Johnson also is part of a group of investors that purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 and the Los Angeles Sparks in 2014. By the time he had reached the eighth grade, Johnson had begun to think about a future in basketball. When Kawhi Leonard, the most coveted player in NBA free agency, listens to the Lakers’ pitch, it might come only from Magic Johnson and Jeanie Buss — and not in the same meeting. Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player and former president of basketball operations of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Some of his notable achievements include winning 5 NBA championships, 3 NBA Finals MVP, and 12 NBA All-Star. There were incidents of racism, with rocks being thrown at buses carrying black students and white parents refusing to send their children to school. ", "Magic Johnson wishes he hadn't retired so early (Video). [38][124] The Lakers had a record of 22–10 in the games Johnson played, and he considered his final comeback "a success. Ovitz encouraged him to start reading business magazines and to use every connection available to him. For the NBA center, see, Two moments of Johnson during his tour with the All-Stars to Argentina in January 1994: (left) greeting a local player; (right) hugging soccer superstar, HIV announcement and Olympics (1991–1992), Return to the Lakers as coach and player (1994, 1996). Magic Johnson card is worth $0.18-$0.34. How many Starbucks does Magic Johnson own? Do Not Sell My Personal Information | Terms of Use | APP was responsible for the only safe supply of Heparin in the United States in 2008, and ABII achieved the nation’s first FDA approved blood-derived nanoparticle for breast cancer, doubling the response rate in patients with metastatic disease. ", "Everett High School – Archives Yearbook (Lansing, MI), Class of 1977, Page 79. [214] He endorsed and appeared in campaign ads for unsuccessful Los Angeles mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel in 2013. His company invests in theatres, real estate, health clubs and even a promotional marketing company. [77], Johnson again averaged a double-double in the 1985–86 NBA season, with 18.8 points, 12.6 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game. [108] The Dream Team, which along with Johnson included fellow Hall of Famers such as Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, and Larry Bird, was considered unbeatable. Dr. Soon-Shiong is a super Lakers fan, an outstanding businessman, a dedicated philanthropist and one of the most active community leaders in Los Angeles,” said Johnson. In the final game of the CBA series, Johnson had 30 points, 17 rebounds, and 13 assists, leading the All-Stars to a 126–121 victory over the Oklahoma City Cavalry. [35], During the 1978–79 season, Michigan State again qualified for the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the championship game and faced Indiana State, which was led by senior Larry Bird. — Earvin Magic Johnson (@MagicJohnson) October 28, 2020 The same investment group that purchased the Dodgers, Guggenheim Partners, also owns the Los Angeles Sparks. Magic Johnson's decision to step down as the Lakers' president of basketball operations was among the talking points during team exit interviews on Wednesday. [119] The Lakers played well initially, winning five of their first six games under Johnson, but after losing the next five games, Johnson announced that he was resigning as coach after the season. The talent already on Michigan State's roster also drew him to the program. [34] Playing with future NBA draftees Greg Kelser, Jay Vincent and Mike Brkovich, Johnson averaged 17.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game as a freshman, and led the Spartans to a 25–5 record, the Big Ten Conference title, and a berth in the 1978 NCAA Tournament. “The Lakers’ leadership and spirit of community engendered by Dr. Jerry Buss and his family is an inspiration to us all. Since his retirement, Johnson has been an advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and safe sex,[7] as well as an entrepreneur,[8] philanthropist,[9] broadcaster and motivational speaker. At the age of 42, Johnson played with the All-Stars against his alma mater, Michigan State. [50][154][155] At the 2019 NBA Awards, Johnson received the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award (shared with Larry Bird). [198], He is an investor for aXiomatic eSports, the ownership company of Team Liquid. [167], In 2010, Magic 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. [141] With the two future Hall of Famers, the league won a whole generation of new fans,[142] drawing both traditionalist adherents of Bird's dirt court Indiana game and those appreciative of Johnson's public park flair. [11], Johnson initially said that he did not know how he contracted the disease,[11] but later acknowledged that it was through having numerous sexual partners during his playing career. Random House. [15] Johnson, who had six siblings (and three half-siblings by his father's previous marriage),[16][17][18] was influenced by his parents' strong work ethic. 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,[20][24] which was predominantly black. [130], After the Lakers lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs,[131] Johnson initially expressed a desire to return to the team for the 1996–97 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. [88] Despite not being named MVP, Johnson had a strong championship series, averaging 21.1 points on .550 shooting, 13.0 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game. “It is an honor for me to be part of the Lakers family and the nation’s foremost basketball franchise,” said Soon-Shiong. He said that he retired because he "didn't want to hurt 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. He even lured the biggest star free agent of all – LeBron James . 