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. He had become a dominant junior high player, once scoring 48 points in a game. īy the time he had reached the eighth grade, Johnson had begun to think about a future in basketball. Johnson's mother, originally from North Carolina, had also played basketball as a child, and she grew up watching her brothers play the game. His father played high school basketball in his home state of Mississippi, and Johnson learned the finer points about the game from him. He also idolized players such as Earl Monroe and Marques Haynes, and practiced "all day". His favorite basketball player growing up was Bill Russell, whom he admired more for his many championships than his athletic ability. His mother raised him in the Seventh-day Adventist Church. Johnson would often help his father on the garbage route, and he was teased by neighborhood children who called him "Garbage Man". His mother spent many hours after work each night cleaning their home and preparing the next day's meals, while his father did janitorial work at a used car lot and collected garbage, all while never missing a day at General Motors. Johnson, who had six siblings and three half-siblings by his father's previous marriage, was influenced by his parents' strong work ethic. was born in Lansing, Michigan to General Motors assembly worker Earvin Sr. Johnson has won 13 total championships during his career, five as an NBA player and eight as an owner. He is a member of Guggenheim Baseball Management that own the MLB's Los Angeles Dodgers and is additionally part of groups that own the WNBA's Los Angeles Sparks, MLS' Los Angeles FC, and NFL's Washington Commanders. He was a part-owner of the Lakers for several years and the team's president of basketball operations from 2017 to 2019. Johnson has owned stakes in NFL, NBA, WNBA, MLS and MLB teams. Since his retirement, Johnson has been an advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and safe sex, as well as an entrepreneur, philanthropist, broadcaster and motivational speaker. 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. 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 Fame-being enshrined in 2002 for his individual career, and again in 2010 as a member of the "Dream Team". After leaving the NBA in 1991, Johnson formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a barnstorming team that traveled around the world playing exhibition games. Johnson was a member of the 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team ("The Dream Team"), which won the Olympic gold medal in Barcelona. He also holds the record for most career assists in the playoffs. 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). 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. After protests from his fellow players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996, at age 36, to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring for the third and final time. 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. After winning a national championship with Michigan State in 1979, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers, leading the team to five NBA championships during their Showtime era. Johnson played 13 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all time. (born August 14, 1959) is an American businessman and former professional basketball player. 33 retired by Michigan State SpartansĮarvin "Magic" Johnson Jr.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |