Magic Johnson

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Basketball player
Magic Johnson
Earvin "Magic" Johnson on '07 .jpg
Johnson in 2007
Player information
birthday 14th August 1959 (age 61)
place of birth Lansing , Michigan , United States
size 206 cm
position Point guard
college Michigan State
NBA draft 1979 , 1st pick, Los Angeles Lakers
Clubs as active
1979-1991 United StatesUnited States Los Angeles Lakers
000001996 United StatesUnited States Los Angeles Lakers
National team
000001992 United StatesUnited States United States
Clubs as coaches
000001994 United StatesUnited States Los Angeles Lakers

Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959 in Lansing , Michigan ) is a retired American basketball player . Alongside Larry Bird , he was the most outstanding NBA player of the 1980s. The 6-foot-tall Johnson played primarily as a point guard due to his exceptional passing ability , although this position is typically occupied by smaller players.

After winning high school and college titles , Johnson was selected first in the 1979 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers . In his first season he won the championship title with the Lakers and was voted the most valuable player in the final series ( NBA Finals MVP Award ). Four more titles with Los Angeles followed in the 1980s; A total of nine times he reached the NBA finals with the team. In 1991, Johnson suddenly resigned from professional sports when he was diagnosed with HIV . At the All-Star Game 1992, in which he was named best player, he announced his comeback and won gold at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona with the Dream Team , which dominated its opponents at will . After protests from other players, Johnson broke off his pre-season preparation for the 1992/93 season , when he wanted to return to regular play. Four years later, he returned to the league and played 32 games for the Lakers.

Johnson won the award for best player of the season ( NBA MVP Award ) three times , took part in the All-Star Game twelve times and was called up to the All-NBA team ten times in a row , nine times in the first team. Four times he got the most assists of all players in the regular season , with an average of 11.2 assists per game he leads the all-time leaderboard of the league. In 1996, Johnson was named one of the top 50 players in NBA history and was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. The sports broadcaster ESPN named him the best point guard of all time in 2007. His friendship and rivalry with Larry Bird , whom he met for the first time in the 1979 NCAA Division I basketball championship final and later three times in the NBA finals, had a major impact on basketball in the 1980s. Since he retired from active sport, Johnson has been committed to preventing HIV / AIDS and promoting safe sex .

Amateur career

Childhood and youth

Earvin Johnson Jr. was born the sixth of ten children in Lansing , the capital of the state of Michigan . His father, Earvin Sr., was an assembly line worker at General Motors and Christine, his mother, was a school overseer. Johnson grew up in Lansing and began to love basketball as a young boy. He trained "all day" and revered players like Earl Monroe and Marques Haynes .

In a high school game, Johnson scored a " triple-double " with 36 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists at the age of 15 . Fred Stabley Jr., a sports writer for the local newspaper Lansing State Journal , gave him the nickname "Magic". In his senior year, Johnson led the school team with an average of 28.8 points and 16.8 rebounds per game to a season record of 27 wins with only one defeat and thus to winning the Michigans school championship.

Michigan State University

Johnson was courted by several notable colleges, including Indiana University and UCLA , but wanted to stay close to home. At first he favored the University of Michigan , but then decided on Michigan State University in East Lansing after the basketball coach had promised him the point guard position .

Rather than aiming for a career as a professional athlete, Johnson focused on studying communications with the goal of becoming a television commentator. On the side of the later NBA players Greg Kelser and Jay Vincent Johnson averaged 17.0 points, 7.9 rebounds and 7.4 assists in his first season per game. The Spartans won the title in the Big Ten Conference and advanced to the quarterfinals of the tournament at the federal level, where they were narrowly defeated by the eventual champions Kentucky Wildcats .

The following season Michigan State qualified again for the finals and this time reached the final of the NCAA Division I Basketball Championship , where it faced the Indiana State University team around Larry Bird . In the most watched game in college basketball history, Michigan State won 75-64, and Johnson was named Best Player of the Final Four . After two years of college, averaging 17.1 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.9 assists, Johnson left college and signed up for the 1979 NBA draft .

