Up 3-2 in the series and without Kareem, a rookie Magic and the Lakers had to travel to Philadelphia in . [112] The game ended after he made a last-minute three-pointer, and players from both teams ran onto the court to congratulate Johnson. [101] Under Dunleavy, the offense used more half-court sets, and the team had a renewed emphasis on defense. [111] Johnson led the West to a 153113win and was crowned All-Star MVP after recording 25points, 9assists, and 5rebounds. Authenticity Guarantee. Prior to Johnson and Bird's arrival, the NBA had gone through a decade of declining interest and low TV ratings. Johnson took over for a Lakers team that was 28-38 overall. [165] In an impromptu news conference on April 9, 2019, Johnson resigned from the Lakers, citing his desire to return to his role as an NBA ambassador. All other box score stats (3PA, ORB, DRB, STL, BLK, TOV) complete back to 1983-84. 8 of 9! He was selected to play in 11 All-Star games. [23] When recalling the events in his autobiography, My Life, he talked about how his time at Everett had changed him: As I look back on it today, I see the whole picture very differently. It got me out of my own little world and taught me how to understand white people, how to communicate and deal with them. [107] At the time, only a small percentage of HIV-positive American men had contracted it from heterosexual sex,[92][108] and it was initially rumored that Johnson was gay or bisexual, although he denied both. He played center in place of Abdul-Jabbar and with 42 points, 15 boards, 7 assists and 3 steals gave the Lakers the championship and became the first rookie ever to win the Finals MVP Award. All columns may be sorted by clicking the . [68] During the championship series against the Sixers, Johnson averaged 16.2points on .533shooting, 10.8rebounds, 8.0assists, and 2.5steals per game. All rights reserved. [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. [203], In the wake of the Donald Sterling controversy, limited media reports indicated that Johnson had expressed an interest in purchasing the Los Angeles Clippers franchise. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. [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. Rookie of the Year. During the 1982-83 NBA season, Johnson's first of nine consecutive double-double seasons, he averaged 16.8 points, 10.5 assists, and 8.6 rebounds per game, and earned his first All-NBA First Team nomination. [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. [207] In March 2012, Johnson's ownership group was announced as the winner of the proceedings to buy the Dodgers. Born on August 14, 1959, Earvin 'Magic' Johnson is a former NBA player and the former president of basketball operations for the LA Lakers. [150] The following year, HBO developed a documentary about their rivalry titled Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals, which was directed by Ezra Edelman. Magic Johnson averaged 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 11.2 assists per game. [72] With Johnson's teammates Nixon, James Worthy, and Bob McAdoo all hobbled by injuries, the Lakers were swept by the Sixers, and Malone was crowned the Finals MVP. [165][166][167], Johnson first fathered a son in 1981, when Andre Johnson was born to Melissa Mitchell. As remarkable Magic's performance was in Game 6, Kareem's. All statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference. [20], Earvin Johnson Jr. was born in Lansing, Michigan, to General Motors assembly worker Earvin Sr. and school janitor Christine. [124] Stating that it was never his dream to coach, he chose instead to purchase a 5% share of the team in June 1994. The Lakers. . [44] The Lakers again reached the Finals, and for a third time faced the Sixers, who featured center Moses Malone as well as Erving. [33] He was selected to the 197879 All-American team for his performance that season. He said that he retired because he "didn't want to hurt the game. Regular season: PTS, FG, FT, 3P complete all-time. Like Comments. Johnson started at center in place of the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Game 6 and scored 42 points, 15 rebounds and seven assists during the 123-107 win. Combining his playing career and sports ownership career, Johnson has 10 NBA championships, five each as a player and later as a minority owner of the Lakers. Point Guard, Shooting Guard, and Power Forward In 1979, Magic had led Michigan State to the NCAA title over Larry Bird's Indiana State in the most-watched college final ever. [171][172], Johnson is a Christian[173] and has said his faith is "the most important thing" in his life. "Earvin Johnson" redirects here. Jul 17 1996 Los Angeles (LAL) . He finished the game with 40 points on 16-24 shooting as well as 15 rebounds and four blocks in 41 minutes on a badly injured ankle. The rookie scored 11 of the 20 points. Magic Johnson was born in Lansing, Michigan. The proceeds went to the United Negro College Fund, and Johnson held this event for twenty years, ending in 2005. Johnson went on to win the Finals MVP that year, though he lost the Rookie of the Year trophy to Larry Bird. [186] In addition to these business ventures, Johnson has also created the Magic Card, a pre-paid MasterCard aimed at helping low-income people save money and participate in electronic commerce. Magic Johnson's trade demand was childish, but 'Showtime' would have never existed without it . Earvin Johnson Jr. Twitter : MagicJohnson (Magic, Buck, E.J. [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. He insisted that his health was not an issue, while downplaying questions about returning as a player, saying, "I'm retired. 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. Johnson was awarded his third Finals MVP title after averaging 26.2points on .541shooting, 13.0assists, 8.0rebounds, and 2.33steals per game. 1979-80 NBA Season Stats: 18.0 PPG, 7.7 RPG, 7.3 APG, 2.4 SPG, 0.5 BPG Awards And Achievements: NBA Champion, Finals MVP, All-Star, All-Rookie Team After being selected with the No. Johnson asserted that for him, the 82-game regular season was composed of 80 normal games, and two LakersCeltics games. Similarly, Bird admitted that Johnson's daily box score was the first thing he checked in the morning. During his rookie season with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1979-80, Magic Johnson showed that the truth is stranger than fiction. Let's leave it at that. [123][124] Johnson, who took the job at the urging of owner Jerry Buss, admitted "I've always had the desire (to coach) in the back of my mind." Magic won his first Finals MVP in 1980, averaging 21.5 PPG, 11.2 RPG, and 8.7 APG. Johnson sold his remaining interest in the stores back to the company in 2010, ending a successful twelve-year partnership. Magic Johnson attended Everett in Lansing, Michigan and Michigan State. 