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. [207] Johnson announced his co-ownership of a Major League Soccer expansion franchise based in Los Angeles on October 30, 2014. EL SEGUNDO – Los Angeles Lakers legend and part-owner Earvin “Magic” Johnson has sold his share of the team to Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, it was announced today. In 1992, Buss had given Johnson a contract that paid him $14 million a year, as payback for all the years he was not the league's highest paid player. [180] In 2006, Johnson created a contract food service with Sodexo USA called Sodexo-Magic. In addition to his role with the Lakers, Johnson is a part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers and WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks. After protests 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. November 1, 2002. The series started poorly for the Lakers when they allowed an NBA Finals record 148 points to the Celtics in a 34-point loss in Game 1. MORE: Magic Johnson joining Lakers not good for Jim Buss. ", "Consensus All-America Teams (1969–70 to 1978–79)". [109][111] Johnson played infrequently because of knee problems,[112] but he received standing ovations from the crowd, and used the opportunity to inspire HIV-positive people. [203] Johnson and Guber were also partners in the Dayton Dragons,[202] a Class-A minor league baseball team in Dayton, Ohio, that sold out more than 1,000 consecutive games, a record for professional sports. What a way to finish arguably the most disappointing season in Lakers history. Magic Johnson steps away as Lakers president: Top takeaways from franchise legend's abrupt resignation, press conference Magic Johnson let the world know he will no longer be Lakers … Despite two triple-doubles from Johnson during the series, Finals MVP Jordan led his team to a 4–1 win. [38] 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 post-season. [101] At the time, only a small percentage of HIV-positive American men had contracted it from heterosexual sex,[87][102] and it was initially rumored that Johnson was gay or bisexual, although he denied both. "[113] 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. WarnerMedia Privacy Center | According to a team announcement, Ervin Magic Johnson has sold his stake in the Los Angeles Lakers to Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, a Lakers season ticket holder for … I thank Dr. Buss from the deepest part of my heart and soul for allowing me such an incredible opportunity. The first Magic Johnson Theater located in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, closed in 2010 and re-opened in 2011 as Rave Cinema 15. Johnson has become a leading voice on how to invest in urban communities, creating redevelopment opportunities in underserved areas, most notably through his movie theaters and his partnership with Starbucks. Although Johnson denied responsibility for Westhead's firing,[60] he was booed across the league, even by Laker fans. "Memory Lane: Magic records triple-double in exhibition win vs. Mich. St.", "Historias nórdicas: Magic Johnson, el vikingo", "Book review: When the Game Was Ours by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson", "HBO Documentary Revisits Magic Johnson–Larry Bird Rivalry That Saved Basketball", "All-Time Playoffs Individual Career Leaders", "ESPN SportsCentury: Top N. American athletes of the century. [133][134] On November 1, 2002, Johnson returned to play a second exhibition game against Michigan State. "A Midsummer Night's Magic" eventually came under the umbrella of the Magic Johnson Foundation, which he founded in 1991. Also read | Lakers legend Magic Johnson's new feature-film documentary in the works. [145] The following year, HBO developed a documentary about their rivalry titled Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals, which was directed by Ezra Edelman. Johnson's mother, originally from North Carolina,[23] had also played basketball as a child, and she grew up watching her brothers play the game.[20]. Lakers majority owner Dr. Jerry Buss had this comment on the transaction: “The sale of Earvin’s share of the team is a business decision which will not change our relationship. His favorite basketball player was Bill Russell, whom he admired more for his many championships than his athletic ability. If you make a request through [89] It was the fifth and final NBA championship of his career. [38] Johnson shares the single-game playoff record for assists (24),[147] holds the Finals record for assists in a game (21),[147] and has the most playoff assists (2,346). [142], In 2009, Johnson and Bird collaborated with journalist Jackie MacMullan on a non-fiction book titled When the Game Was Ours. [8][162] The couple adopted a daughter, Elisa, in 1995. [38] However, the Lakers bowed out to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference semifinals, which was the Lakers' earliest playoffs elimination in nine years. I am and will always be a Laker for life.”. [13] As such, in 2014, Johnson was named one of ESPNW's Impact 25. Magic Johnson reportedly resigned from Lakers after being copied on emails about bad job performance Magic Johnson abruptly quit as the Los Angeles Lakers’ president of … 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 2018–19 season proved unsuccessful. [13] During Johnson's ownership of both teams, the Sparks won the 2016 WNBA championship, and the Dodgers won the 2020 World Series championship. [117][118] 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." Larry was kicked off the basketball team after a confrontation during practice, prompting him to beg his brother not to play. [181][182] In 2004, Johnson and his partner Ken Lombard, sold Magic Johnson Theaters to Loews Cineplex Entertainment in 2004. [105] Johnson led the West to a 153–113 win and was crowned All-Star MVP after recording 25 points, 9 assists, and 5 rebounds. Magic Johnson just resigned before the Lakers’ final game. [146], In 905 NBA games, Johnson tallied 17,707 points, 6,559 rebounds, and 10,141 assists, translating to career averages of 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 11.2 assists per game, the highest assists per game average in NBA history. [79][80] 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 107–106. He had become a dominant junior high player, once scoring 48 points in a game. NBA Privacy Center | [193] Johnson sold his ownership stake in the Lakers in October 2010 to Patrick Soon-Shiong, a Los Angeles surgeon and professor at UCLA,[194] but continued as an unpaid vice president for the team. [136][137] Johnson also became a co-owner of the club;[138] however, the project failed after one season and the club was forced into reconstruction. Nothin' But Blue Skies: The Heyday, Hard Times, and Hopes of America's Industrial Heartland. [37] After two years in college, during which he averaged 17.