NBA career

Johnson was exclusively active for the LA Lakers throughout his professional career

Rookie season (1979–1980)

Johnson was selected in the first place in the 1979 draft by the Los Angeles Lakers , who received the same draft pick from the Utah Jazz in an earlier trade . He later wrote in his autobiography that the "most amazing" thing about his signing by the Lakers was that he could play alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar . The 2.18 m tall Abdul-Jabbar played in the center position and today holds the record for the most points collected by all NBA players. Despite Abdul-Jabbar's skill level, the Lakers had not yet won a championship with him and are now relying on Johnson's support to achieve this goal. Johnson averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game this season and was selected for the NBA All-Rookie Team and selected for the starting grid in the NBA All-Star Game . The award for the best newcomer of the season ( NBA Rookie of the Year Award ) went to his rival Bird, who had been signed by the Boston Celtics .

The Lakers finished the regular season with a record of 60:22 games and reached the Finals , where they faced the Philadelphia 76ers led by forward Julius Erving . After five games, the Lakers led 3-2 in the final series. However, Abdul-Jabbar, who had previously scored an average of 33 points per game in the series, sprained his ankle in game 5 and was thus out in game 6. Coach Paul Westhead chose to start the game with Johnson in the center position; Playing as guard and forward at times, Johnson scored 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists and 3 steals in the 123: 107 victory. After that, Johnson was honored as the only player to date in his rookie season as the best player in the final series ( NBA Finals MVP ). His underwhelming performance in this game is considered one of the best in NBA history. He also became one of four players who won the NBA title in their first season a year after the college title.

Changing years (1980–1983)

Early in the 1980/81 season Johnson pulled a meniscus tear in his left knee, which he missed a total of 45 games. In his autobiography he later wrote that during his rehab he was more depressed ("most down") than ever before. In time for the playoffs, he returned to the team for which the Lakers qualified with a record of 54:28.

The team played against the Houston Rockets , who had qualified for the playoffs with a balance of 40:42. Surprisingly, Houston prevailed 2-1; Johnson missed the chance to win in Game 3 shortly before the end. After the season, Johnson signed a 25-year contract that guaranteed him $ 1 million a year starting in 1984. At the time, this was both the longest-running and the highest-value contract for an athlete.

At the beginning of the 1981/82 season Johnson had an argument with coach Paul Westhead , whose training and tactics made the team too "slow" and "easy to calculate" in his opinion. When he was about to change, Jerry Buss , the owner of the Lakers , fired the coach and replaced him with assistant coach Pat Riley . Johnson denied being responsible for the sacking but was still whistled by many fans, including fans of the Lakers. Despite the controversy, he was successful on the field: On average, he scored 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 9.5 assists and 2.7 steals (league top) per game and Johnson was elected to the All-NBA Second Team . In addition, he was the third player after Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson to reach 700 points, 700 rebounds and 700 assists in one season. The Lakers moved into the NBA Finals for the second time in three years, where they faced the Philadelphia 76ers . With a triple-double from Johnson, Los Angeles won Game 6 and the series 4-2. Johnson was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player for the second time (NBA Finals MVP Award) . In the final series against the 76ers he scored an average of 16.2 points with a throw rate of 53%, 10.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists and 2.5 steals per game. In his autobiography, he later stated that the Lakers had advanced to a top team that season, and attributed that success to Coach Riley.

In the 1982/1983 season Johnson reached an average of 16.8 points, 10.5 assists and 8.6 rebounds and Johnson was called to the All-NBA First Team . For the third time within four years, the Lakers reached the NBA final this season, where they met the Sixers again, as they did in the two previous finals. In both 1980 and 1982 Los Angeles won the final and was therefore a feared opponent for Philadelphia. In 1983, however, Johnson's teammates Norm Nixon , James Worthy and Bob McAdoo were handicapped by injuries, and Philadelphia clearly won the series 4-0. Johnson finished the series with an average of 19.0 points (with a throw rate of 40.3%), 12.5 assists and 7.8 rebounds.