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. In the final minute of the game, Johnson had the ball stolen by Celtics center Robert Parish, and then missed two free throws that could have won the game. [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. All logos are the trademark & property of their owners and not Sports Reference LLC. Magic Johnson's performance in Game 6 and the series earned him the 1980 NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP). [16] He stated that his wife Cookie and their unborn child did not have HIV, and that he would dedicate his life to "battle this deadly disease". [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. Regular Season Stats. After a triple-double from Johnson in Game 6, the Lakers defeated the Sixers 42, as Johnson won his second NBA Finals MVP award. That fall, he was drafted by the Lakers as the first overall pick.. Courtesy of his heroics in the clincher and with series averages of 21.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, 8.7 assists, and 2.7 steals, Johnson was named Finals MVP. August 14, SimLeague Basketball lets you put Kobe, Magic, Kareem, Bird & Duncan on the court at the same time! The Lakers would finish the season on a ten-game losing streak though. [28] In the last championship series of his career, Johnson averaged 18.6points on .431shooting, 12.4assists, and 8.0rebounds per game. the Deejay, Tragic, The Magic Man, Junior are nicknames for Magic Johnson. Eventually, Johnson accepted his situation and the small group of black students looked to him as their leader. the Deejay, Tragic, The Magic Man, Junior), Position: Our reasoning for presenting offensive logos. In Game 6 of the 1980 Finals, Magic Johnson recorded 42 points and 15 rebounds to help the Lakers to the title. [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. 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". Michigan State. 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. [15] His public announcement of his HIV-positive status helped dispel the stereotype, still widely held at the time, that HIV was a "gay disease" that heterosexuals need not worry about; his bravery in making this announcement was widely commended. We have tools and resources that can help you use sports data. [40], Before the 199293 NBA season, Johnson announced his intention to stage an NBA comeback. [177] Johnson credits Buss with giving him the business knowledge that enabled him to become part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers. [154], Johnson was exceptional because he played point guard despite being 6ft 9in (2.06m), a size reserved normally for frontcourt players. Magic Johnson contract and salary cap details, contract breakdowns, dead money, and news. Six . [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. Johnson had never seriously considered coaching, but he agreed to take the head coaching position with the Lakers in 1994 at Buss' request. Explore What team had the best over/under record last year? Speaking to media just hours after Buss had died, Johnson was emotional, saying, "Without Dr. Jerry Buss, there is no Magic. [33] In an August 2011 interview, Johnson said that in retrospect he wished that he had never retired after being diagnosed with HIV, saying, "If I knew what I know now, I wouldn't have retired. [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. Magic and the Lakers completed a sensational 6-game victory after Kareem Abdul-Jabbar would miss Game 6 despite putting up 33.4 PPG, 13.6 RPG, and 4.6 BPG. All-Rookie 1st Team . 1980 Topps Magic Johnson Rookie Card Larry Bird RC Julius Erving PSA 9 Mint. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? His single-game playoff record of 24 assists . I n today's post, we're going to share three facts that prove that Larry Bird was a better player than Magic Johnson. A PSA 9 will sell for thousands of dollars, while even an 8 grade can go for over $1,000. Magic Johnson Rookie Season Stats: 18 points per game, 7.3 assists, 7.7 total rebounds, and averaged just over 36 minutes per game. [39], Johnson did not initially aspire to play professionally, focusing instead on his communication studies major and his desire to become a television commentator. He managed to come back in the game in the fourth quarter and helped the Lakers win (taking a 3-2 lead). Senate. The LA team had a great regular season with a 60-22 record. MP over 99% complete back to 1976-77. He averaged 19.5 points, 11.2 assists and 7.2 rebounds in 906 regular-season games. [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. The 42 points scored by Johnson were the most ever by a rookie in the NBA, a record that still stands today. He wondered why so many athletes had failed at business, and sought advice. Birthdate. 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. [26] He also idolized players such as Earl Monroe and Marques Haynes,[27] and practiced "all day". How many games did Magic Johnson field goal miss a season due to injury? 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. Johnson would often help his father on the garbage route, and he was teased by neighborhood children who called him "Garbage Man". Of course, Magic had the last laugh in 1980; Johnson captured Finals MVP while leading the Lakers to the championship over the Philadelphia 76ers. Of course, he would go on to win five NBA titles and become one of the best players in history. Magic Johnson: 1 (1982) . Johnson's stats in 77 games were identical to those he had at Michigan State (18.0 ppg, 7.7 RPG, 7.3 APG). The rookie with the million-watt smile. [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. [154] He holds the All-Star Game single-game record for assists (22), and the All-Star Game record for career assists (127). The basketball game was part of festivities organized to celebrate Obama's 49th birthday. [73], Prior to Johnson's fifth season, Westwho had become the Lakers general managertraded Nixon to free Johnson from sharing the ball-handling responsibilities. 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. Nick Mac 1 day ago. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2002. [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. Magic Johnson was inducted to the Hall of Fame as a Player in 2002 (Full List) 40. Bird and Magic entered the league together in 1979. 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? Peter Guber, who is the co-owner of the Golden State Warriors, owns a small stake in the Dodgers along with Johnson. Here are some of the best Magic Johnson stats in the NBA Finals: 1.) Sign In; . 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