Magic Johnson

Magic Johnson
	Johnson in 2022
Personal information
Born	August 14, 1959 (age 64); Lansing, Michigan, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)
Listed weight	220 lb (100 kg)
Career information
High school	Everett (Lansing, Michigan)
College	Michigan State (1977–1979)
NBA draft	1979: 1st round, 1st overall pick
	Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers
Playing career	1979–1991, 1996, 1999–2000
Position	Point guard / shooting guard
Number	32
Career history
As player:
1979–1991, 1996	Los Angeles Lakers
1999–2000	Magic M7 Borås
2000	Magic Great Danes
As coach:
1994	Los Angeles Lakers
Career highlights and awards
	5× NBA champion (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988); 3× NBA Finals MVP (1980, 1982, 1987); 3× NBA Most Valuable Player (1987, 1989, 1990); 12× NBA All-Star (1980, 1982–1992); 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP (1990, 1992); 9× All-NBA First Team (1983–1991); All-NBA Second Team (1982); NBA All-Rookie Team (1980); 4× NBA assists leader (1983, 1984, 1986, 1987); 2× NBA steals leader (1981, 1982); IBM Award (1984); NBA Lifetime Achievement Award (2019); J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award (1992); NBA anniversary team (50th, 75th); No. 32 retired by Los Angeles Lakers; NCAA champion (1979); NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player (1979); Consensus first-team All-American (1979); Second-team All-American – NABC (1978); Third-team All-American – AP, UPI (1978); 2× first-team All-Big Ten (1978, 1979); No. 33 retired by Michigan State Spartans; First-team Parade All-American (1977); McDonald's All-American (1977); Mr. Basketball of Michigan (1977);
Career NBA statistics
Points	17,707 (19.5 ppg)
Rebounds	6,559 (7.2 rpg)
Assists	10,141 (11.2 apg)
	Stats at NBA.com
	Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
	Basketball Hall of Fame as player
	College Basketball Hall of Fame; Inducted in 2006
Men's basketball
Representing the United States
Olympic Games
Tournament of the Americas

Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. Often regarded as the greatest point guard of all time,^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7] Johnson spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). After winning a national championship with Michigan State in 1979, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Lakers, leading the team to five NBA championships during their "Showtime" era. 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. After protests against his return from his fellow players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996, at age 36, to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring for the third and final time.

Known for his extraordinary court vision, passing abilities, and leadership on the court, Johnson was one of the most dominant players of his era. His career achievements include three NBA Most Valuable Player Awards, three NBA Finals MVPs, nine All-NBA First Team designations, and twelve All-Star games selections. He led the league in regular season assists four times, and is the NBA's all-time leader in average assists per game in both the regular season (11.19 assists per game) and the playoffs (12.35 assists per game).^[8]^[9] He also holds the records for most career playoff assists and most career playoff triple-doubles.^[10]^[11] Johnson was the co-captain of the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team ("The Dream Team"),^[12] which won the Olympic gold medal in Barcelona. After leaving the NBA in 1991, he formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a barnstorming team that traveled around the world playing exhibition games.^[13]

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 Fame—being enshrined in 2002 for his individual career, and again in 2010 as a member of the "Dream Team".^[14] 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.

Since his retirement, Johnson has been an advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and safe sex,^[15] as well as an entrepreneur,^[16] philanthropist,^[17] broadcaster and motivational speaker.^[18] Johnson is a former part-owner of the Lakers and was the team's president of basketball operations in the late 2010s. He is a founding member of Guggenheim Baseball Management, managing entity of the MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers, and also partly owns the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks, the MLS' Los Angeles FC, and the NFL's Washington Commanders. Johnson has won 14 total championships during his career, one in college, five as an NBA player and eight as an owner.^[19]

