Peter Guber, who is the co-owner of the Golden State Warriors, owns a small stake in the Dodgers along with Johnson. The year was 2010, and scarves were in. The Power of Magic The rising reality star is the son of NBA legend Earvin "Magic" Johnson and his wife, Earlitha "Cookie" Johnson. Advertisement NBA legend Magic Johnson 's son, EJ Johnson, is on his way of becoming a fashion icon as well as a voice for the transgender community. He was 20 years old and the year was 1980. "[28][33] Johnson could dominate a game without scoring, running the offense and distributing the ball with flair. Through investment, partnership and consultation, Magic Johnson Enterprises has a portfolio of companies that strategically work together to reinforce the organization's focus on serving emerging, multicultural communities. Johnson would often help his father on the garbage route, and he was teased by neighborhood children who called him "Garbage Man". [155] Johnson is the only player in NBA Finals history to have triple-doubles in multiple series-clinching games. [171][172], Johnson is a Christian[173] and has said his faith is "the most important thing" in his life. [33] The Lakers advanced through the 1982 playoffs and faced Philadelphia for the second time in three years in the 1982 NBA Finals. Magic Johnson is a top business keynote speaker, former NBA great, and Chairman and CEO of Magic Johnson Enterprises. The retired point guard welcomed his first child, son Andre, 42, with ex-girlfriend. EJ was born June 4, 1992, during a turbulent time in Magic's life. Here's a look at the life of entrepreneur, philanthropist and NBA Hall of Fame point guard Magic Johnson. After leaving the NBA in 1991, Johnson formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a barnstorming team that traveled around the world playing exhibition games.[10]. [103][104] Although the series was portrayed as a matchup between Johnson and Jordan,[105] Bulls forward Scottie Pippen defended effectively against Johnson. "Earvin Johnson" redirects here. Johnson sold his remaining interest in the stores back to the company in 2010, ending a successful twelve-year partnership. [51], The Lakers compiled a 6022record in the regular season and reached the 1980 NBA Finals,[52] in which they faced the Philadelphia 76ers, who were led by forward Julius Erving. [146] With the two future Hall of Famers, the league won a whole generation of new fans,[147] drawing both traditionalist adherents of Bird's dirt court Indiana game and those appreciative of Johnson's public park flair. In 1994, Johnson joined with former pros Mark Aguirre, Reggie Theus, John Long, Earl Cureton, Jim Farmer, and Lester Conner, as his team played games in Australia, Israel, South America, Europe, New Zealand, and Japan. While Johnson is considered the leader of the ownership group, the controlling owner is Mark Walter, chief executive officer for Guggenheim Partners. [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. [158] ESPN's SportsCentury ranked Johnson No. [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. [23] Johnson looked forward to playing at Sexton High School, a school with a very successful basketball team and history that also happened to be only five blocks from his home. Magic Johnson Commercial 1980 1 - YouTube Magic Johnson Commercial 1980 1 101,222 views May 22, 2016 This is an old commercial I shot with Magic Johnson for Quality Dairy back in 1980. so. Learn more at www.magicjohnsonenterprises.com. [181][182] Johnson also co-promoted Janet Jackson's Velvet Rope Tour through his company Magicworks. [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. In December 2018, Magic Johnson's daughter, Elisa Johnson, and nine of her friends had a terrifying encounter when two armed men broke into a Californian Airbnb house they were staying in. [183] He has also worked as a motivational speaker,[15] and was an NBA commentator for Turner Network Television for seven years,[184] before becoming a studio analyst for ESPN's NBA Countdown in 2008. The majority of NBA fans consider Jordan to be the best ever, with Magic being the best point guard ever. [138][139] On November 1, 2002, Johnson returned to play a second exhibition game against Michigan State. 10. Johnson says he agreed to it, but he was nervous because he had . Although Johnson denied responsibility for Westhead's firing,[66] he was booed across the league, even by Laker fans. The superstars' fiery relationship cooled after filming a 1985 Converse commercial filmed in French Lick, Ind., Bird's hometown. [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. According to sports journalist Larry Schwartz of ESPN, Johnson and Bird saved the NBA from bankruptcy. [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. 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". According to the Los Angeles Times, Magic Johnson's earliest and arguably most vocal champion was a childhood friend named Reggie Chastine.A fellow playground baller in Lansing, Michigan, Chastine was teammates with Johnson at Everett High School and got the future star thinking about being a future star, that achievements like all-state and All-American selections were possible, if not probable. 