Years shaped by the duels with the Celtics (1983–1987)

Johnson (right) during the 1985 NBA Finals

In his fifth season Johnson reached an average of 17.6 points, 13.1 assists and 7.3 rebounds per game. In what is now the third season in a row, the Lakers made it to the finals, where they faced the Boston Celtics led by Larry Bird for the first time. The Lakers won the first game. In the second game they led with 18 seconds to go by two points, but the Celtics equalized with a lay-up from Gerald Henderson. Johnson did not get to the throw, and after extra time Boston won with 124: 121. In Game 3, Johnson led the Lakers to a 137-104 win with 21 assists, but made some crucial mistakes in Game 4 towards the end. So he lost the ball in the last minute of the game to Robert Parish , the center of the Celtics; he also awarded two free throws that might have meant victory. After extra time, the Celtics decided the game for themselves and thus equalized the series to 2-2. Game 5 was won again by the Celtics, Game 6 by the Lakers again. In the final game, the Lakers were three points behind in the final minute when Dennis Johnson , the opposing point guard , took the ball from Johnson. The chance of equalization was lost and the game was decided. On average, Johnson achieved 18.0 points (with a throw rate of 56%), 13.6 assists and 7.7 rebounds in the seven games. Johnson later described the 1984 final as "the title we deserved but didn't get."

In the 1984/85 season Johnson scored an average of 18.3 points, 12.6 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game and again led the Lakers to the final, again against the Celtics. There they got off to a poor start: In the first game, the Lakers allowed 148 points for the Celtics - a new record number of points for finals - and lost with a difference of 34 points. Led by Johnson and Abdul-Jabbar, the team increased. The now 38-year-old Abdul-Jabbar achieved 30 points and 17 rebounds in the second game and contributed 36 points to the victory in the fifth game and thus to the 3-2 lead. Johnson ended the series with an average of 18.3 points (with a throw rate of 49.4%), 14.0 assists and 6.8 rebounds. After the 4-2 win over the Celtics, both Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson described winning the title as the highlight of their careers.

For the second time after the 1983/84 season Johnson reached a double-double in the 1985/86 season with an average of 18.6 points, 12.6 assists and 5.9 rebounds per game . The Lakers advanced to the Western Conference Finals , but were subject to the Houston Rockets and missed the NBA final for the first time since the 1980/81 season. In the following season Johnson set a career record with an average of 23.9 points, plus 12.2 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game. His achievements earned him the title of best player of the regular season ( Most Valuable Player , MVP) for the first time . In the finals , the Lakers met the Celtics for the third time. Here sunk Johnson in Game 4 over the hands of Robert Parish and Kevin McHale away at the last second a Hookshot (hook shot) . The throw decided the game 107: 106 in favor of the Lakers, and Johnson christened him (referring to the famous "sky hooks" of his teammate Abdul-Jabbar) his "junior, junior, junior sky-hook". Los Angeles won the game series 4-2, and with an average of 26.2 points (with a throw rate of 54.1%), 13.0 assists, 8.0 rebounds and 2.3 steals, Johnson became the most valuable player for the third time of the finals .

Title defense and lost finals (1987–1991)

At the championship celebration, coach Pat Riley promised to defend the title for the season 1987/88 , although no team had succeeded in this since 1969. Johnson played a very good season again with 19.6 points, 11.9 assists and 6.2 rebounds per game. In the playoffs, the Lakers fought both the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks a 4-3 victory. Also in the NBA final they had to go over seven games; against the Detroit Pistons , also known as "Bad Boys" because of their physique- focused game, it was 3: 3 after six games. In Game 7, James Worthy , the Lakers' forward who was awarded the finals MVP after the series , achieved the first triple-double of his career with 36 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists and led his team to a 108-105 victory. Johnson also contributed significantly to the final victory with an average of 21.1 points (with a throw rate of 55%), 13.0 assists and 5.7 rebounds.

Johnson's 22.5 points, 12.8 assists and 7.9 rebounds per game earned him his second MVP title in the 1988/89 season . The Lakers qualified again for the NBA final, again against the Detroit Pistons. After Johnson got injured in Game 2, the Lakers had no chance and lost the series 0: 4.

