Earvin Magic Johnson is a former American professional basketball player who was considered one of the most accomplished point guards for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Earvin Magic Johnson is considered the most accomplished, talented, and greatest player ever in NBA history. He was adept at scoring, passing and game reading.
Johnson, who began his professional basketball career in 1979, won 12 NBA championships in his career, more than any other player.
In 1991, while playing with the Lakers in the NBA, he was reported to be HIV positive. After which he publicly announced his retirement from the National Basketball Association.
In the year 1992, Johnson again returned to the game and won another NBA championship with the Lakers before retiring in 1996. He was a member of the American “Dream Team” that won the gold medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
Johnson is currently a member of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and the FIBA Hall of Fame.
Physical Stats
| Full name: | Earvin Magic Johnson Jr. |
| Born: | August 14, 1959, Lansing, Michigan, United States of America |
| Best Known For: | Los Angeles Lakers (Point Guard, Shooting Guard, and Power Forward) |
| Jersey: | 32 |
| Age: | 63 Years |
| Weight: | 97 kg |
| Height: | 2.06m |
| Profession: | Basketball Player |
| Marital Status: | Married |
| Spouse: | Cookie Kelly (m. 1991 – div.2006) Melissa Mitchell (m.2010 – Present) |
| Parents: | Earvin Johnson Sr & Christine Johnson |
| Children: | 4, Earvin III (EJ) Johnson, Alyssa Johnson, Andre Johnson, Ameer Johnson |
| Net worth: | USD $620 Million |
| Nationality: | American |
Early Life
Earvin Magic Johnson also known as Earvin Magic Johnson Jr. He was born on 14 August 1959 in Lansing, Michigan, United States. He was the third child among nine siblings.
His father’s name was Erwin Johnson Sr. who was a factory worker and mother Christine Johnson who was a housewife.
He was brought up as a working class person. He was a talented athlete since childhood who excelled in both basketball and football.
Johnson received his early education at Everett High School, Lansing, where his basketball talent made him a star player, adding the nickname “Magic” to his name, since then he has been known as Magic Johnson.
After high school, Johnson attended Michigan State University, where he played college basketball for the Spartans, leading them to a state championship in 1977 and an NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) championship in 1979.
Career
Earvin Magic Johnson was first drafted into the NBA in 1979 by the Angels Lakers with the first overall pick. He was one of the most talented players of the Lakers team at that time, who due to his incredible performance led the Lakers to their first NBA Championship in 1980.
Johnson played a total of 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Los Angeles Lakers, leading the Lakers to five NBA Championships, three NBA Finals MVP awards, three NBA MVP awards, being a 12-time All-Star and 9-time All-NBA First Team. Be a member.
Magic Johnson is also a popular television personality. He has appeared on several television shows, including “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno”, “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” and “The Voice”. He also hosted his own television show called “The Magic Johnson Show” from 2013 to 2016.
HIV
In 1991, when Johnson was playing for the Lakers in the NBA, he suddenly got the news of being HIV positive. At that time his age was about 32 years.
He announced on November 7, 1991 that he was HIV positive, which was a major shock to fans and colleagues in the basketball world.
He immediately retired from the NBA but returned to play for the Lakers in 1992 and led the Lakers to a championship. Johnson retired permanently in 1996.
He has been battling HIV for more than 30 years and has supported several organizations for HIV/AIDS prevention, education and youth development.
Johnson is also a social worker. He founded the Magic Johnson AIDS Foundation in 1989. This foundation works to help people affected by AIDS.
Stats
Earvin Magic Johnson was an American former professional basketball player who played for the Los Angeles Lakers from 1979 to 1991. He is often considered one of the greatest point guards in basketball history.
Johnson’s Career Statistics are as follows:
- Sports: 906
- Points: 17,707 (19.5 ppg)
- Rebounds: 6,559 (7.2 rpg)
- Assists: 10,141 (11.2 apg)
- Steals: 1,724 (2.0 SPG)
- Blocks: 529 (0.6 bpg)
Playoff
- Sports: 237
- Points: 3,700 (15.6 ppg)
- Rebounds: 1,114 (4.7 rpg)
- Assists: 2,346 (10.0 apg)
- Steals: 320 (1.3 spg)
- Block: 133 (0.5 bpg)
Johnson holds numerous NBA records, including:
- Most assists in a season (2,346 in 1987–88)
- Most assists in a game (29, in 1987)
- Most playoff assists in a season (282, in 1983–84)
- Most playoff assists in a game (30, in 1984)
- Most NBA championship wins by a player (5)
- Most NBA Finals MVP awards by a player (3)
- Most NBA MVP awards by a player (1)
Awards and Achievements
- 5 X NBA Champion (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988)
- 3 X NBA Finals MVP (1980, 1982 and 1987)
- 3 X NBA MVP (1987, 1989, 1990)
- 12 X All-Star (1980-1991)
- 9 X All-NBA First Team (1980-1988, 1990)
- Awarded by Presidential Medal of Freedom (2009)
- 2-time NBA All-NBA Second Team (1981, 1990)
- 9-time NBA All-Defensive First Team (1980–1986, 1988, 1990)
- 2-time NBA All-Defensive Second Team (1987, 1989)
- Johnson was the first player to make the most 3-point shots (10) in a game in the NBA.
- Johnson was also the first player to play the most minutes in a season in the NBA (3.239 minutes, 1979–80 season).
- Johnson was also awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009.
Magic Johnson in the role of coach
Magic Johnson was first selected as the head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers in March 1994. He was named in place of Randy Pfund.
He led the Lakers to a 5–11 record in the final 16 games of the season but failed to make the playoffs.
