The Untold Truth Of Magic Johnson - NickiSwift.com [153] He is the only player to average 12 assists in an NBA Finals series, achieving it six times. [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. [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. [144][145] The rivalry was also significant because it drew national attention to the faltering NBA. 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. [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. [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. Magic Johnson: My Life. Starbucks Acquires Remaining Interest in Magic Johnson Enterprises 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. [80] After the Lakers defeated the Celtics in six games, Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson, who averaged 18.3points on .494shooting, 14.0assists, and 6.8rebounds per game in the championship series,[81][82] said the Finals win was the highlight of their careers. The Lakers finished the season on a ten-game losing streak, and Johnson's final record as a head coach was 511. [28] After the game, Fred Stabley Jr., a sports writer for the Lansing State Journal, gave him the moniker[32] despite the belief of Johnson's mother, a devout Christian, that the name was sacrilegious. [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. Charles Barkley Just Showered Larry Bird and Magic Johnson With The He nearly got into a fight with another player before head coach George Fox intervened. "Obviously, my family's always been in the spotlight," EJ told Out in 2014. 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. "We had. He is known to have owned 105 Starbucks outlets and a 4.5% stake in . [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. According to sports journalist Larry Schwartz of ESPN, Johnson and Bird saved the NBA from bankruptcy. 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. Magic Johnson or Michael Jordan: Who'd Be Better To Build a Franchise We exercise a proven expertise in business strategy, urban planning and developing creative business solutions to drive unparalleled results for our clients and partners. [44][130] The Lakers had a record of 2210 in the games Johnson played, and he considered his final comeback "a success. You can connect with Magic Johnson on Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia. Double your traffic. He is also part of a group of investors that purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 and the Los Angeles Sparks in 2014,[18] and was part of the ownership group that established Los Angeles F.C. [143] He later joined the Danish team The Great Danes. [41], During the 197879 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. Magic Johnson Fast Facts | CNN 'Winning Time' HBO: Magic Johnson, Nike and Phil - Los Angeles Times (LAFC) of Major League Soccer (MLS) in 2017. Magic, 62, posed alongside wife Cookie, sons EJ and Andre Johnson, daughter Elisa Johnson, and daughter-in-law Lisa Meyers Johnson, in a photo from the outing shared on Instagram. [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. He won 3 MVP Awards, appeared in 9 NBA Finals, was All-Star 12 times, and led the Lakers to the championship four times during the 1980s. "[36] Johnson and Chastine were almost always together, playing basketball or riding around in Chastine's car. And you can now add to that list one Earvin "Magic" Johnson. [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. Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson has become a living testament to advances in medicine that have turned human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) from a . [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. [13][169] The couple adopted a daughter, Elisa, in 1995. [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. The rising reality star is the son of NBA legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson and his wife, Earlitha "Cookie" Johnson. Combining his playing career and sports ownership career, Johnson has 10 NBA championships, five each as a player and later as a minority owner of the Lakers. The superstars' fiery relationship cooled after filming a 1985 Converse commercial filmed in French Lick, Ind., Bird's hometown. [138][139] On November 1, 2002, Johnson returned to play a second exhibition game against Michigan State. With so many ways to love the NBA, Google says the Pixel 6 is built for all fans. [68] During the championship series against the Sixers, Johnson averaged 16.2points on .533shooting, 10.8rebounds, 8.0assists, and 2.5steals per 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. "[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. A Defining Lunch. [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. What Is Magic Johnson's Net Worth? 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. During his retirement, Johnson began intense workouts to help his fight against HIV, raising his bench press from 135 to 300 pounds, and increasing his weight to 255 pounds. Johnson says he agreed to it, but he was nervous because he had . While Johnson is considered the leader of the ownership group, the controlling owner is Mark Walter, chief executive officer for Guggenheim Partners. His favorite basketball player was Bill Russell, whom he admired more for his many championships than his athletic ability. [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. The year was 2010, and scarves were in. [36] Johnson played with the team frequently over the next several years, with possibly the most memorable game occurring in November 2001. He shares his latest ventureMagic Johnson Development Corporationwhich develops commercial property in neglected urban and suburban neighborhoods. [57], Early in the 198081 season, Johnson was sidelined after he suffered torn cartilage in his left knee. "[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. The retired point guard welcomed his first child, son Andre, 42, with ex-girlfriend. ISBN0-449-22254-3. 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. [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 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. Watch The Rise of Magic Johnson in HBO's New - E! Online [98], Playing without Abdul-Jabbar for the first time, Johnson won his third MVP award[99] after a strong 198990 NBA season in which he averaged 22.3points, 11.5assists, and 6.6rebounds per game. 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. [177] It was this arrangement that allowed Johnson to coach the team without receiving any additional salary. In 2006, he publicly endorsed Phil Angelides for Governor of California,[219] in 2007 he supported Hillary Clinton in her presidential campaign,[220] and in 2010 he endorsed Barbara Boxer in her race for re-election to the U.S. [19][218], Johnson is a supporter of the Democratic Party. [192] The partnership, called Urban Coffee Opportunities, placed Starbucks in locations such as Detroit, Washington, D.C., Harlem, and the Crenshaw District of Los Angeles. Johnson was awarded his third Finals MVP title after averaging 26.2points on .541shooting, 13.0assists, 8.0rebounds, and 2.33steals per game. [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. [227] In 1992, he joined the National Commission on AIDS, a committee appointed by members of Congress and the Bush Administration. He missed 45games,[44] and said that his rehabilitation was the "most down" he had ever felt. Earvin "Magic" Johnson, William Novak. Cedric Ceballos, upset over a reduction in his playing time after Johnson's arrival, left the team for several days. [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. [214] Johnson announced his co-ownership of a Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion franchise based in Los Angeles on October 30, 2014. [73], Prior to Johnson's fifth season, Westwho had become the Lakers general managertraded Nixon to free Johnson from sharing the ball-handling responsibilities. [125] 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. Magic Johnson news & latest pictures from Newsweek.com With help from the HBO . Fantasy owner Saul Zaentz would further embark upon a career as a film . The Celtics won Game 4 in overtime, and the teams split the next two games. 1,006 ratings37 reviews. [26] He also idolized players such as Earl Monroe and Marques Haynes,[27] and practiced "all day". Who is Magic Johnson's Youngest Son EJ Johnson? - Parade: Entertainment [154] He holds the All-Star Game single-game record for assists (22), and the All-Star Game record for career assists (127). "[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. Magic was the fourth of seven children Earvin Sr. and Christine had together. [48] Johnson became the only rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award,[48] and his clutch performance is still regarded as one of the finest in NBA history. Magic Johnson might be a legendary basketball player, but to his three kids, his most important role is dad. Larry Bird - Wikipedia [3][55][56] He also became one of four players to win NCAA and NBA championships in consecutive years. The majority of NBA fans consider Jordan to be the best ever, with Magic being the best point guard ever. Capital One TV Spot, 'It's Like Magic' Featuring Charles Barkley [177] Johnson credits Buss with giving him the business knowledge that enabled him to become part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Although Johnson's retirement prior to the 199293 NBA season voided this contract, Buss insisted that he still be paid. This is the untold truth of Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. . 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 . He had become more powerful and stronger than in his earlier years, but was also slower and less nimble. [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. 1979 NCAA Championship Game. [229], HIV had been associated with intravenous drug users and homosexuals,[226] but Johnson's campaigns sought to show that the risk of infection was not limited to those groups. Johnson averaged 8.0 points per game during the Olympics, and his 5.5 assists per game was second on the team. [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.