The 1989/90 season was the first season without Abdul-Jabbar, who had ended his career. Johnson averaged 22.3 points, 11.5 assists and 6.6 rebounds and was named the best player of the season for the third time. Due to their defeat in the Western Conference semifinals against the Phoenix Suns, the Lakers were eliminated earlier in the playoffs than they have been in nine years. In the 1990/91 season Johnson achieved an average of 19.4 points, 12.5 assists and 7.0 rebounds per game. Once again, the Lakers made it to the NBA Finals, where they faced the Michael Jordan- led Chicago Bulls . The final series was stylized as a great duel between Johnson and Jordan, who is considered the best player of his generation. However, forward Scottie Pippen defended most of the time against Johnson. Despite two triple doubles from Johnson, Jordan, who was also named Finals MVP , led the Bulls to a 4-1 victory. In his last NBA final, Johnson scored an average of 18.6 points (throwing rate: 43.1%), 12.4 assists and 8.0 rebounds.

HIV infection and the Olympic Games (1991–1992)

Johnson on the US national team

At a routine check-up before the 1991/92 season , Johnson tested positive for HIV . In a press conference on November 7, 1991, Johnson announced his immediate retirement. He also stated that his wife, Cookie, and their unborn child were free from HIV and that he would devote himself to “fighting this deadly disease”. At first, Johnson denied knowing how he contracted the disease, but later began reporting on his sexual escapades with women to serve as a cautionary example. In the public perception at the time, only a few HIV-infected people appeared to have contracted it during heterosexual intercourse, so that despite Johnson's denials, rumors circulated that he was homosexual or bisexual . The announcement of his retirement due to HIV infection attracted a lot of attention and hit the headlines. In a list of the most unforgettable moments of the past 25 years, which the sports broadcaster ESPN created in 2004, Johnson's press conference was ranked seventh. Many articles praised Johnson as a hero, and US President George HW Bush stated, “To me, Magic is a hero; a hero for everyone who loves sports ”.

Despite retiring from his career, Johnson was voted onto the starting line-up for the 1992 NBA All-Star Game by fans. His former teammates Byron Scott and AC Green said he shouldn't compete. Even Karl Malone (forward of the Utah Jazz ) and several other active players were worried that they could be infected in the case of an open wound of Johnson. Johnson led the West to a 153-113 victory and was named the MVP of the Game ( All-Star MVP Award ) with 25 points, 9 assists and 5 rebounds . In the final second, Johnson scored a three ; then players from both teams stormed onto the field to congratulate him.

Johnson was selected as a player for the US basketball team at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics . The so-called “ Dream Team ”, which had already been given this nickname, won gold in a superior manner. Johnson was honored with a standing ovation by the audience , even if he was only used infrequently due to knee problems.

Post-Olympic period, coaching and comeback

Before the start of the 1992/93 season , Johnson announced his return to the NBA. After he had trained accordingly and had already participated in several pre-season games , he reversed the decision. As a reason, he cited the discussions that had triggered several active players because they refused to return. In the period that followed, Johnson wrote a book on safer sex , did a variety of business, co-commented on NBC, and toured Asia and Australia with a team of former college and NBA players. He was also considering buying an NBA team.

Johnson returned to the NBA in 1994 when the Lakers threatened to miss the playoffs. Coach Randy Pfund was sacked and Johnson was appointed as his successor for the last 16 games of the season. The team won five of the first six games under his leadership, but could not win any further after the initial successes and missed the playoffs for the first time since 1976. Johnson resigned as a coach, and in June 1994 acquired a 5% stake in the Lakers. In the 1995/96 season , the now 36-year-old Johnson returned as a player for the last 32 games of the season. Playing in the power-forward position , he achieved an average of 14.6 points, 6.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds. After losing to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, he finally ended his career: “ I am going out on my terms, something I couldn't say when I aborted a comeback in 1992. ” (“I listen on my terms / on my voluntary decision, there was no question of that in 1992 when my comeback was broken off ”).

