ISBN0-449-22254-3. [113], Johnson was chosen to compete in the Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics for the U.S. national team, dubbed the "Dream Team" because of the NBA stars on the roster. He replaced Randy Pfund and Bill Bertka as interim coaches. [21] Johnson, who had six siblings and three half-siblings by his father's previous marriage,[22][23][a] was influenced by his parents' strong work ethic. . Magic Johnson had perhaps one of the best performances ever as a rookie to help the Los Angeles Lakers defeat the Philadelphia 76ers to win the 1980 NBA Championship. In a press conference held on November 7, 1991, Johnson made a public announcement that he would retire immediately. Michigan State. Johnson asserted that for him, the 82-game regular season was composed of 80 normal games, and two LakersCeltics games. [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. He had a total of 29 Badges in which 3 of them were Hall of Fame Level. Now if we look at the PSA stats for the 1980-1981 Topps Bird, Magic rookie, they have graded about 9,800 copies. 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. He put together a 14-point, 21-assist performance in Game 3. [153] He is the only player to average 12 assists in an NBA Finals series, achieving it six times. . Earvin (Magic) Johnson has signed a 25-year contract for $1 million a year, starting in 1984, Jerry Buss, the Los Angles Lakers' owner, said tonight. Magic Johnson had a usage percentage of 20.8 in his rookie season in 1979-80. magic johnson usage rate by year 1979-80 Johnson 1980-81 Johnson 1981-82 Johnson 1982-83 Johnson 1983-84 Johnson 1984-85 Johnson 1985-86 Johnson 1986-87 Johnson 1987-88 Johnson 1988-89 Johnson 1989-90 Johnson 1990-91 Johnson 1995-96 Johnson 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18 20 . [221] In 2012, he endorsed Barack Obama for president. Sign up for the The Rookie Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. Stats: None. [96], In the 198889 NBA season, Johnson's 22.5points, 12.8assists, and 7.9rebounds per game[44] earned him his second MVP award,[97] and the Lakers reached the 1989 NBA Finals, in which they again faced the Pistons. August 14, Team 33 33 SUMMARY Career G 1560 PTS 24.6 TRB 11.2 AST 3.6 FG% 55.9 FG3% 5.6 FT% 72.1 eFG% 55.9 PER 24.6 WS 273.4 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Overview Game Logs Game-by-game stat line for the player 1969-70 1970-71 [44] However, the Lakers bowed out to the Phoenix Suns in the Western Conference semifinals, which was the Lakers' earliest playoffs elimination in nine years. 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. This led us to one card that we think might actually be undervalued the 1980-81 Topps Larry Bird, Magic Johnson Rookie Card. He won his first Finals MVP award and his first NBA championship. Right, Born: Forgotten fact: Magic Johnson won Finals MVP as a ROOKIE. Peter Guber, who is the co-owner of the Golden State Warriors, owns a small stake in the Dodgers along with Johnson. 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. Since Elvin Hayes 11 years ago, he became the first rookie to start in an NBA All-Star Game. Lakers Magic Johnson Signed 1980 Topps Rookie Reprint #139 Card Auto 10 BAS Slab. 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. SSP 1/1 AUTO MICHAEL JORDAN/LEBRON JAMES 2011-12 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection. Averaged 19.4 points, 11.7 assists, and 7.9 rebounds in 50 NBA Finals games. Born on August 14, 1959, Earvin 'Magic' Johnson is a former NBA player and the former president of basketball operations for the LA Lakers. Birthdate. [63][64] Early in the 198182 season, Johnson had a heated dispute with Westhead, who Johnson said made the Lakers "slow" and "predictable". Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. [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. Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. [111] Johnson led the West to a 153113win and was crowned All-Star MVP after recording 25points, 9assists, and 5rebounds. 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. Earvin "Magic" Johnson is one of the greatest players in NBA history and Magic Johnson cards continue to see strong interest from collectors. At the age of 42, Johnson played with the All-Stars against his alma mater, Michigan State. [114] The Dream Team, which along with Johnson included fellow Hall of Famers such as Bird, Michael Jordan, and Charles Barkley, was considered unbeatable. 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. He was selected to play in his first All-Star game. [20], Earvin Johnson Jr. was born in Lansing, Michigan, to General Motors assembly worker Earvin Sr. and school janitor Christine. [43] After two years in college, during which he averaged 17.1points, 7.6rebounds, and 7.9assists per game, Johnson entered the 1979 NBA draft. Clicking on a tab heading will display the specified set of statistics. 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". 