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. 4.05. [28] In the last championship series of his career, Johnson averaged 18.6points on .431shooting, 12.4assists, and 8.0rebounds per game. [213] He won the WNBA championship as the owner in 2016. He had become more powerful and stronger than in his earlier years, but was also slower and less nimble. The series started poorly for the Lakers when they allowed an NBA Finals record 148points to the Celtics in a 34-point loss in Game 1. [168] Johnson and Cookie have one son, Earvin III ("EJ"), who is openly gay and a star on the reality show Rich Kids of Beverly Hills. 8. This site uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. [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. [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. In the decisive Game 7 in Boston, as the Lakers trailed by three points in the final minute, opposing point guard Dennis Johnson stole the ball from Johnson, a play that effectively ended the series. 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. Nov 4, 2021 at 12:46 pm ET 1 min read. [95] It was the fifth and final NBA championship of his career. [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. [44] Johnson shares the single-game playoff record for assists (24),[152] holds the Finals record for assists in a game (21),[152] and has the most playoff assists (2,346). Taking a look at his Instagram we can see how clothes are one of his biggest passions. Magic was the fourth of seven children Earvin Sr. and Christine had together. It'll focus on his legendary years with the Los Angeles Lakers in the Eighties as a five-time NBA champion in a . [143] He later joined the Danish team The Great Danes. Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. [230] He has advertised GlaxoSmithKline's drugs,[231] and partnered with Abbott Laboratories to publicize the fight against AIDS in African American communities.[230]. [57], Early in the 198081 season, Johnson was sidelined after he suffered torn cartilage in his left knee. [177] It was this arrangement that allowed Johnson to coach the team without receiving any additional salary. Magic Johnson: AIDS is still prevalent video 1991: Magic Johnson's HIV announcement On a recent March night in Los Angeles, Johnson again hugged Hydeia, his 6-foot-9 frame dwarfing her. [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. He is known to have owned 105 Starbucks outlets and a 4.5% stake in . Published March 15, 2021 Advertiser [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. [45], Johnson was drafted first overall in 1979 by the Los Angeles Lakers. At the age of 42, Johnson played with the All-Stars against his alma mater, Michigan State. [44][130] The Lakers had a record of 2210 in the games Johnson played, and he considered his final comeback "a success. He's faced challenges all of his life, but now Magic Johnson faces the biggest challenge of all, his own brave battle with HIV. [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. Johnson delivers a passionate message about his life story and everyone can make a difference their own community. He insisted that his health was not an issue, while downplaying questions about returning as a player, saying, "I'm retired. As. 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. In a press conference held on November 7, 1991, Johnson made a public announcement that he would retire immediately. The first Magic Johnson Theater located in the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza, closed in 2010 and re-opened in 2011 as Rave Cinema 15. [207] In March 2012, Johnson's ownership group was announced as the winner of the proceedings to buy the Dodgers. They also toured the United States, playing five games against teams from the CBA. Suddenly, Earvin Johnson himself emerges out of a puff of smoke, and quickly makes it clear that they don't call him Magic for nothing. That initial battle was an appetizer for the decade that followed as the pair became two of the greatest basketball players in NBA history who developed a fierce personal rivalry during the 1980s that included three meetings in the NBA Finals. After protests from his fellow players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996, at age 36, to play 32games for the Lakers before retiring for the third and final time. 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, with the Lakers winning two out of three Finals. 