Johnson, a partner in the Lakers, was named president of the basketball business on February 21, 2017. Previously, the Lakers co-owner and brother of President Jim Buss had been relieved of his office as vice president of the basketball business, as were sporting director (general manager) Mitch Kupchak and public relations president John Black. Johnson reported directly and exclusively to President Jeannie Buss. On the last day of the 2018/19 season , he surprisingly resigned from his position.

Off the field

Magic Johnson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Johnson had his first child in 1981 with Melissa Mitchell. She gave birth to son Andre Johnson. Andre grew up with his mother but visited Johnson every summer. As of October 2005, Andre Johnson was employed by Magic Johnson Enterprises as Marketing Director . In 1991 Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly, with whom he has a son, Earvin III; in 1995 the couple adopted a daughter, Elisa.

In 1998, Johnson hosted a talk show on Fox called The Magic Hour , which was discontinued after two months due to low audience ratings. Johnson heads Magic Johnson Enterprises , valued at $ 700 million as of 2005. The company operates cinemas, Starbucks stores and Burger King branches , among other things, and it also organizes Johnson's appearances as a motivational speaker. Johnson is a Democrat ; in the 2005 election campaign for California governor he supported Phil Angelides, and in 2008 Hillary Clinton in her candidacy for the Democratic presidential nomination. He worked as a commentator for TNT for seven years and moved to ESPN in 2008, where he works as a studio expert on the NBA Countdown program.

Engagement in HIV prevention

Johnson met with Nancy Pelosi, Chairwoman of the US House of Representatives , in 2003 to discuss government support for AIDS sufferers.

After announcing his HIV infection and resigning, Johnson set up the Magic Johnson Foundation in 1991 to help fight HIV; later he expanded the foundation's field of activity to include other charitable areas. In 1992 he joined the National Commission on Aids . However, he left after eight months and said that the commission was doing too little to combat the disease. At the UN conference on World AIDS Day 1999, Johnson gave the keynote speech , and he was also a UN ambassador for peace .

HIV has been linked to drug addicts and homosexuals in general. Therefore, Johnson made an effort to use his campaigns to draw attention to the fact that the risk of infection is not limited to these two groups. In addition to providing information about the disease itself, he devoted himself to raising awareness among those not directly affected and against discrimination against those infected with HIV and those suffering from AIDS. In 1992 he wrote Unsafe Sex in the Age of AIDS , a book on safe sex ; four years later there was an updated edition entitled What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS .

Career successes and style of play

Johnson's jersey with the 32 was ceremoniously hung under the roof of the hall in Los Angeles, and the shirt number is no longer given in his honor.
Since 2004 a statue in front of the Staples Center (home ground of the Lakers) commemorates Johnson.

Johnson coined a fast-paced style of play for the Lakers called Showtime . He is described as a mix of " no-look passes in the fast break , precisely laid alley oops from the center of the field, passes from the turn and quick passes under the basket, surrounded by opponents." His teammate, Guard Michael Cooper explained : " There have been times when [Johnson] has thrown passes and I wasn't sure where he was going. 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. "(" Sometimes Johnson passed the ball and I wasn't sure where to go. Then one of our guys caught the ball and scored and I ran back into my own half, puzzled, convinced he must have thrown through someone . ”) For his height of 2.06 m, it was extraordinary that Johnson played in the point guard position and not front court . It combined the size of a power forward, the skill in one-on-one situations, which is important for a swingman ( small forward and shooting guard ), and the ball handling of a guard. Thanks to his diverse skills, Johnson collected the second-most triple-doubles in the NBA at 138 , only Oscar Robertson before him and Russell Westbrook after him collected more.

In a poll of journalists, former players, coaches and team managers conducted by the NBA in 1996, Johnson was named among the 50 best players in NBA history . In 2002, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame . Additionally, ESPN.com ranked him number one on a 2007 list of the best point guards of all time.

Rivalry and friendship with Larry Bird

Johnson and Bird first met in the 1979 college championship finals. The Michigan State University team led by Johnson defeated the Indiana State team led by Larry Bird . In the NBA, the rivalry peaked in the mid-80s, when 1984-1987 faced each other in three of the four seasons Boston and Los Angeles in the NBA finals. Johnson said the regular season (82 games) consisted of 80 normal games and the two Lakers-Celtics clashes. Bird made a similar statement: The very first thing he cares about in the morning is the latest game stats from Johnson.

