"[125] Amid speculation from general manager Jerry West that he may only coach until the end of the season,[125] Johnson took over a team that had a 2838 record, and won his first game as head coach, a 110101 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks. [197][198], In 1990, Johnson and Earl Graves Sr. obtained a large interest in the Washington, D.C. PepsiCo bottling operation, making it the company's largest minority-owned facility in the U.S.[199] Johnson became a minority owner of the Lakers in 1994, having reportedly paid more than $10million for part ownership. [73], Prior to Johnson's fifth season, Westwho had become the Lakers general managertraded Nixon to free Johnson from sharing the ball-handling responsibilities. [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. In the losing effort, Magic averaged 18.0 points on 56.0 percent shooting with 13.6 assists, 7.7 rebounds and 2.0 steals. [83], Johnson again averaged a double-double in the 198586 NBA season, with 18.8points, 12.6assists, and 5.9rebounds per game. MP over 99% complete back to 1976-77. "[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. [63][64] Early in the 198182 season, Johnson had a heated dispute with Westhead, who Johnson said made the Lakers "slow" and "predictable". [190] In 2012, Johnson launched a cable TV network called Aspire, featuring programming targeted at black audiences, similar to networks such as Black Entertainment Television (BET) and TV One. Now if we look at the PSA stats for the 1980-1981 Topps Bird, Magic rookie, they have graded about 9,800 copies. He would win his first game of the season. Despite two triple-doubles from Johnson during the series, Finals MVP Jordan led his team to a 41win. [40], Before the 199293 NBA season, Johnson announced his intention to stage an NBA comeback. 1. Magic Johnson: 1 (1982) . [5] Kawhi Leonard vs Kemba Walker vs Kevin Durant vs Kobe Bryant vs LaMelo Ball vs LeBron James vs Lonzo Ball vs Luka Doni vs Magic Johnson vs Manu Ginbili vs Mike Conley vs Oscar Robertson vs Paul George vs . [125][176] After Johnson ended his coaching stint, Buss sold him a 4% stake in the Lakers for $10 million, and Johnson served as a team executive. $95.00 shipping. There was a point early on in the episode when Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) hears that Larry Bird (Sean Patrick Small) was selected as the 1980 NBA Rookie of the Year. [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. [222] He endorsed and appeared in campaign ads for unsuccessful Los Angeles mayoral candidate Wendy Greuel in 2013. Everett in Lansing, Michigan, Draft: He had a total of 29 Badges in which 3 of them were Hall of Fame Level. Question, Comment, Feedback, or Correction? Watch our How-To Videos to Become a Stathead, Subscribe to Stathead and get access to more data than you can imagine. Earvin (Magic) Johnson has signed a 25-year contract for $1 million a year, starting in 1984, Jerry Buss, the Los Angles Lakers' owner, said tonight. Sign up for the The Rookie Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. [44] The Lakers advanced to the Western Conference Finals, but were unable to defeat the Houston Rockets, who advanced to the Finals in five games. [205], He is an investor for aXiomatic eSports, the ownership company of Team Liquid. 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. [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. [96], In the 198889 NBA season, Johnson's 22.5points, 12.8assists, and 7.9rebounds per game[44] earned him his second MVP award,[97] and the Lakers reached the 1989 NBA Finals, in which they again faced the Pistons. He went to Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz with the idea that he could successfully open the coffee shops in urban areas. [72] In a losing effort against Philadelphia, Johnson averaged 19.0points on .403shooting, 12.5assists, and 7.8rebounds per game. 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 Deejay, Tragic, The Magic Man, Junior) Position: Point Guard, Shooting Guard, and Power Forward Shoots: Right 6-9 , 215lb (206cm, 97kg) More bio, uniform, draft, salary info Hall of Fame 12x All Star 4x AST Champ 2x STL Champ 5x NBA Champ 10x All-NBA 1979-80 All-Rookie [133] Nick Van Exel received a seven-game suspension for bumping referee Ron Garretson during a game on April 9. [78] Johnson later described the series as "the one championship we should have had but didn't get". College. [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. In a press conference held on November 7, 1991, Johnson made a public announcement that he would retire immediately. Johnson finished with over 17,000 career points and 10,000 career assists. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. Do you have a sports website? pic.twitter.com/9fYIJVPpHH, ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) May 16, 2020. [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. All statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference. [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. $1,000,000. Johnson took over for a Lakers team that was 28-38 overall. Playing with the Canberra Cannons of Australia's National Basketball League instead of his usual group of players, Johnson's team defeated the Spartans 10485, as he scored 12 points, with 10 assists and 10 rebounds. August 14, He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time. [143] He later joined the Danish team The Great Danes. . At just 20 years old, he remains the. The talent already on Michigan State's roster also drew him to the program. [80] After the Lakers defeated the Celtics in six games, Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson, who averaged 18.3points on .494shooting, 14.0assists, and 6.8rebounds per game in the championship series,[81][82] said the Finals win was the highlight of their careers. 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. Johnson had never seriously considered coaching, but he agreed to take the head coaching position with the Lakers in 1994 at Buss' request. Even without . [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. The announcement clearly gets underneath Johnson's skin. Every Sports Reference Social Media Account, Site Last Updated: Wednesday, March 1, 9:33AM. [11] His friendship and rivalry with Boston Celtics star Larry Bird, whom he faced in the 1979 NCAA finals and three NBA championship series, are well documented. Player stats broken down into various categories; i.e. He put together a 14-point, 21-assist performance in Game 3. Mathurin recorded a game-high 26 points while Banchero scored 23 for . 