5x champion, 3x league MVP, 3x @NBA Finals MVP, 12x Allstar, & the No. Branham has put together a tremendous stretch with the Spurs and is coming off his best month of the season. In his rookie season, the Lakers won the N . Magic Johnson contract and salary cap details, contract breakdowns, dead money, and news. Jamaal Wilkes scored 37 points, including a dunk with 50 seconds left that gave Los Angeles a 12-point lead. Magic Johnson: 1 (1982) . But being bused to Everett turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me. At the age of 20 Magic Johnson took the Lakers to the victory in the series-clinching sixth game with a legendary performance. His father played high school basketball in his home state of Mississippi,[29]and Johnson learned the finer points about the game from him. Other biographies include: On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. [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. As remarkable Magic's performance was in Game 6, Kareem's. [155] Johnson is the only player in NBA Finals history to have triple-doubles in multiple series-clinching games. [202] In February 2017, Johnson returned to the Lakers as an advisor to Jeanie Buss. Magic Johnson is among the very best players who ever played for the Lakers franchise and had been selected as a member of the All-Time Los Angeles Lakers NBA team by 2K. Data runs from 1946-47 to present unless otherwise noted. Best Season Stats. He won 3 MVP awards, 3 Finals MVP awards and 5 NBA championships. His 11.2 assists are an NBA record for assists per game for a career. 3. 40 years ago today, Magic Johnson scores 42 pts as a rookie (most in NBA history) while starting at center in place of the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the Lakers claim the 1980 NBA. With Kareem out, Magic started at center as a rookie and won the series, which earned him Finals MVP. In 1979, Magic had led Michigan State to the NCAA title over Larry Bird's Indiana State in the most-watched college final ever. Although Johnson denied responsibility for Westhead's firing,[66] he was booed across the league, even by Laker fans. [11] 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. 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]. Here are the 13 most expensive David Robinson cards: 1. Although Johnson's retirement prior to the 199293 NBA season voided this contract, Buss insisted that he still be paid. Winning Time again explored the Magic Johnson vs Larry Bird narrative in its season finale. He had become more powerful and stronger than in his earlier years, but was also slower and less nimble. The label, initially called Magic 32 Records, was renamed Magic Johnson Music when Johnson signed a joint venture with MCA in 2000. [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. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. [75] Friends Isiah Thomas and Mark Aguirre consoled him that night, talking until the morning in his Boston hotel room amidst fan celebrations on the street. [230] He has advertised GlaxoSmithKline's drugs,[231] and partnered with Abbott Laboratories to publicize the fight against AIDS in African American communities.[230]. He was named an All-Star starter and made the All-Rookie Team. 10 NBA Players With The Most Trophies And Awards Of All Time. In what was the most-watched college basketball game ever,[42] Michigan State defeated Indiana State 7564, and Johnson was voted Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four. [73], Prior to Johnson's fifth season, Westwho had become the Lakers general managertraded Nixon to free Johnson from sharing the ball-handling responsibilities. Although he played in a celebrity game to honor coach Jud Heathcoate in 1995,[45] this was Johnson's first meaningful game played in his hometown of Lansing in 22 years. 1 overall pick of the 1979 #NBADraft. All-Rookie 1st Team . [224] He hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign on August 22, 2016. $22.75. In the losing effort, Magic averaged 18.0 points on 56.0 percent shooting with 13.6 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals. Johnson finished with over 17,000 career points and 10,000 career assists. Magic Johnson was born in Lansing, Michigan. [154] In the 1982 NBA Finals, he was named the Finals MVP averaging just 16.2 points, the lowest average of any Finals MVP award recipient in the three-point shot era. Brown will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing a successful surgical procedure to address a right tibia stress (). When Earvin "Magic" Johnson boarded the Los Angeles Lakers' team plane to Philadelphia, he decided to make a bold move and take Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's seat in the first row. 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 Magic Johnson Music signed R&B artist Avant as its first act. [39], Johnson did not initially aspire to play professionally, focusing instead on his communication studies major and his desire to become a television commentator. [209] The Dodgers won the 2020 World Series, giving Johnson a Major League Baseball title to his credit. [62], In 1981, after the 198081 season, Johnson signed a 25-year, $25million contract with the Lakers (equivalent to $75,000,000 in 2021), which was the highest-paying contract in sports history up to that point. "[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. 