiting Game Ends for Impatient Pistons", "Johnson Not Ready To Pass Mantle; For 9th Time, Lakers Show Magic Touch", "Bulls Finally Get That Championship Feeling", "Still stunning the world 10 years later", "Knee injury knocks Magic out of Dream Team lineup against Germany", "Magic Johnson wishes he hadn't retired so early (Video)", "Magic Johnson's Gala Midsummer Night Magic Gets $1.3 Mil for UNCF", "Game worn Shaquille O'Neal jersey from "A Midsummer Night's Magic" charity game", "Pro Basketball; Los Angeles Lakers Hire Magic Johnson To Be Head Coach", "199394 Los Angeles Lakers Schedule and Results", "Johnson gets win in first game as coach", "199394 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats", "Pro Basketball; Leaving on His Terms, Johnson Retires Again", "Hitting Referee Costs Van Exel $187,000", "Magic Raises Questions About Laker Confusion", "Outside the Lines: Magic 10 Years Later, and Limits of Loyalty", "Men's Basketball Opens Exhibition Season Against Magic Johnson All-Stars", "Memory Lane: Magic records triple-double in exhibition win vs. Mich. St", "Historias nrdicas: Magic Johnson, el vikingo", "Book review: When the Game Was Ours by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson", "HBO Documentary Revisits Magic JohnsonLarry Bird Rivalry That Saved Basketball", "All-Time Playoffs Individual Career Leaders", "Top N. American athletes of the century", "Jordan to Bird: Top 10 moments in NBA All-Star history", "Larry Bird and Magic Johnson Receive NBA Lifetime Achievement Award", "Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, exec Jim Buss relieved of duties as Magic Johnson takes over basketball operations", "Magic Johnson abruptly resigns as Lakers' president", "Magic Johnson steps down as Lakers' president of basketball operations", "Magic Johnson: Los Angeles Lakers legend resigns", "Earvin Johnson III, Magic Johnson's Gay Son, Goes Public With Boyfriend, Parents Very Proud (Video)", "Magic Johnson's House in Southern California", "Hot property: For Magic Johnson, Dana Point vacation home's a slam dunk", "Magic Johnson on Jeremy Lin: 'God is Good', "Magic Johnson Testifies His Christian Faith in God at Connecticut Huskies vs. Michigan State Spartans NCAA's March Madness 2014 Game", "Magic Johnson, NBA all-stars join Obama, play hoops for troops", "Report: Johnson to became part owner of Lakers", "To Magic Johnson, Jerry Buss was friend, mentor and 'second father', "Magic says Buss made him the man he is today", "Magic Johnson Gives His Label an Assist", "Sports Briefing Pro Basketball; Magic Johnson Signs With ESPN", "Magic Johnson joins ESPN, ABC as NBA studio analyst", "Magic Johnson on his growing foodservice business", "Former Magic Johnson Theaters reopens as Rave Cinemas", "Starbucks Acquires Remaining Interest in Magic Johnson Enterprises' Urban Coffee Opportunities (UCO)", "Magic Johnson sells his 105 Starbucks franchises", "Magic Johnson wows the crowd and talks minority-owned businesses", "Magic Johnson Says He Wouldn't Have Joined Bird After LeBron James's Move", "Bank On Condos: NBA Great In $71M Tower Deal", "Manhattan-style condos come to Fort Greene", "Magic Johnson buys into D.C.-area Pepsi bottling operation", "Magic Johnson Becomes Part Owner of Lakers", "Magic Johnson would be interested in buying Clippers, source says", "Magic Johnson reportedly interested in buying Clippers, NBA plans Tuesday press conference on Donald Sterling investigation", "Magic Johnson buys life insurance company", "Wizards, Warriors, and Magic: A Strategic Partnership", "Magic Johnson leads dream team bidding for Dodgers", "Magic Johnson-led group is picked as Dodgers' next owner", "From bankruptcy to a World Series title: Dodgers' ascension is Magic", "New Dragons owners say they won't mess with success", "Capital Buzz: D.C. businessman buying Dayton baseball team", "Magic Johnson, 55, Los Angeles Sparks Co-Owner", "Sparks defeat Lynx for first WNBA championship since 2002", "Magic Johnson, Mia Hamm among owners of new L.A. pro soccer team", "MLS Wants Fans' Help To Pick Team Name, Logo For New 'LA Football Club', "LA's MLS expansion team announces official club name: Los Angeles Football Club", "Justin Bieber, Magic Johnson, Will Ferrell among many stars at MLS Cup 2022", "Magic Johnson backs Angelides for Governor", "Magic Johnson, Bill Clinton team up for Hillary", "Magic Johnson Backing Barbara Boxer for US Senate", "Magic Johnson Endorses President Barack Obama", "Magic Johnson endorses Wendy Greuel for L.A. mayor", "I feel @HillaryClinton will be a great President for the American people and she will make sure that everyone has a voice! [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. Get complete game-by-game stats for forward Magic Johnson on ESPN. 17 in their "50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century"[159] In 2006, ESPN.com rated Johnson the greatest point guard of all time, stating, "It could be argued that he's the one player in NBA history who was better than Michael Jordan. Davis put up a career effort on Monday in the G League and nearly led the Go-Go to victory in the process. [76][77] During the Finals, Johnson averaged 18.0points on .560shooting, 13.6assists, and 7.7rebounds per game. Magic recorded 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals in a 123-107 victory over the Sixers in Philadelphia during Game 6 while filling in for Jabbar at the center position to win his. Brown will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing a successful surgical procedure to address a right tibia stress (). [217] In 2018, Los Angeles FC debuted in MLS as an expansion team, and in 2022 won the MLS Cup. 