Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). 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. 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 also missed several games due to a calf injury. "[134] Johnson was himself suspended five days later, when he bumped referee Scott Foster, missing three games. [25] Upon learning of Chastine's death, Magic ran from his home, crying uncontrollably. Coming off the bench, Johnson had 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists to help the Lakers to a 128118 victory. Magic Johnson is one proud father to his son Earvin "EJ" Johnson. [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. [181][182] Johnson also co-promoted Janet Jackson's Velvet Rope Tour through his company Magicworks. From his humble beginnings to his league debut as the Los. [177][178], Buss supported Johnson as he revealed his diagnosis of HIV in 1991, and he never hesitated to keep Johnson close to the organization, bringing him in as part-owner, and even as a coach. [49][50] Johnson averaged 18.0points, 7.7rebounds, and 7.3assists per game for the season, was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Team, and was named an NBA All-Star Game starter. Personal Birth date: August 14, 1959 Birth place: Lansing, Michigan Birth name: Earvin. There were incidents of racism, with rocks being thrown at buses carrying black students and white parents refusing to send their children to school. [179] In 1998, Johnson hosted a late night talk show on the Fox network called The Magic Hour, but the show was canceled after two months because of low ratings. 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]. [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. While Johnson is considered the leader of the ownership group, the controlling owner is Mark Walter, chief executive officer for Guggenheim Partners. [92] Johnson later accused Isiah Thomas of spreading the rumors, a claim Thomas denied. 10. $620 MILLION From his salary as a basketball player to endorsements and on-camera opportunities to his many, many businesses and investments, Johnson has. [28] Johnson came from an athletic family. 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. Although they were facing the defending NBA champion Houston Rockets, the Lakers had home court advantage in the five-game series. [177] It was this arrangement that allowed Johnson to coach the team without receiving any additional salary. [65] After Johnson demanded to be traded, Lakers owner Jerry Buss fired Westhead and replaced him with Riley. [77][92][93] After the teams split the first six games, Lakers forward and Finals MVP James Worthy had his first career triple-double of 36points, 16rebounds, and 10assists, and led his team to a 108105win. For the NBA center, see, Two moments of Johnson during his tour with the All-Stars to Argentina in January 1994: (left) greeting a local player; (right) hugging soccer superstar, HIV announcement and Olympics (19911992), Return to the Lakers as coach and player (1994, 1996). Cedric Ceballos, upset over a reduction in his playing time after Johnson's arrival, left the team for several days. [171][172], Johnson is a Christian[173] and has said his faith is "the most important thing" in his life. [180] Shortly after the cancellation of his talk show, Magic Johnson started a record label. Our company We Build Businesses [227] In 1992, he joined the National Commission on AIDS, a committee appointed by members of Congress and the Bush Administration. About Starbucks Corporation [224] He hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign on August 22, 2016. [106], After a physical before the 199192 NBA season, Johnson discovered that he had tested positive for HIV. [39], Johnson did not initially aspire to play professionally, focusing instead on his communication studies major and his desire to become a television commentator. [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. And the first few months, I was miserable at Everett. 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. LOS ANGELES, CA Magic Johnson and health insurance giant Cigna have teamed up to fight health disparities in POC communities within Los Angeles. [85][86] The Lakers met the Celtics for the third time in the NBA Finals, and in Game 4 Johnson hit a last-second hook shot over Celtics big men Parish and Kevin McHale to win the game 107106. [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. [215] The temporary name was Los Angeles Football Club,[216] which later became permanent in 2015. 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. [154], For his feats, Johnson was voted as one of the 50 Greatest Players of All Time by the NBA in 1996,[156] and selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. [202] In February 2017, Johnson returned to the Lakers as an advisor to Jeanie Buss. And you can now add to that list one Earvin "Magic" Johnson. Payment | Shipping | Additional Information | Policies MAGIC JOHNSON COMMERCIAL POSTER The Magic Show LAKERS 22x24 Inch Starline 1988 Album Welcome to the auction of a absolute.from 381876351 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. 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. Johnson's son Earvin III was born in 1992. The NBA-centered drama series follows the rise of the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1980s. When Magic Johnson heard of the proposal he told Converse ' You're crazy, I'm not shooting no commercial with Larry .' Eventually, Magic was persuaded and expected to shoot the commercial in LA. "[108], Despite his retirement, Johnson was voted by fans as a starter for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game at Orlando Arena, although his former teammates Byron Scott and A. C. Green said that Johnson should not play,[110] and several NBA players, including Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone, argued that they would be at risk of contamination if Johnson suffered an open wound while on court. He shares his latest ventureMagic Johnson Development Corporationwhich develops commercial property in neglected urban and suburban neighborhoods. Johnson's career achievements include three NBA MVP Awards, three NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Awards, nine NBA Finals appearances, 12 All-Star games, and nine All-NBA First Team selections. [94] Despite not being named MVP, Johnson had a strong championship series, averaging 21.1points on .550shooting, 13.0assists, and 5.7rebounds per game. [78] Johnson later described the series as "the one championship we should have had but didn't get". [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. He's faced challenges all of his life, but now Magic Johnson faces the biggest challenge of all, his own brave battle with HIV. We give our clients and partners the edge needed to effectively capitalize on the growing purchasing power and value of multicultural communities. Converse was the sneaker company with which both players had a shoe deal. With so many ways to love the NBA, Google says the Pixel 6 is built for all fans. With the Google Pixel 6, Serbian fans become fans of the Nuggets with the help of the smartphone's translation feature. 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. [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. [36] He officially returned to the team on January 29, 1996,[128] and played his first game the following day against the Golden State Warriors. [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. The Lakers played poorly in a Game 1 loss, prompting Johnson to express frustration with his role in coach Del Harris' offense. "In the. "[177] Buss acquired the team from Jack Kent Cooke in 1979, shortly before he drafted Johnson with the #1 pick in the 1979 NBA draft. The clip starts off with Lakers owner, Jerry Buss, played by John C. Reilly, waking up one morning and . [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. "I always said Larry Bird and Magic Johnson are the two most important people in NBA history," Barkley said. Other biographies include: On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. The book detailed their on-court rivalry and friendship with one another. 5, Magic Johnson combined dazzling playmaking with charisma to lead the Showtime Lakers to five titles", "Magic Johnson vs. Stephen Curry: Does Warriors star have stats case to surpass Lakers legend as GOAT point guard? [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. [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. They also toured the United States, playing five games against teams from the CBA. . [40] Playing with future NBA draftees Greg Kelser, Jay Vincent, and Mike Brkovich, Johnson averaged 17.0points, 7.9rebounds, and 7.4assists per game as a freshman, and led the Spartans to a 255record, the Big Ten Conference title, and a berth in the 1978 NCAA tournament. Basketball legends Larry Bird and Earvin "Magic" Johnson visited the "Late Show With David Letterman" Wednesday to discuss their friendship - which began in . [13] In 1991, Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly in a small wedding in Lansing which included guests Thomas, Aguirre, and Herb Williams. [28] His career 138triple-double games places him third all-time behind Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. Random House. [7][8] He also holds the record for most career assists in the playoffs. "I've . Johnson asserted that for him, the 82-game regular season was composed of 80 normal games, and two LakersCeltics games. "We had. In the past 30 days, commercials featuring Magic Johnson have had 27,434 airings. [138][139] On November 1, 2002, Johnson returned to play a second exhibition game against Michigan State. [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. Johnson was publicly critical of Van Exel, saying his actions were "inexcusable. [165][166][167], Johnson first fathered a son in 1981, when Andre Johnson was born to Melissa Mitchell. [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. [112] The game ended after he made a last-minute three-pointer, and players from both teams ran onto the court to congratulate Johnson. They're Midwesterners, they were bigger players who handled the ball skillfully and they thought about their teammates' success. The superstars' fiery relationship cooled after filming a 1985 Converse commercial filmed in French Lick, Ind., Bird's hometown. [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. 4.05. [44] Jud Heathcote stepped down as coach of the Spartans after the 199495 season, and on June 8, 1995, Johnson returned to the Breslin Center to play in the Jud Heathcote All-Star Tribute Game. Read also Don Johnson Left Barbra Streisand to Remarry Melanie Griffith Following Her Pregnancy This site uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. After a triple-double from Johnson in Game 6, the Lakers defeated the Sixers 42, as Johnson won his second NBA Finals MVP award. In the final game of the CBA series, Johnson had 30 points, 17 rebounds, and 13 assists, leading the All-Stars to a 126121 victory over the Oklahoma City Cavalry. [33] The Lakers advanced through the 1982 playoffs and faced Philadelphia for the second time in three years in the 1982 NBA Finals. 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. In 1991, . His father played high school basketball in his home state of Mississippi,[29]and Johnson learned the finer points about the game from him. 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. Kenan Draughorne. Earvin "Magic" Johnson is the only NBA rookie to date to receive the Finals MVP Award. Johnson sold his remaining interest in the stores back to the company in 2010, ending a successful twelve-year partnership.
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