Several journalists put forward the thesis that the Johnson-Bird rivalry is so attractive because it represents many other contrasts. These included the rivalry between Lakers and Celtics, the differences between the superficial glamor in Hollywood (“Showtime Lakers”) and the hard work of blue collar workers in Boston, Indiana (“Celtic Pride”), and the rivalries between blacks and whites . The contest drew a lot of attention and became very important to the NBA. In the 1970s, interest in the league had declined and TV ratings dropped. With its two superstars, the NBA gained a new generation of fans. ESPN sports journalist Larry Schwartz went so far as to claim that Johnson and Bird saved the NBA from bankruptcy.

Privately, despite the rivalry on the field, Johnson and Bird became good friends; Ironically, they first met in 1984 while filming a commercial portraying them as enemies. At the end of Bird's career, Johnson described him at the farewell party as a "friend forever" ; Bird delivered the laudatory speech at Johnson's induction into the Hall of Fame .

Statistics and records

In 905 NBA games, Johnson collected 17,707 points, 6,559 rebounds and 10,141 assists; This means an average of 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds and 11.2 assists per game. Johnson holds the following individual records: most assists in a playoff game (24), most assists in a NBA final series game (21) and most assists in an all-star game (22). He also holds the records for most assists in All-Star Games overall (127) and most assists in playoff games (2,346). The following career statistics are taken from the NBA website:

Regular season

Legend
 GP Matches played (Games Played)  GS Games from the beginning (Games started) MPG Graduated minutes per game (Minutes per game)
FG% Throw rate from the field (field goal percentage) 3P% Throwing quota three-point throws (3-point field-goal percentage) FT% Free throw rate (free-throw percentage)
RPG Rebounds per game (rebounds per game) APG Assists per game (assists per game) SPG Steals per game (steals per game)
BPG Blocks per game (blocks per game) PPG Points per game (points per game) FAT Career record
season team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1979/80 Los Angeles Lakers 77 72 36.3 0.530 0.226 0.810 7.7 7.3 2.4 0.5 18.0
1980/81 Los Angeles Lakers 37 35 37.1 0.532 0.176 0.760 8.6 8.6 3.4 0.7 21.6
1981/82 Los Angeles Lakers 78 77 38.3 0.537 0.207 0.760 9.6 9.5 2.7 0.4 18.6
1982/83 Los Angeles Lakers 79 79 36.8 0.548 0.000 0.800 8.6 10.5 2.2 0.6 16.8
1983/84 Los Angeles Lakers 67 66 38.3 0.565 0.207 0.810 7.3 13.1 2.2 0.7 17.6
1984/85 Los Angeles Lakers 77 77 36.1 0.561 0.189 0.843 6.2 12.6 1.5 0.3 18.3
1985/86 Los Angeles Lakers 72 70 35.8 0.526 0.233 0.871 5.9 12.6 1.6 0.2 18.8
1986/87 Los Angeles Lakers 80 80 36.3 0.522 0.205 0.848 6.3 12.2 1.7 0.4 23.9
1987/88 Los Angeles Lakers 72 70 36.6 0.492 0.196 0.853 6.2 11.9 1.6 0.2 19.6
1988/89 Los Angeles Lakers 77 77 37.5 0.509 0.314 0.911 7.9 12.8 1.8 0.3 22.5
1989/90 Los Angeles Lakers 79 79 37.2 0.480 0.384 0.890 6.6 11.5 1.7 0.4 22.3
1990/91 Los Angeles Lakers 79 79 37.1 0.477 0.320 0.906 7.0 12.5 1.3 0.2 19.4
1995/96 Los Angeles Lakers 32 9 29.9 0.466 0.379 0.856 5.7 6.9 0.8 0.4 14.6
total 906 870 36.7 0.520 0.303 0.848 7.2 11.2 1.9 0.4 19.5
All-Star Game 11 10 30.1 0.489 0.476 0.905 5.2 11.5 1.9 0.6 16.0