1998-99 Skybox Autographics David Robinson #50 Black & Blue Ink - BGS 9/10. Compare Magic Johnson and Stephen Curry careers through the years of your choosing. [3][55][56] He also became one of four players to win NCAA and NBA championships in consecutive years. "I haven't talked . RELATED: Magic Johnson Just the Latest Member of the Showtime Lakers to Turn a Cold Shoulder to New HBO . [13] In 1991, Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly in a small wedding in Lansing which included guests Thomas, Aguirre, and Herb Williams. [44][130] The Lakers had a record of 2210 in the games Johnson played, and he considered his final comeback "a success. International Stats at Basketball-Reference.com, College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com, Scores from any date in BAA/NBA or ABA history, Frequently Asked Questions about the NBA, WNBA and Basketball, Basketball-Reference.com Blog and Articles, Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREE. [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. Johnson, a 20-year-old rookie, enters the fray. [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. [44] The Lakers again reached the Finals, and for a third time faced the Sixers, who featured center Moses Malone as well as Erving. [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". At the age of 20 Magic Johnson took the Lakers to the victory in the series-clinching sixth game with a legendary performance. 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]. Magic Johnson was born in Lansing, Michigan. [36] Johnson played with the team frequently over the next several years, with possibly the most memorable game occurring in November 2001. Johnson was publicly critical of Van Exel, saying his actions were "inexcusable. 1979: Rd 1, Pk 1 (LAL) Birthplace. He also missed several games due to a calf injury. His plans underwent a dramatic change when he learned that he would be bused to the predominantly white Everett High School instead of going to Sexton,[26][30] which was predominantly black. [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. "[119], During his retirement, Johnson has written a book on safe sex, run several businesses, worked for NBC as a commentator, and toured Asia, Australia and New Zealand with a basketball team of former college and NBA players. [28] In the last championship series of his career, Johnson averaged 18.6points on .431shooting, 12.4assists, and 8.0rebounds 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. 1 overall pick of the 1979 #NBADraft. [227] Johnson was later criticized by the AIDS community for his decreased involvement in publicizing the spread of the disease. Explore What team had the best over/under record last year? The 42 points scored by Johnson were the most ever by a rookie in the NBA, a record that still stands today. 3. Although Johnson's retirement prior to the 199293 NBA season voided this contract, Buss insisted that he still be paid. Explore Magic Johnson career playoff stats [3][4][5][6] Johnson played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The basketball game was part of festivities organized to celebrate Obama's 49th birthday. Often regarded as the best point guard of all time, Johnson is also considered to be one of the greatest players in NBA history. The game was played at a gym inside Fort McNair, and reporters covering the president were not allowed to enter. [138][139] On November 1, 2002, Johnson returned to play a second exhibition game against Michigan State. [175], Johnson had an extremely close relationship with Lakers owner Jerry Buss, whom he saw as a mentor and a father figure. Although he played in a celebrity game to honor coach Jud Heathcoate in 1995,[45] this was Johnson's first meaningful game played in his hometown of Lansing in 22 years. The LA team had a great regular season with a 60-22 record. 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. Review:HBO's 'Winning Time' captures the go-go vibe of Magic Johnson's Lakers The real Nixon, the two-time NBA all-star, has not weighed in on the scene or his son's performance. [131][132] He missed two games and was stripped of his title as team captain. 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. Magic Johnson averaged 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 11.2 assists per game. Up 3-2 in the series and without Kareem, a rookie Magic and the Lakers had to travel to Philadelphia in . 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. [115] After qualifying for the Olympics with a gold medal at the 1992 Tournament of the Americas,[116] the Dream Team dominated in Olympic competition, winning the gold medal with an 80 record, beating their opponents by an average of 43.8 points per game. "[28][33] Johnson could dominate a game without scoring, running the offense and distributing the ball with flair. [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. [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. Six . [33], Despite their on-court rivalry, Johnson and Bird became close friends during the filming of a 1984 Converse shoe advertisement that depicted them as enemies. SimLeague Basketball. A year-by-year list of the Kia NBA Rookie of the Year Award winners: 2021-22 Scottie Barnes, Toronto Raptors ( Voting) 2020-21 LaMelo Ball, Charlotte Hornets ( Voting) 2019-20 Ja Morant,. [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. Nick Mac 1 day ago. Magic Johnson. 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. The Lakers played poorly in a Game 1 loss, prompting Johnson to express frustration with his role in coach Del Harris' offense. Earvin Johnson Jr. While Johnson is considered the leader of the ownership group, the controlling owner is Mark Walter, chief executive officer for Guggenheim Partners. Magic Johnson on NBA 2K23 [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. [227] In 1992, he joined the National Commission on AIDS, a committee appointed by members of Congress and the Bush Administration. Jan. 25, 2023: The Pacers couldn't overcome a 17-point first quarter deficit in a 126-120 loss to the Magic at Amway Center. Magic Johnson joined Shaquille O'Neal and celebrity coach Spike Lee to lead the blue team to a 147132 victory over the white team, which was coached by Arsenio Hall. 1990 Fleer Basketball Earvin Magic Johnson Card #93 Lakers MINT. 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