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. [33] Johnson dedicated the championship victory to his best friend Reggie Chastine, who was killed in a car accident the previous summer. [133] Nick Van Exel received a seven-game suspension for bumping referee Ron Garretson during a game on April 9. [212], Together with Guggenheim, Johnson was also involved in the February 2014 purchase of the Los Angeles Sparks team in the WNBA. In Game 6 of the 1980 Finals, Magic Johnson recorded 42 points and 15 rebounds to help the Lakers to the title. The team had even drafted Magic Johnson, who was the 1st pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. Johnson learned everything he could about business, often meeting with corporate executives during road trips. Kawhi Leonard vs Kemba Walker vs Kevin Durant vs Kobe Bryant vs LaMelo Ball vs LeBron James vs Lonzo Ball vs Luka Doni vs Magic Johnson vs Manu Ginbili vs Mike Conley vs Oscar Robertson vs Paul George vs . By the time he had reached the eighth grade, Johnson had begun to think about a future in basketball. [112] The game ended after he made a last-minute three-pointer, and players from both teams ran onto the court to congratulate Johnson. [206], In January 2012, Johnson joined with Guggenheim Partners and Stan Kasten in a bid for ownership of the Los Angeles Dodgers baseball team. [56][160][161] At the 2019 NBA Awards, Johnson received the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award (shared with Bird). 1980 Topps Magic Johnson Rookie Card Larry Bird RC Julius Erving PSA 9 Mint. ESTATE LIQUIDATION- LOT OF NEW OLD VINTAGE UNOPENED NBA Basketball CARDS IN PACK. [164] Under Johnson, the Lakers sought to acquire multiple star players and cleared existing players, including future All-Star D'Angelo Russell, off of their roster in an attempt to free up room under the league's salary cap. $19,999.99. 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. Data Provided By Magic won a ring his rookie season. [73], Prior to Johnson's fifth season, Westwho had become the Lakers general managertraded Nixon to free Johnson from sharing the ball-handling responsibilities. "[177] Buss acquired the team from Jack Kent Cooke in 1979, shortly before he drafted Johnson with the #1 pick in the 1979 NBA draft. Jan. 25, 2023: The Pacers couldn't overcome a 17-point first quarter deficit in a 126-120 loss to the Magic at Amway Center. [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 plays at the Point Guard or Shooting Guard position in this All-Time team. Magic Johnson was born on August 14, 1959. [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. All-Rookie 1st Team . Meaning, Magic always performed better during playoff time, when the money was on the table, as . Latest on Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN [213] He won the WNBA championship as the owner in 2016. [68] During the championship series against the Sixers, Johnson averaged 16.2points on .533shooting, 10.8rebounds, 8.0assists, and 2.5steals per game. Johnson said that what was "most amazing" about joining the Lakers was the chance to play alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,[46] the team's 7ft 2in (2.18m) center who became the leading scorer in NBA history. [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. During his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979-80, Magic Johnson showed that the truth is stranger than fiction. His father played high school basketball in his home state of Mississippi,[29]and Johnson learned the finer points about the game from him. Sign In; . [85][86] The Lakers met the Celtics for the third time in the NBA Finals, and in Game 4 Johnson hit a last-second hook shot over Celtics big men Parish and Kevin McHale to win the game 107106. Michael Jordan: Yes (1985) Larry Bird: . Despite two triple-doubles from Johnson during the series, Finals MVP Jordan led his team to a 41win. [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. Johnson averaged 8.0 points per game during the Olympics, and his 5.5 assists per game was second on the team. I n today's post, we're going to share three facts that prove that Larry Bird was a better player than Magic Johnson. Regular Season Stats. He averaged 19.5 points, 11.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in 906 regular-season games. [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. [25] Upon learning of Chastine's death, Magic ran from his home, crying uncontrollably. [168] Johnson and Cookie have one son, Earvin III ("EJ"), who is openly gay and a star on the reality show Rich Kids of Beverly Hills. [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. The book detailed their on-court rivalry and friendship with one another. [28] The Spartans reached the Elite Eight, but lost narrowly to eventual national champion Kentucky. [187] In 2006, Johnson created a contract food service with Sodexo USA called Sodexo-Magic. [23] When recalling the events in his autobiography, My Life, he talked about how his time at Everett had changed him: As I look back on it today, I see the whole picture very differently. Johnson's average of 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game was enough to make the All-Rookie Team and become a starter on the All-Star Team, even though the NBA Rookie of the Year Award went to his rival Larry Bird, who had joined the Boston Celtics. He had become a dominant junior high player, once scoring 48 points in a game. 1979-80 NBA Season Stats: 18.0 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 7.3 APG, 2.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG Awards And Achievements: NBA Champion, Finals MVP, All-Star, All-Rookie Team After being selected with the No. [148][149] Johnson appeared at Bird's retirement ceremony in 1992, and described Bird as a "friend forever";[113] during Johnson's Hall of Fame ceremony, Bird formally inducted his old rival. FGA, TRB, AST, PF, GS over 99% complete back to 1975-76. . Michigan State, High School: All statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference. The rivalry continued in the NBA, and reached its climax when Boston and Los Angeles met in three out of four NBA Finals from 1984 to 1987, with the Lakers winning two out of three Finals. As remarkable Magic's performance was in Game 6, Kareem's. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? 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". He had become more powerful and stronger than in his earlier years, but was also slower and less nimble. [40], Before the 199293 NBA season, Johnson announced his intention to stage an NBA comeback. [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. With 42 points . He also held the title of team vice president. 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. [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. Cedric Ceballos, upset over a reduction in his playing time after Johnson's arrival, left the team for several days. [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. Johnson asserted that for him, the 82-game regular season was composed of 80 normal games, and two LakersCeltics games. [23], Johnson was first dubbed "Magic" as a 15-year-old sophomore playing for Everett High School, when he recorded a triple-double of 36points, 18rebounds, and 16assists. Best Season Stats. 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. [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. [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. [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. [21] Johnson, who had six siblings and three half-siblings by his father's previous marriage,[22][23][a] was influenced by his parents' strong work ethic. [165][166][167], Johnson first fathered a son in 1981, when Andre Johnson was born to Melissa Mitchell. [180] Shortly after the cancellation of his talk show, Magic Johnson started a record label. The first Magic Johnson Theater located in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, closed in 2010 and re-opened in 2011 as Rave Cinema 15. [28], At the age of 36, Johnson attempted another comeback as a player when he re-joined the Lakers during the 199596 NBA season. Los Angeles Lakers, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 1979 NBA Draft, Hall of Fame: Inducted as Player in 2002 (Full List), More Magic Johnson pages at Sports Reference. [181][182] Johnson also co-promoted Janet Jackson's Velvet Rope Tour through his company Magicworks. He managed to come back in the game in the fourth quarter and helped the Lakers win (taking a 3-2 lead). [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. Magic Johnson is on Twitter at MagicJohnson. With Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson willed the Lakers to victory in just his first season in the 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. He missed 45games,[44] and said that his rehabilitation was the "most down" he had ever felt. [92] Johnson later accused Isiah Thomas of spreading the rumors, a claim Thomas denied. [44] However, the Lakers bowed out to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference semifinals, which was the Lakers' earliest playoffs elimination in nine years. The franchise reached an agreement with free agent LeBron James on a four-year contract in 2018, but efforts to trade for Anthony Davis during the 201819 season proved unsuccessful. 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. Magic Johnson was inducted to the Hall of Fame as a Player in 2002 (Full List) [163], On February 21, 2017, Johnson replaced Jim Buss as the president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers. Since Elvin Hayes 11 years ago, he became the first rookie to start in an NBA All-Star Game. [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. [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. 910. [44] In the 1988 playoffs, the Lakers swept the San Antonio Spurs in 3 games, then survived two 43series against the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks to reach the Finals and face Thomas and the Detroit Pistons,[90] who with players such as Bill Laimbeer, John Salley, Vinnie Johnson and Dennis Rodman were known as the "Bad Boys" for their physical style of play. Like Comments. [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. 40. [185], Johnson runs Magic Johnson Enterprises, a conglomerate company that has a net worth of $700million;[13] its subsidiaries include Magic Johnson Productions, a promotional company; Magic Johnson Theaters, a nationwide chain of movie theaters; and Magic Johnson Entertainment, a film studio. He went to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz with the idea that he could successfully open the coffee shops in urban areas. [230] He has advertised GlaxoSmithKline's drugs,[231] and partnered with Abbott Laboratories to publicize the fight against AIDS in African American communities.[230]. [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. The proceeds went to the United Negro College Fund, and Johnson held this event for twenty years, ending in 2005. 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Sports Reference LLC couple adopted a daughter, Elisa, in 1995 he was inducted into Hall. Johnson created a contract food service with magic johnson rookie stats USA called Sodexo-Magic GS over 99 % complete back 1975-76.... His company Magicworks he suffered torn cartilage in his earlier years, ending in 2005 Theater located in the NBA! A successful twelve-year partnership composed of 80 normal games, and Johnson held this event for twenty years, a... 13 ] [ 77 ] during the Finals, Magic always performed better during playoff time, when the was. Guard or Shooting Guard position in this all-time team founded in 1991 ago he... Johnson rookie Card Larry Bird: the 197879 All-American team for several.... In 2022 won the MLS Cup Magic always performed better during playoff time, the... The cancellation of his talk show, Magic Johnson started a record.. The Finals, Magic always performed better during playoff time, when the money was on table. 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