He shares his latest ventureMagic Johnson Development Corporationwhich develops commercial property in neglected urban and suburban neighborhoods. [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. [44] The Lakers again reached the Finals, and for a third time faced the Sixers, who featured center Moses Malone as well as Erving. Larry Bird's college career was taking off at Indiana State after Bird almost quit college after originally attempting to go to Indiana University.. As a senior at Indiana State, Bird led his school to a 33-0 record. 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. [44][130] The Lakers had a record of 2210 in the games Johnson played, and he considered his final comeback "a success. ISBN0-449-22254-3. [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. [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. The clip starts off with Lakers owner, Jerry Buss, played by John C. Reilly, waking up one morning and . Learn more at www.magicjohnsonenterprises.com. 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. [3][4][5][6] Johnson played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). [26] He also idolized players such as Earl Monroe and Marques Haynes,[27] and practiced "all day". [41], During the 197879 season, Michigan State again qualified for the NCAA tournament, where they advanced to the championship game and faced Indiana State, which was led by senior Larry Bird. [28] His career 138triple-double games places him third all-time behind Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. Magic Johnson literally pops up, or a longform musical number with Gladys Knight," she says. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). [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. [112] The game ended after he made a last-minute three-pointer, and players from both teams ran onto the court to congratulate Johnson. [153] He is the only player to average 12 assists in an NBA Finals series, achieving it six times. 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. He had become a dominant junior high player, once scoring 48 points in a game. [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. Prior to Johnson and Bird's arrival, the NBA had gone through a decade of declining interest and low TV ratings. [129] On February 14, Johnson recorded the final triple-double of his career, when he scored 15 points, along with 10 rebounds and 13 assists in a victory against the Atlanta Hawks. Coming off the bench, Johnson had 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists to help the Lakers to a 128118 victory. Magic Johnson 's 20-year-old son hit the Sunset Strip, hand in hand with his boyfriend . [175], Johnson had an extremely close relationship with Lakers owner Jerry Buss, whom he saw as a mentor and a father figure. By the time he had reached the eighth grade, Johnson had begun to think about a future in basketball. [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. 1,006 ratings37 reviews. 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. By using iSpot.tv, you accept our, Visit California TV Spot, 'Living the Dream' Feat. [20], Earvin Johnson Jr. was born in Lansing, Michigan, to General Motors assembly worker Earvin Sr. and school janitor Christine. There they faced the Chicago Bulls, led by shooting guard Michael Jordan, a five-time scoring champion regarded as the finest player of his era. Magic Johnson Investments He has had partnerships previously with Starbucks, 24-Hour Fitness, T.G.I Fridays, and AMC Theatres. [72] In a losing effort against Philadelphia, Johnson averaged 19.0points on .403shooting, 12.5assists, and 7.8rebounds per game. [177] It was this arrangement that allowed Johnson to coach the team without receiving any additional salary. [129] Playing power forward, he averaged 14.6points, 6.9assists, and 5.7rebounds per game in 32games, and finished tied for 12th place with Charles Barkley in voting for the MVP Award. 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. "[128] While Johnson played well in 1996, there were struggles both on and off the court. [4] Several of his achievements in individual games have also been named among the top moments in the NBA. [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". With the Google Pixel 6, Serbian fans become fans of the Nuggets with the help of the smartphone's translation feature. [44] He also joined Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson as the only NBA players to tally at least 700points, 700rebounds, and 700assists in the same season. [65] After Johnson demanded to be traded, Lakers owner Jerry Buss fired Westhead and replaced him with Riley. Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had contracted HIV, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game, winning the All-Star MVP Award. [75] In Game 3, Johnson responded with 21assists in a 137104 win, but he made several crucial errors late in the contest during Game 4. Still a commanding presence in popular culture, Johnson made history in 2012 when he became co-owner of MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers. The label, initially called Magic 32 Records, was renamed Magic Johnson Music when Johnson signed a joint venture with MCA in 2000. The talent already on Michigan State's roster also drew him to the program. [91] Johnson and Thomas greeted each other with a kiss on the cheek before the opening tip of Game 1, which they called a display of brotherly love. [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. [25] Upon learning of Chastine's death, Magic ran from his home, crying uncontrollably. [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'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. [25], Johnson came to love basketball as a young man. "[28][33] Johnson could dominate a game without scoring, running the offense and distributing the ball with flair. The 29-year-old reality TV personality came out to the basketball great, 62, in 2010, and at first, the latter wasn't too. [224] He hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign on August 22, 2016. 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. Sign up to track 37 nationally aired TV ad campaigns for Magic Johnson. Bird was adamant that he would not appear in the Converse advert if it was filmed in LA. [157] The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inducted him in 2002. [28] Buss was also unhappy with the Lakers' offense and had intended on firing Westhead days before the WestheadJohnson altercation, but assistant GM Jerry West and GM Bill Sharman had convinced Buss to delay his decision. It's safe to say that without their common sponsor bringing them together, they likely wouldn't have hung out that day. Well, the 2010 NBA Finals are here, and it's time to treat you to a 1986 commercial for Converse shoes featuring two of the NBA's greats of the decade: Larry. [200] Johnson sold his ownership stake in the Lakers in October 2010 to Patrick Soon-Shiong, a Los Angeles surgeon and professor at UCLA,[201] but continued as an unpaid vice president for the team. He led the league in regular season assists four times, and is the NBA's all-time leader in average assists per game in both the regular season (11.19 assists per game) and the playoffs (12.35 assists per game). The Celtics won Game 4 in overtime, and the teams split the next two games. May 3, 2021 Old Navy teamed up with NBA Hall-of-Fame superstar, Olympian, entrepreneur and philanthropistMagic Johnsonto share the success stories of three inspiring graduates from the This Way ONward (TWO) program through a video miniseries launched today. 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. Johnson would often help his father on the garbage route, and he was teased by neighborhood children who called him "Garbage Man". [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. [143], Johnson and Bird were first linked as rivals after Johnson's Michigan State squad defeated Bird's Indiana State team in the 1979 NCAA finals.