Johnson’s explosive entry as a player in 1996 surprised everyone. He played a total of 32 games during this season and helped the Lakers win the NBA Championship.
Johnson helped improve the team’s defense in his role as a coach, and he also helped develop young players such as Nick Van Exel and Eddie Jones.
Earvin Magic Johnson’s after sports career
Earvin Magic Johnson began work as a businessman and a television analyst after retiring from being a basketball coach.
He served as an NBA commentator for Turner Network Television (TNT) for nearly seven years before becoming a studio analyst.
Johnson also hosted a talk show called “The Magic Hour” on the Fox network but the show was canceled after two months due to low ratings.
Johnson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002 and is also a member of the FIBA Hall of Fame.
Earvin Magic Johnson’s Net worth
According to Celebrity Net Worth 2023, Earvin Magic Johnson’s net worth is estimated to be $620 million. He is a skilled basketball coach as well as a successful businessman.
He earned a salary of over $39 million during his NBA career. He currently earns millions of dollars from his business ventures which include Magic Johnson Enterprises, Sodexo-Magic, 24 Hour Fitness, and the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Bussiness
Magic Johnson Enterprises
MJE is a diversified business conglomerate involved in media, entertainment, and hospitality.
- Magic Johnson Enterprises: It is a holding company with interests in various businesses including sports, entertainment and real estate, whose Chairman and CEO is Ervin Magic Johnson. Companies owned by MJE include:
- Aspire TV: It is an African American-based cable television network.
- The Forum: It is a sports and entertainment complex located in Los Angeles.
- Sodexo-Magic: It is a food contract food service company established in 2006. Which provides food services to schools, hospitals and other institutions.
Magic Johnson Foundation
Magic Johnson Foundation (MJF): It is a non-profit organization that provides education and healthcare to the youth. MJF’s programs include:
- Magic’s Scholars: This is a scholarship program that helps students from low-income families pursue higher education.
- Magic’s Promise: It is a health and education program that educates youth about HIV/AIDS.
- Magic’s Big Magic: This is a youth leadership program that encourages youth to make a difference in their communities.
Magic Johnson Investments
Magic Johnson Investments (MJI) is an investment company that invests in various industries. MJI’s investments include:
- Starbucks: MJI is one of the largest minority shareholders of Starbucks.
- AMC Networks: MJI is the only African American shareholder of AMC Networks.
- The Los Angeles Dodgers: Johnson has been co-owner of the Major League Baseball team Los Angeles Dodgers since 2012.
- 24 Hour Fitness: This company operates a chain of fitness clubs. Johnson had invested in this company in 2012.
- Los Angeles Sparks: Johnson has been a co-owner of the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) team Los Angeles Sparks since 2014.
- Los Angeles FC: Johnson has been a co-owner of Major League Soccer team Los Angeles FC since 2014.
- Detroit Tigers: Johnson is also a minority owner of the Major League Baseball team, the Detroit Tigers. He has owned a portion of Tigers since 2019.
- Apple: Erwin Johnson is the founder and CEO of Apple Inc., a multinational technology company.
Magic Johnson Documentary
Earvin Magic Johnson is one of the most accomplished and popular figures in NBA history. He is also a role model for athletes and people of all ages who are living their lives after defeating a serious disease like HIV.
A brief description of some documentaries made on his life is given, in which his entire life is described.
- “Magic Johnson: A Basketball Life” (1992) – This documentary produced by HBO details Johnson’s life, career, and career from his childhood to his HIV diagnosis.
- They Call Me Magic (2022) – directed by Rick Famuyiwa and produced by Magic Johnson Enterprises, a documentary that tells the story of Johnson’s life and career, including his HIV diagnosis. It airs on Apple TV.
- Magic and Bird: A Courtship of Rivals” (2010) -The documentary, directed by Ezra Edelman, aired on ESPN and tells the story of the rivalry between two players in basketball history.
Politics Career
Ervin Magic Johnson is a respected person in the United States and he is a supporter of the Democratic Party. In 2006, Johnson publicly endorsed Phil Angelides for Governor of California.
He supported Hillary Clinton during the 2008 presidential campaign and endorsed Barbara Boxer in her 2010 re-election race for the US Senate.
In 2012, Johnson supported Barack Obama for president. He also endorsed Wendy Gruel, an unsuccessful 2013 Los Angeles mayoral candidate, and appeared in her campaign advertisements.
In 2015, Johnson once again supported Hillary Clinton in her second presidential campaign. She hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign on August 22, 2016.
Personal Life
Earvin Magic Johnson, 63, has been married twice. His first marriage was to Cookie Kelly in 1991.This relationship, which lasted for 15 years, came to an end in 2006.He has two children with Kelly: Arvin III (“EJ”) and Alyssa.
Johnson married Melissa Mitchell in 2010. They have two children: Andre and Amir. Johnson is also father to a son, Joey, from a previous relationship.
About Earvin Magic Johnson’s four children
Earvin III (EJ) Johnson: EJ was born on June 4, 1992, to Johnson’s first wife, Cookie Kelly. He is a television personality and actor. He has also appeared on several reality shows including Rich Kids of Beverly Hills and EJNYC.
Alyssa Johnson: Alyssa was born on 12 September 1995. She is currently a student at Pepperdine University.
Andre Johnson: Andre was born on May 1, 2010, to Johnson’s second wife, Melissa Mitchell. He is a student at Sierra Canyon School, Loss Angeles.
Ameer Johnson: Ameer was born on June 22, 2011 as Johnson and Michelle’s second child. he is a student of sierra canyon school.
Johnson gives lots of love to all his children. He is always there for them emotionally and financially. He teaches his kids the importance of hard work, dedication and giving back to others. All of Johnson’s children are very proud of their father. They admire his achievements on and off the court.
