In the past 30 days, commercials featuring Magic Johnson have had 27,434 airings. [87][88], Before the 198788 NBA season, Lakers coach Pat Riley publicly promised that they would defend the NBA title, even though no team had won consecutive titles since the Celtics did so in the 1969 NBA Finals. They Call Me Magic will give fans "a rare glimpse into . They're Midwesterners, they were bigger players who handled the ball skillfully and they thought about their teammates' success. 1,006 ratings37 reviews. 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. They Call Me Magic - Apple TV+ Press [111] Johnson led the West to a 153113win and was crowned All-Star MVP after recording 25points, 9assists, and 5rebounds. 1979 NCAA Championship Game. [69] Johnson later said that his third season was when the Lakers first became a great team,[70] and he credited their success to Riley. Johnson's autobiography is Johnson, Earvin (1992). He insisted that his health was not an issue, while downplaying questions about returning as a player, saying, "I'm retired. July 16, 2021 Ecolab, a provider of water, food safety and infection prevention solutions, is teaming up with Magic Johnson to launch the #TakeBackYourSocialLife campaign as part of a larger initiative to support the return of business across the foodservice industry. [87] The game-winning shot, which Johnson dubbed his "junior, junior, junior sky-hook",[87] helped Los Angeles defeat Boston in six games. Magic Johnson Development Corporation, which develops commercial property in long neglected . The girl who changed Magic Johnson | CNN The majority of NBA fans consider Jordan to be the best ever, with Magic being the best point guard ever. Let's leave it at that. The rivalry continued in the NBA, and reached its climax when Boston and Los Angeles met in three out of four NBA Finals from 1984 to 1987, with the Lakers winning two out of three Finals. Larry Joe Bird (born December 7, 1956) is an American former professional basketball player, coach, and executive in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Magic Johnson opens up on living with HIV 30 years after his diagnosis Bird was adamant that he would not appear in the Converse advert if it was filmed in LA. Through investment, partnership and consultation, Magic Johnson Enterprises has a portfolio of companies that strategically work together to reinforce the organization's focus on serving emerging, multicultural communities. Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson has seen a different D'Angelo Russell from the one who started his career in purple and gold. While Johnson is considered the leader of the ownership group, the controlling owner is Mark Walter, chief executive officer for Guggenheim Partners. [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. "[128] While Johnson played well in 1996, there were struggles both on and off the court. [224] He hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign on August 22, 2016. [171][172], Johnson is a Christian[173] and has said his faith is "the most important thing" in his life. [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. [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 Johnson - Wikipedia [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. Nicknamed "the Hick from French Lick" and "Larry Legend", Bird is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players of all time.He is the only person in NBA history to be named Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, Finals . He also missed several games due to a calf injury. Magic Johnson's Friendship With Larry Bird Explained - Grunge.com It's safe to say that without their common sponsor bringing them together, they likely wouldn't have hung out that day. With help from the HBO . 50 Fun Facts About Magic Johnson - CBS Detroit - CBS News and his parents couldn't be happier for their kid. The retired point guard welcomed his first child, son Andre, 42, with ex-girlfriend. Eventually, Johnson accepted his situation and the small group of black students looked to him as their leader. [44] Johnson shares the single-game playoff record for assists (24),[152] holds the Finals record for assists in a game (21),[152] and has the most playoff assists (2,346). Earvin "Magic" Johnson, William Novak. [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. [73], Prior to Johnson's fifth season, Westwho had become the Lakers general managertraded Nixon to free Johnson from sharing the ball-handling responsibilities. Magic Johnson 's 20-year-old son hit the Sunset Strip, hand in hand with his boyfriend . The Lakers played poorly in a Game 1 loss, prompting Johnson to express frustration with his role in coach Del Harris' offense. 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. [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. [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. 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". "[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. [143] He later joined the Danish team The Great Danes. [223] In 2015, he once again endorsed Hillary Clinton in her second presidential campaign. Johnson recently revealed plans for a documentary on his life to be released. [28] In the last championship series of his career, Johnson averaged 18.6points on .431shooting, 12.4assists, and 8.0rebounds per game. [214] Johnson announced his co-ownership of a Major League Soccer (MLS) expansion franchise based in Los Angeles on October 30, 2014. [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. [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. [124] Stating that it was never his dream to coach, he chose instead to purchase a 5% share of the team in June 1994. [226][227], To prevent his HIV infection from progressing to AIDS, Johnson takes a daily combination of drugs, also called a drug cocktail. [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. [129], After the Lakers lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs,[136] Johnson initially expressed a desire to return to the team for the 199697 NBA season, but he also talked about joining another team as a free agent, hoping to see more playing time at point guard instead of power forward. [205], He is an investor for aXiomatic eSports, the ownership company of Team Liquid. But being bused to Everett turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me. [7][8] He also holds the record for most career assists in the playoffs. The talent already on Michigan State's roster also drew him to the program. Watch The Rise of Magic Johnson in HBO's New - E! Online Magic Johnson, Paul George Song by Dreamville, Old Navy This Way Onward TV Spot, 'Introduction' Featuring Magic Johnson, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention TV Spot, 'COVID-19: NBA: Together', Google Pixel 6 TV Spot, 'Anthem: NBA Playoffs' Ft. Giannis Antetokounmpo, Magic Johnson, Capital One TV Spot, 'Final Four' Feat. In 2006, he publicly endorsed Phil Angelides for Governor of California,[219] in 2007 he supported Hillary Clinton in her presidential campaign,[220] and in 2010 he endorsed Barbara Boxer in her race for re-election to the U.S. They also toured the United States, playing five games against teams from the CBA. Visit California TV Spot, 'Living the Dream' Feat. [75] Friends Isiah Thomas and Mark Aguirre consoled him that night, talking until the morning in his Boston hotel room amidst fan celebrations on the street. Earvin "Magic" Johnson is sharing his story in the upcoming four-part docuseries They Call Me Magic, which will stream on Apple TV+ April 22. Johnson and his wife, Cookie, also have a daughter named Elisa, whom they adopted in 1995. Magic Johnson says he wanted to hit Howard Stern after the popular radio host made comments about his HIV diagnosis during an appearance on Johnson's short-lived late-night talk show in 1998. Although Andre was raised by his mother, he visited Johnson each summer, and later worked for Magic Johnson Enterprises as a marketing director. Magic Johnson, who has spearheaded developments in underserved urban communities in the decades since his ending his legendary NBA career, is pushing for more investments from commercial real estate into initiatives that benefit minority areas. 8. Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan are two of the greatest players of all time. [175], Johnson had an extremely close relationship with Lakers owner Jerry Buss, whom he saw as a mentor and a father figure.