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game, Johnson entered the 1979 NBA draft. [97][98] Although the series was portrayed as a matchup between Johnson and Jordan,[99] Bulls forward Scottie Pippen defended effectively against Johnson. [38] In the 1988 playoffs, the Lakers swept the San Antonio Spurs in 3 games, then survived two 4–3 series against the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks to reach the Finals and face Thomas and the Detroit Pistons,[84] 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. ", "Magic raises questions about Laker confusion.". [163] Johnson resides in Beverly Hills and has a vacation home in Dana Point, California. This was a bittersweet business decision made on behalf of my family and myself, and I want to assure all the wonderful and loyal Lakers fans that my decision will in no way affect my dedication and support for the Los Angeles Lakers. The proceeds went to the United Negro College Fund, and Johnson held this event for twenty years, ending in 2005. ", "1993–94 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats. [148] He is the only player to average 12 assists in an NBA Finals series, achieving it six times. [68] Johnson averaged another double-double season, with 17.6 points, 13.1 assists, and 7.3 rebounds per game. Johnson's half court shot at the buzzer would have won the game, but it fell short. ", "Starbucks Acquires Remaining Interest in Magic Johnson Enterprises' Urban Coffee Opportunities (UCO). After a triple-double from Johnson in Game 6, the Lakers defeated the Sixers 4–2, as Johnson won his second NBA Finals MVP award. 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. [38] The Lakers advanced to the Western Conference Finals, but were unable to defeat the Houston Rockets, who advanced to the Finals in five games. [95] Under Dunleavy, the offense used more half-court sets, and the team had a renewed emphasis on defense. And then it all went downhill from there. After winning basketball championships in high school and college, he was selected the first overall player in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. [27] 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. "[170] Buss acquired the team from Jack Kent Cooke in 1979, shortly before he drafted Johnson with the #1 pick in the 1979 NBA draft. [39], Johnson was drafted first overall in 1979 by the Los Angeles Lakers. [61] Despite his off-court troubles, Johnson averaged 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and a league-high 2.7 steals per game, and was voted a member of the All-NBA Second Team. This site is operated jointly by NBA and WarnerMedia. Johnson did join the basketball team but became angry after several days when his new teammates ignored him during practice, not even passing the ball to him. Although he played in a celebrity game to honor coach Jud Heathcoate in 1995,[39] this was Johnson's first meaningful game played in his hometown of Lansing in 22 years. [34], Before the 1992–93 NBA season, Johnson announced his intention to stage an NBA comeback. Johnson was awarded his third Finals MVP title after averaging 26.2 points on .541 shooting, 13.0 assists, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.33 steals per game. He invented the nation’s first FDA approved protein nanoparticle delivery technology for the treatment of metastatic breast cancer, now approved in over 38 countries and currently in trials for lung, melanoma, gastric and pancreatic cancer. [172] 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. [221], HIV had been associated with intravenous drug users and homosexuals,[218] but Johnson's campaigns sought to show that the risk of infection was not limited to those groups. [174][175] Johnson also co-promoted Janet Jackson's Velvet Rope Tour through his company Magicworks. Patrick is a long-time and passionate Lakers fan and we are delighted to have him as a partner.”. ", "1993–94 Los Angeles Lakers Schedule and Results. [17] 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. October 2010 - Sells his shares of the Lakers. [30] He officially returned to the team on January 29, 1996,[122] and played his first game the following day against the Golden State Warriors. Earvin "Magic" Johnson is the Chairman and Chief Executive Offcer of Magic Johnson Enterprises, an investment conglomerate valued at an estimated $1 billion dollars. ", "Hillary Clinton Fundraisers Coming to Beverly Hills", "'Disappointed' Magic Johnson quits AIDS commission. I will continue to work alongside Dr. Buss, Jeanie Buss and Mitch Kupchak in their efforts to continually build and maintain the best NBA franchise in the league. It got me out of my own little world and taught me how to understand white people, how to communicate and deal with them. 2014 A group led by Earvin "Magic" Johnson purchases the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks. [33], Johnson did not initially aspire to play professionally, focusing instead on his communication studies major and on his desire to become a television commentator. It's true that I hated missing out on Sexton. 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.
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