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. [102] Johnson performed well during the season, with averages of 19.4points, 12.5assists, and 7.0rebounds per game, and the Lakers reached the 1991 NBA Finals. [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. [92] Johnson later accused Isiah Thomas of spreading the rumors, a claim Thomas denied. . Magic won a ring his rookie season. Johnson, a 20-year-old rookie, enters the fray. [25], Johnson came to love basketball as a young man. Jan. 25, 2023: The Pacers couldn't overcome a 17-point first quarter deficit in a 126-120 loss to the Magic at Amway Center. Although they were facing the defending NBA champion Houston Rockets, the Lakers had home court advantage in the five-game series. He led all scorers with 39 points. [210] Johnson and Guber were also partners in the Dayton Dragons,[209] a Class-A minor league baseball team in Dayton, Ohio, that sold out more than 1,000 consecutive games, a record for professional sports. [103][104] Although the series was portrayed as a matchup between Johnson and Jordan,[105] Bulls forward Scottie Pippen defended effectively against Johnson. Rookie of the Year. [28] In his final high school season, Johnson led Everett to a 271 winloss record while averaging 28.8points and16.8 rebounds per game,[28] and took his team to an overtime victory in the state championship game. "[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. Twitter: During his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979-80, Magic Johnson showed that the truth is stranger than fiction. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. . 17 in their "50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century"[159] In 2006, ESPN.com rated Johnson the greatest point guard of all time, stating, "It could be argued that he's the one player in NBA history who was better than Michael Jordan. [143] He later joined the Danish team The Great Danes. [71], During the 198283 NBA season, Johnson's first of nine consecutive double-double seasons, he averaged 16.8points, 10.5assists, and 8.6rebounds per game, and earned his first All-NBA First Team nomination. [47] Despite Abdul-Jabbar's dominance, he had failed to win a championship with the Lakers, and Johnson was expected to help them achieve that goal. Johnson's average of 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game was enough to make the All-Rookie Team and become a starter on the All-Star Team, even though the NBA Rookie of the Year Award went to his rival Larry Bird, who had joined the Boston Celtics. Since his retirement, Johnson has been an advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and safe sex,[12] as well as an entrepreneur,[13] philanthropist,[14] broadcaster and motivational speaker. While Johnson is considered the leader of the ownership group, the controlling owner is Mark Walter, chief executive officer for Guggenheim Partners. . [45], Johnson was drafted first overall in 1979 by the Los Angeles Lakers. [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. Point Guard, Shooting Guard, and Power Forward. However there's more to it than that. He would win his first game of the season. Though he lost out on Rookie of the Year to Larry Bird, Magic still averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, 7.3 assists, and 2.4 steals. His favorite basketball player was Bill Russell, whom he admired more for his many championships than his athletic ability. [87] The game-winning shot, which Johnson dubbed his "junior, junior, junior sky-hook",[87] helped Los Angeles defeat Boston in six games. Or write about sports? Shoots: "[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. [44] The Lakers again reached the Finals, and for a third time faced the Sixers, who featured center Moses Malone as well as Erving. Only 1 left! home/away, monthly, etc More Magic Johnson Basketball Reference pages. 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 201819 season proved unsuccessful. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. [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. Ten of the 12 players on the team were named on the NBA's list of, Principal owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, Brooklyn Atlantics/Grays/Bridegrooms/Grooms/, Michigan State Spartans men's basketball 197879 NCAA champions, 1992 Tournament of the Americas Gold medal, 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, List of career achievements by Magic Johnson, List of athletes who came out of retirement, List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders, List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders, List of National Basketball Association career turnovers leaders, List of National Basketball Association career free throw scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff steals leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff turnovers leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff free throw scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association players with most assists in a game, List of National Basketball Association players with most steals in a game, "Magic weekend is on tap as Johnson set for NBA encore", "202122 Big Ten Men's Basketball Media Guide", "Daily Dime: Special Edition The 10 Greatest Point Guards Ever", "NBA All-Time Player Rankings: Top 10 Point Guards", "NBA 75: Top 75 NBA players of all time, from MJ and LeBron to Lenny Wilkens", "NBA 75: At No. [177] Johnson credits Buss with giving him the business knowledge that enabled him to become part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Johnson's half-court shot at the buzzer would have won the game, but it fell short. Often regarded as the best point guard of all time, Johnson is also considered to be one of the greatest players in NBA history. [107] He admitted to having "harems of women" and talked openly about his sexual activities because "he was convinced that heterosexuals needed to know that they, too, were at risk". Birthdate 8/14/1959. During his seventh season in the NBA, he had a meeting with Michael Ovitz, CEO of Creative Artists Agency. [75] The Lakers won the first game, and led by two points in Game 2 with 18seconds to go, but after a layup by Gerald Henderson, Johnson failed to get a shot off before the final buzzer sounded, and the Lakers lost 124121 in overtime. [17] Johnson's first foray into business, a high-end sporting goods store named Magic 32,[17] failed after only one year, costing him $200,000. ", "Hillary Clinton Fundraisers Coming to Beverly Hills", "The Greatest Is Honored by The Diplomat", "Magic Johnson combats AIDS misperceptions", "Magic Johnson assists drugmaker to advertise HIV treatment", "Iconic Staples Center changing its name to Crypto.com Arena in reflection of changing times", "NBA unveils new trophies, awards honoring Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson", "2017 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame: Dream Team", "1992 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team", "Magic Johnson and Natalie Cole Honored at NAACP Awards Show", Basketball-Reference.com: Magic Johnson (as a coach), NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player, 1979 NCAA Men's Basketball Consensus All-Americans, NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award, Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording, Citizen Kane (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein, Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Movie on Record, The Measure of a Man: A Spiritual Autobiography, Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents Earth (The Audiobook), America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren't, Blowout: Corrupted Democracy, Rogue State Russia, and the Richest, Most Destructive Industry on Earth, Wayland Baptist Women's Teams (19481982), Lakers versus Celtics and the NBA Playoffs, The Last Season: A Team in Search of Its Soul, Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty, NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship, NAACP Image Award Jackie Robinson Sports Award, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Magic_Johnson&oldid=1142219451, African-American sports executives and administrators, African-American television talk show hosts, All-American college men's basketball players, American chief executives of food industry companies, American expatriate basketball people in Denmark, American expatriate basketball people in Sweden, American sports executives and administrators, Basketball players at the 1992 Summer Olympics, Michigan State Spartans men's basketball players, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees, National Basketball Association All-Stars, National Basketball Association broadcasters, National Basketball Association players with retired numbers, Olympic gold medalists for the United States in basketball, Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball), United States men's national basketball team players, Pages containing links to subscription-only content, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, All Wikipedia articles written in American English, Wikipedia indefinitely semi-protected biographies of living people, Pages using multiple image with auto scaled images, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, 10-time NBA champion (five as a player, five as owner/executive), Trophy named in Johnson's honor (Earvin "Magic" Johnson Trophy) awarded to, 1992 Olympic gold medal (U.S. national team), 1977 Michigan high school state champion (Lansing Everett High School). [7][8] He also holds the record for most career assists in the playoffs. [175], Johnson had an extremely close relationship with Lakers owner Jerry Buss, whom he saw as a mentor and a father figure.
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