^ Povtak, Tim (February 7, 1992). "Magic weekend is on tap as Johnson set for NBA encore". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on May 9, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.
^ "2021–22 Big Ten Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Big Ten Conference. 2021. p. 88. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2022.
^ Cite error: The named reference greatestpg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference top10pg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ The Athletic NBA Staff (February 23, 2022). "NBA 75: Top 75 NBA players of all time, from MJ and LeBron to Lenny Wilkens". The Athletic. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
^ Oram, Bill (February 14, 2022). "NBA 75: At No. 5, Magic Johnson combined dazzling playmaking with charisma to lead the Showtime Lakers to five titles". The Athletic. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
^ Greer, Jordan (September 16, 2022). "Magic Johnson vs. Stephen Curry: Does Warriors star have stats case to surpass Lakers legend as GOAT point guard?". Sporting News. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2022.
^ "NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for Assists Per Game". Basketball Reference. Archived from the original on March 28, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
^ "NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Assists Per Game". Basketball Reference. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved July 10, 2022.
^ "NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Assists". Basketball Reference. Archived from the original on April 24, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2022.
^ "NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Triple-Doubles". Basketball Reference. Archived from the original on February 10, 2024. Retrieved February 10, 2024.
^ Kiisel, Ty (February 6, 2013). "Do you remember who was captain of the Dream Team?". Deseret News. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.
^ "Magic Johnson." Archived July 23, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. How Stuff Works. Retrieved June 4, 2022.
^ Rohlin, Melissa (April 4, 2020). "Magic Johnson Says It Breaks His Heart That Kobe Bryant Won't Be At Hall Of Fame Ceremony". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on May 9, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
^ Jaslow, Ryan (November 29, 2013). "Magic Johnson's HIV activism hasn't slowed 22 years after historic announcement". CBS News. Archived from the original on April 5, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2020.
^ Cite error: The named reference espnticket was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Haire, Thomas (May 1, 2003). "Do You Believe in 'Magic'?". Response Magazine. Archived from the original on October 26, 2006. Retrieved May 27, 2008.
^ Springer, Steve (November 7, 2001). "Magic's Announcement: 10 years later, a real survivor". Los Angeles Times. p. D1.
^ "Magic Johnson now has championship rings in the NBA, MLB and WNBA". Bardown. October 28, 2020. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2020.

[1] Povtak, Tim (February 7, 1992). "Magic weekend is on tap as Johnson set for NBA encore". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on May 9, 2021. Retrieved March 2, 2021.

[2] "2021–22 Big Ten Men's Basketball Media Guide" (PDF). Big Ten Conference. 2021. p. 88. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 9, 2022. Retrieved October 9, 2022.

[greatestpg-3] Cite error: The named reference greatestpg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[top10pg-4] Cite error: The named reference top10pg was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[5] The Athletic NBA Staff (February 23, 2022). "NBA 75: Top 75 NBA players of all time, from MJ and LeBron to Lenny Wilkens". The Athletic. Archived from the original on April 7, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.

[Oram-6] Oram, Bill (February 14, 2022). "NBA 75: At No. 5, Magic Johnson combined dazzling playmaking with charisma to lead the Showtime Lakers to five titles". The Athletic. Archived from the original on August 17, 2022. Retrieved August 17, 2022.

[7] Greer, Jordan (September 16, 2022). "Magic Johnson vs. Stephen Curry: Does Warriors star have stats case to surpass Lakers legend as GOAT point guard?". Sporting News. Archived from the original on November 28, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2022.

[alltimeassist-8] "NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for Assists Per Game". Basketball Reference. Archived from the original on March 28, 2013. Retrieved July 10, 2022.

[9] "NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Assists Per Game". Basketball Reference. Archived from the original on September 13, 2019. Retrieved July 10, 2022.

[10] "NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Assists". Basketball Reference. Archived from the original on April 24, 2015. Retrieved August 17, 2022.

[11] "NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Triple-Doubles". Basketball Reference. Archived from the original on February 10, 2024. Retrieved February 10, 2024.

[12] Kiisel, Ty (February 6, 2013). "Do you remember who was captain of the Dream Team?". Deseret News. Archived from the original on March 29, 2024. Retrieved March 29, 2024.

[barnstorm-13] "Magic Johnson." Archived July 23, 2015, at the Wayback Machine. How Stuff Works. Retrieved June 4, 2022.

[14] Rohlin, Melissa (April 4, 2020). "Magic Johnson Says It Breaks His Heart That Kobe Bryant Won't Be At Hall Of Fame Ceremony". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on May 9, 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2020.

[15] Jaslow, Ryan (November 29, 2013). "Magic Johnson's HIV activism hasn't slowed 22 years after historic announcement". CBS News. Archived from the original on April 5, 2022. Retrieved December 27, 2020.

[espnticket-16] Cite error: The named reference espnticket was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[17] Haire, Thomas (May 1, 2003). "Do You Believe in 'Magic'?". Response Magazine. Archived from the original on October 26, 2006. Retrieved May 27, 2008.

[mot-18] Springer, Steve (November 7, 2001). "Magic's Announcement: 10 years later, a real survivor". Los Angeles Times. p. D1.

[Magic_rings-19] "Magic Johnson now has championship rings in the NBA, MLB and WNBA". Bardown. October 28, 2020. Archived from the original on November 16, 2021. Retrieved December 21, 2020.

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