One of the greatest players to ever walk onto the court, "Magic" Johnson was born Earvin Johnson in Lansing, MI in 1959. Born into a large family of a GM worker, a school custodian and nine other children, Johnson discovered basketball early. Johnson has said that he used to walk to the store dribbling with one hand and dribbling with the other as he walked back.
He got his nickname as the star of Everett High School. A local sportswriter, who had watch the amazing 15-year-old play and scoring 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 16 assists, felt no other word would describe Earvin other than "Magic!" After excelling at Everett High School, Magic wanted to stay close to home for college, so Michigan State was the obvious choice. Even as a freshman, he was impressive with numbers like 17 points per game and led his college teammates, The Spartans, to a 25.5 record and The Big Ten Conference title. As a sophomore, Johnson and his teammates won the national title in 1979 and beat out Larry Birds' Indiana State in what is thought of as one of the most watched NCAA Championship Game-ever.
Deciding to go professional, Johnson decided to declare his eligibility for the draft in 1979, where he was snapped up by the Lakers. Lakers fans were incredibly excited to see one of the nations' best college players on their team. Larry Byrd ended up winning the NBA Rookie of the year award, the Lakers did capture the NBA championship in Johnson's first year on the team with a 60-22 record. The next year, Johnson and the Lakers performed even better, with Johnson matching his college records - he was the first rookie to start in an all star game since 1969.
In the 1980 NBA finals, Johnson scored an incredible 42 points, 15 board, 7 assists and three steals against the Philadelphia 76ers. Johnson was the first rookie to win the MVP award in the NBA finals. Magic Johnson is a modest sort, saying only of his achievement: "I just wanted to do whatever the (Lakers) needed to do to win. I was having fun." Sadly, torn cartilage in his knee would keep him on the sidelines for 45 games in the following season.
Johnson and his team came back in the 1981-82 season, easily winning their division and facing the 76ers once more for the NBA championship-a repeat win and a repeat MVP Award. Maybe due to some of Johnson's comments after the 1982 season, or maybe it was just time or for whatever reason, Coach Westhead was replaced by Pat Riley-who would become a legend in coaching in his own right. While some fans weren't happy at this decision or Magic's comments to the press, Johnson was jeered this season, but still his averages never dipped below 17.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 10.5 assists throughout his career.
In 1984, Magic signed a $25 million dollar contract with the Lakers and they won three NBA titles in the following four years. In the 1986-87 season, he scored an astounding 38 points against Houston and 46 points against the Sacramento Kings-a career high. During this season, he also achieved a career-high average of 23.9 points per game- and Johnson was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player of the Year. He would win this award again in 1989 and 1990.
Johnson announced before the start of the 1991-1992 season that he had HIV and would be retiring. However, he didn't simply bow out. Johnson played in the 1991 All-Star game, where he received the MVP award. Johnson has kept extremely busy ever since both in and out of the sports world. He authored a book on safe sex, started companies and foundations, worked as a NBC sports commentator and even spent part of a season filling in as head coach for the Lakers! Johnson also played on the US Olympic Basketball "Dream Team" in 1992. Johnson also returned to the Lakers for part of a season in 1996; a fitting victory lap for this basketball legend.
Magic Johnson, in his thirteen NBA seasons came away with 17,707 points, 19.5 points per game average, 6,559 rebounds, and 10,141 assists. He also had an impressive 1,724 steals placing him at ninth place on the all-time list. In 1996-97, he was invited to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team and in 2002, he entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Magic was a star in basketball and perhaps a former NBA player who knew him best, said it best-"Magic is head-and-shoulders above everybody else. I've never seen anybody as good as him,"-Larry Bird.
He got his nickname as the star of Everett High School. A local sportswriter, who had watch the amazing 15-year-old play and scoring 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 16 assists, felt no other word would describe Earvin other than "Magic!" After excelling at Everett High School, Magic wanted to stay close to home for college, so Michigan State was the obvious choice. Even as a freshman, he was impressive with numbers like 17 points per game and led his college teammates, The Spartans, to a 25.5 record and The Big Ten Conference title. As a sophomore, Johnson and his teammates won the national title in 1979 and beat out Larry Birds' Indiana State in what is thought of as one of the most watched NCAA Championship Game-ever.
Deciding to go professional, Johnson decided to declare his eligibility for the draft in 1979, where he was snapped up by the Lakers. Lakers fans were incredibly excited to see one of the nations' best college players on their team. Larry Byrd ended up winning the NBA Rookie of the year award, the Lakers did capture the NBA championship in Johnson's first year on the team with a 60-22 record. The next year, Johnson and the Lakers performed even better, with Johnson matching his college records - he was the first rookie to start in an all star game since 1969.
In the 1980 NBA finals, Johnson scored an incredible 42 points, 15 board, 7 assists and three steals against the Philadelphia 76ers. Johnson was the first rookie to win the MVP award in the NBA finals. Magic Johnson is a modest sort, saying only of his achievement: "I just wanted to do whatever the (Lakers) needed to do to win. I was having fun." Sadly, torn cartilage in his knee would keep him on the sidelines for 45 games in the following season.
Johnson and his team came back in the 1981-82 season, easily winning their division and facing the 76ers once more for the NBA championship-a repeat win and a repeat MVP Award. Maybe due to some of Johnson's comments after the 1982 season, or maybe it was just time or for whatever reason, Coach Westhead was replaced by Pat Riley-who would become a legend in coaching in his own right. While some fans weren't happy at this decision or Magic's comments to the press, Johnson was jeered this season, but still his averages never dipped below 17.6 points, 5.9 rebounds and 10.5 assists throughout his career.
In 1984, Magic signed a $25 million dollar contract with the Lakers and they won three NBA titles in the following four years. In the 1986-87 season, he scored an astounding 38 points against Houston and 46 points against the Sacramento Kings-a career high. During this season, he also achieved a career-high average of 23.9 points per game- and Johnson was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player of the Year. He would win this award again in 1989 and 1990.
Johnson announced before the start of the 1991-1992 season that he had HIV and would be retiring. However, he didn't simply bow out. Johnson played in the 1991 All-Star game, where he received the MVP award. Johnson has kept extremely busy ever since both in and out of the sports world. He authored a book on safe sex, started companies and foundations, worked as a NBC sports commentator and even spent part of a season filling in as head coach for the Lakers! Johnson also played on the US Olympic Basketball "Dream Team" in 1992. Johnson also returned to the Lakers for part of a season in 1996; a fitting victory lap for this basketball legend.
Magic Johnson, in his thirteen NBA seasons came away with 17,707 points, 19.5 points per game average, 6,559 rebounds, and 10,141 assists. He also had an impressive 1,724 steals placing him at ninth place on the all-time list. In 1996-97, he was invited to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team and in 2002, he entered the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Magic was a star in basketball and perhaps a former NBA player who knew him best, said it best-"Magic is head-and-shoulders above everybody else. I've never seen anybody as good as him,"-Larry Bird.
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