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]. Double your traffic. July 16, 2021 Ecolab, a provider of water, food safety and infection prevention solutions, is teaming up with Magic Johnson to launch the #TakeBackYourSocialLife campaign as part of a larger initiative to support the return of business across the foodservice industry. After leaving the NBA in 1991, Johnson formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a barnstorming team that traveled around the world playing exhibition games. After practicing and playing in several pre-season games, he retired again before the start of the regular season, citing controversy over his return sparked by opposition from several active players. [25], Johnson came to love basketball as a young man. [115][117] Johnson played infrequently because of knee problems,[118] but he received standing ovations from the crowd, and used the opportunity to inspire HIV-positive people. Magic Johnson Development Corporation, which develops commercial property in long neglected . Magic Johnson: My Life. 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 . Real-Time Video Ad Creative Assessment While Charles Barkley, Samuel L. Jackson and Magic Johnson ready themselves for the Final Four of March Madness, Barkley shares that he got four percent cash back on his tickets via the Capital One Savor card. [226][227], To prevent his HIV infection from progressing to AIDS, Johnson takes a daily combination of drugs, also called a drug cocktail. 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. [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. [191], Johnson began thinking of life after basketball while still playing with the Lakers. Johnson had never seriously considered coaching, but he agreed to take the head coaching position with the Lakers in 1994 at Buss' request. [16], Johnson initially said that he did not know how he contracted the disease,[16] but later acknowledged that it was through having numerous sexual partners during his playing career. [56][160][161] At the 2019 NBA Awards, Johnson received the NBA Lifetime Achievement Award (shared with Bird). Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. and his family wife Cookie, daughter Elisa and sons Andre and EJ were joined by a star-studded roster of celebrities and professional athletes [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. With the Google Pixel 6, Serbian fans become fans of the Nuggets with the help of the smartphone's translation feature. [33] He was selected to the 197879 All-American team for his performance that season. [152], Johnson introduced a fast-paced style of basketball called "Showtime", described as a mix of "no-look passes off the fastbreak, pin-point alley-oops from halfcourt, spinning feeds and overhand bullets under the basket through triple teams. [23][31] Johnson's sister Pearl and his brother Larry had bused to Everett the previous year and did not have a pleasant experience. Magic's son EJ Johnson, 29, wore a fabulous silver sequined gown paired thigh-high black boots for the big moment, accessorizing with diamond necklaces and a black clutch. "[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. [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. There were incidents of racism, with rocks being thrown at buses carrying black students and white parents refusing to send their children to school. Johnson learned everything he could about business, often meeting with corporate executives during road trips. [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. "I always said Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are the two most important people in NBA history," Barkley said. 4/2/2013 8:45 AM PT. Earvin "Magic" Johnson 's fame skyrockets on and off the court in HBO's new trailer for Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty . [26] He also idolized players such as Earl Monroe and Marques Haynes,[27] and practiced "all day". "We think there is a lot of fun to be had with the Barkleylounger," he says. Although Johnson's retirement prior to the 199293 NBA season voided this contract, Buss insisted that he still be paid. He led all scorers with 39 points. Johnson left after eight months, saying that the White House had "utterly ignored" the work of the panel, and had opposed the commission's recommendations, which included universal healthcare and the expansion of Medicaid to cover all low-income people with AIDS. [83], Johnson again averaged a double-double in the 198586 NBA season, with 18.8points, 12.6assists, and 5.9rebounds per game. 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. [87] The game-winning shot, which Johnson dubbed his "junior, junior, junior sky-hook",[87] helped Los Angeles defeat Boston in six games. [113], Several journalists hypothesized that the JohnsonBird rivalry was so appealing because it represented many other contrasts, such as the clash between the Lakers and Celtics, between Hollywood flashiness ("Showtime") and Boston/Indiana blue collar grit ("Celtic Pride"), and between blacks and whites. [188][189] In 2004, Johnson and his partner Ken Lombard sold Magic Johnson Theaters to Loews Cineplex Entertainment. [72] In a losing effort against Philadelphia, Johnson averaged 19.0points on .403shooting, 12.5assists, and 7.8rebounds per game. The Lakers did not reach the playoffs during Johnson's executive tenure.