Happy Birthday to Hall of Famer, Magic Johnson! "[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. Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. Clicking on a tab heading will display the specified set of statistics. He insisted that his health was not an issue, while downplaying questions about returning as a player, saying, "I'm retired. Read up on Magic Johnson's biography, career, awards and more on ESPN. [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. 2. Magic, Buck, E.J. "[28][33] Johnson could dominate a game without scoring, running the offense and distributing the ball with flair. 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. [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. [89] Johnson had another productive season with averages of 19.6points, 11.9assists, and 6.2rebounds per game despite missing 10 games with a groin injury. [128] Despite these difficulties, the Lakers finished with a record of 5329 and fourth seed in the NBA Playoffs. "Earvin Johnson" redirects here. He won 3 MVP awards, 3 Finals MVP awards and 5 NBA championships. Magic was the fourth of seven children Earvin Sr. and Christine had together. [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. [16] Named by Ebony magazine as one of America's most influential black businessmen in 2009,[17] Johnson has numerous business interests, and was a part-owner of the Lakers for several years, as well as being the team's president of basketball operations from 2017 to 2019. 1990 Fleer Basketball Earvin Magic Johnson Card #93 Lakers MINT. Here are the 13 most expensive David Robinson cards: 1. It got me out of my own little world and taught me how to understand white people, how to communicate and deal with them. 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. In what was his rookie year. Review:HBO's 'Winning Time' captures the go-go vibe of Magic Johnson's Lakers The real Nixon, the two-time NBA all-star, has not weighed in on the scene or his son's performance. Magic Johnson Rookie Season Stats: 18 points per game, 7.3 assists, 7.7 total rebounds, and averaged just over 36 minutes per game. Johnson's mother, originally from North Carolina,[29] had also played basketball as a child, and she grew up watching her brothers play the game.[26]. He was named an All-Star starter and made the All-Rookie Team. Magic Johnson: 1 (1982) . the Deejay, Tragic, The Magic Man, Junior are nicknames for Magic Johnson. SimLeague Basketball. [95] It was the fifth and final NBA championship of his career. This is average NBA player's height . Latest on Brooklyn Nets point guard Ben Simmons including news, stats, videos, highlights and more on ESPN There were incidents of racism, with rocks being thrown at buses carrying black students and white parents refusing to send their children to school. "[125] Amid speculation from general manager Jerry West that he may only coach until the end of the season,[125] Johnson took over a team that had a 2838 record, and won his first game as head coach, a 110101 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. SimLeague Basketball lets you put Kobe, Magic, Kareem, Bird & Duncan on the court at the same time! [138][139] On November 1, 2002, Johnson returned to play a second exhibition game against Michigan State. He put together a 14-point, 21-assist performance in Game 3. [226][227], To prevent his HIV infection from progressing to AIDS, Johnson takes a daily combination of drugs, also called a drug cocktail. MP over 99% complete back to 1976-77. Earvin Johnson Jr. Johnson returned to the NBA as a coach but he was still paid his regular player salary. 1989-90 Hoops #310 David Robinson IA Rookie RC BGS 10 Pristine. [154] He holds the All-Star Game single-game record for assists (22), and the All-Star Game record for career assists (127). [186] In addition to these business ventures, Johnson has also created the Magic Card, a pre-paid MasterCard aimed at helping low-income people save money and participate in electronic commerce. Holds the all-time record for highest career assists-per-game average11.2 Holds the all-time record for most assists in Playoffs2,346 Johnson is also the only player in NBA history to have at least 2,000 assists in a playoff career [1] Holds the all-time record for highest assists-per-game average in Playoffs12.4 [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. [177] It was this arrangement that allowed Johnson to coach the team without receiving any additional salary. 1 overall pick by the Lakers, Johnson had an immediate partner in crime with Abdul-Jabbar. [33] The Lakers advanced through the 1982 playoffs and faced Philadelphia for the second time in three years in the 1982 NBA Finals. [192] The experience taught him to listen to his customers and find out what products they wanted. Peter Guber, who is the co-owner of the Golden State Warriors, owns a small stake in the Dodgers along with Johnson. [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. Data Provided By The Lakers. He said that he retired because he "didn't want to hurt the game. [129] On February 14, Johnson recorded the final triple-double of his career, when he scored 15 points, along with 10 rebounds and 13 assists in a victory against the Atlanta Hawks. All statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference. Magic won his first Finals MVP in 1980, averaging 21.5 PPG, 11.2 RPG, and 8.7 APG. Ovitz encouraged him to start reading business magazines and to use every connection available to him. [80] However, Abdul-Jabbar, who was now 38years old, scored 30points and grabbed 17rebounds in Game 2, and his 36points in a Game 5 win were instrumental in establishing a 32 lead for Los Angeles. [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. [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. [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. [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. The Lakers would finish the season on a ten-game losing streak though. Prior to Johnson and Bird's arrival, the NBA had gone through a decade of declining interest and low TV ratings. 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. According to sports journalist Larry Schwartz of ESPN, Johnson and Bird saved the NBA from bankruptcy. 1980 Topps Magic Johnson Rookie Card Larry Bird RC Julius Erving PSA 9 Mint . [131][132] He missed two games and was stripped of his title as team captain. Earvin "Magic" Johnson is one of the greatest players in NBA history and Magic Johnson cards continue to see strong interest from collectors. 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 Famebeing enshrined in 2002 for his individual career, and again in 2010 as a member of the "Dream Team". [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. [212], Together with Guggenheim, Johnson was also involved in the February 2014 purchase of the Los Angeles Sparks team in the WNBA. 910. [221] In 2012, he endorsed Barack Obama for president. [208] The Johnson-led group, which also includes movie executive Peter Guber, paid $2billion for the Dodgers, the largest amount paid for a professional sports team. [101] Under Dunleavy, the offense used more half-court sets, and the team had a renewed emphasis on defense. Like Comments. [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. inLansing,Michigan . [87][88], Before the 198788 NBA season, Lakers coach Pat Riley publicly promised that they would defend the NBA title, even though no team had won consecutive titles since the Celtics did so in the 1969 NBA Finals. [191], Johnson began thinking of life after basketball while still playing with the Lakers. [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. "A Midsummer Night's Magic" eventually came under the umbrella of the Magic Johnson Foundation, which he founded in 1991. [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. [7][8] He also holds the record for most career assists in the 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. [28] Buss was also unhappy with the Lakers' offense and had intended on firing Westhead days before the WestheadJohnson altercation, but assistant GM Jerry West and GM Bill Sharman had convinced Buss to delay his decision. [72] In a losing effort against Philadelphia, Johnson averaged 19.0points on .403shooting, 12.5assists, and 7.8rebounds per game. Michigan State. Playing with the Canberra Cannons of Australia's National Basketball League instead of his usual group of players, Johnson's team defeated the Spartans 10485, as he scored 12 points, with 10 assists and 10 rebounds. As remarkable Magic's performance was in Game 6, Kareem's. He played with the team for 13 seasons and was honored. Find out more. [204], In 2015, Johnson completed his planned acquisition for a "majority, controlling interest" in EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, which manages $14.5 billion in annuities, life insurance and other financial products. With Kareem out, Magic started at center as a rookie and won the series, which earned him Finals MVP. [165][166][167], Johnson first fathered a son in 1981, when Andre Johnson was born to Melissa Mitchell. At just 20 years old, he remains the. The performance by Johnson would solidify his place among the best in the NBA in only his first season with the Lakers. Regular Season Stats. $19,999.99. MagicJohnson, (Magic, Buck, E.J. [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. Birthdate. . NBA Finals MVP 1980 on Winning Time: Magic Johnson story is . Magic Johnson was born in Lansing, Michigan. I n today's post, we're going to share three facts that prove that Larry Bird was a better player than Magic Johnson. The Lakers would defeat the 76ers in six games, with Magic Johnson being crowned Finals MVP. He played for the Lakers for 13 seasons . Stats: None. Magic and the Lakers completed a sensational 6-game victory after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would miss Game 6 despite putting up 33.4 PPG, 13.6 RPG, and 4.6 BPG. 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". [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. That said, his well-rounded stat line of 12.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.3 steals per game on 50.9% shooting from the field is impressive - only six rookies in NBA history matched . Branham has put together a tremendous stretch with the Spurs and is coming off his best month of the season. Johnson was awarded his third Finals MVP title after averaging 26.2points on .541shooting, 13.0assists, 8.0rebounds, and 2.33steals per game. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. 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. Rookie of the Year. Or write about sports? [209] The Dodgers won the 2020 World Series, giving Johnson a Major League Baseball title to his credit. Johnson would often help his father on the garbage route, and he was teased by neighborhood children who called him "Garbage Man". Johnson, a 20-year-old rookie, enters the fray. After a triple-double from Johnson in Game 6, the Lakers defeated the Sixers 42, as Johnson won his second NBA Finals MVP award. The basketball game was part of festivities organized to celebrate Obama's 49th birthday. [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. The book detailed their on-court rivalry and friendship with one another. "[3] Bleacher Report also listed Johnson first in its all-time NBA point guard rankings. Right, Born: Magic Johnson Rookie Year Stats | StatMuse Magic Johnson averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists in 77 games in his rookie season in 1979-80. Games (G) Michael Jordan: 82 (2002-03) Larry Bird: . [63][64] Early in the 198182 season, Johnson had a heated dispute with Westhead, who Johnson said made the Lakers "slow" and "predictable". We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. [124] Stating that it was never his dream to coach, he chose instead to purchase a 5% share of the team in June 1994. [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. [177], In 1997, his production company Magic Johnson Entertainment signed a deal with Fox. [188][189] In 2004, Johnson and his partner Ken Lombard sold Magic Johnson Theaters to Loews Cineplex Entertainment. $95.00 shipping. This led us to one card that we think might actually be undervalued the 1980-81 Topps Larry Bird, Magic Johnson Rookie Card. The announcement clearly gets underneath Johnson's skin. [129] Playing power forward, he averaged 14.6points, 6.9assists, and 5.7rebounds per game in 32games, and finished tied for 12th place with Charles Barkley in voting for the MVP Award. [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. The Lakers played poorly in a Game 1 loss, prompting Johnson to express frustration with his role in coach Del Harris' offense. Game 3 him to start reading business magazines and to use every connection available him. Johnson Entertainment signed a deal with Fox at center as a coach but he was named an All-Star starter made. Title as team captain a 20-year-old Rookie, enters the fray NBA had gone a! Of Famer, Magic, Kareem, Bird & amp ; Duncan on court. 128 ] Despite these difficulties, the offense and distributing the ball with flair also... The best in the Playoffs August 14, 1959 ) is an former... 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