Playoffs

season team GP GS MPG FG% 3P% FT% RPG APG SPG BPG PPG
1979/80 Los Angeles Lakers 16 16 41.1 0.518 0.250 0.802 10.5 9.4 3.1 0.4 18.3
1980/81 Los Angeles Lakers 3 3 42.3 0.388 0.000 0.650 13.7 7.0 2.7 1.0 17.0
1981/82 Los Angeles Lakers 14th 14th 40.1 0.529 0.000 0.828 11.3 9.3 2.9 0.2 17.4
1982/83 Los Angeles Lakers 15th 15th 42.9 0.485 0.000 0.840 8.5 12.8 2.3 0.8 17.9
1983/84 Los Angeles Lakers 21st 21st 39.9 0.551 0.000 0.800 6.6 13.5 2.0 1.0 18.2
1984/85 Los Angeles Lakers 19th 19th 36.2 0.513 0.143 0.847 7.1 15.2 1.7 0.2 17.5
1985/86 Los Angeles Lakers 14th 14th 38.6 0.537 0.000 0.766 7.1 15.1 1.9 0.1 21.6
1986/87 Los Angeles Lakers 18th 18th 37.0 0.539 0.200 0.831 7.7 12.2 1.7 0.4 21.8
1987/88 Los Angeles Lakers 24 24 40.2 0.514 0.500 0.852 5.4 12.6 1.4 0.2 19.9
1988/89 Los Angeles Lakers 14th 14th 37.0 0.489 0.286 0.907 5.9 11.8 1.9 0.2 18.4
1989/90 Los Angeles Lakers 9 9 41.8 0.490 0.200 0.886 6.3 12.8 1.2 0.1 25.2
1990/91 Los Angeles Lakers 19th 19th 43.3 0.440 0.296 0.882 8.1 12.6 1.2 0.0 21.8
1995/96 Los Angeles Lakers 4th 0 33.8 0.385 0.333 0.848 8.5 6.5 0.0 0.0 15.3
total 190 186 39.7 0.506 0.241 0.838 7.7 12.3 1.9 0.3 19.5

Achievements and Awards

title

Honors

Works

  • Magic Johnson: My Life . Random House, 1992, ISBN 0-449-22254-3 .
    • English: My Life: The Dream Team Star's Autobiography . Munich: Goldmann 1993, ISBN 3-442-42279-5
  • Magic's Touch: From Fundamentals to Fast Break With One of Basketball's All-Time Greats . Addison-Wesley Pub. Co., Reading, Mass. 1992, ISBN 0-201-63222-5 .
  • What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS . Times Books, New York 1996, ISBN 0-8129-2844-X .
    • Updated version of Unsafe Sex in the Age of AIDS . Times Books, New York 1992, ISBN 0-8129-2063-5 .
    • German: AIDS - what you have to do so that you don't get it if you do . Hamburg: Carlsen 1993, ISBN 3-551-20420-9

literature

In German:

In English:

  • James Haskins: Magic: A Biography of Earvin Johnson . Enslow Publishers, Hillside, New Jersey 1981, ISBN 0-89490-044-7 .
  • Bill Gutman: Magic: More Than a Legend . Harper Paperbacks, New York, New York 1991, ISBN 0-06-100542-8 .
  • Bill Morgan: The Magic: Earvin Johnson . Demco Media, Madison, Wisconsin 1991, ISBN 0-606-01895-6 .
  • Bill Gutman: Magic Johnson: Hero On and Off the Court . Millbrook Press, Brookfield, Connecticut 1992, ISBN 1-56294-287-5 .
  • Rick L. Johnson: Magic Johnson: Basketball's Smiling Superstar . Dillon Press, New York, New York 1992, ISBN 0-87518-553-3 .
  • Laurie Rozakis: Magic Johnson: Basketball Immortal . Rourke Enterprises, Vero Beach, Florida 1993, ISBN 0-86592-025-7 .
  • Martin Schwabacher: Magic Johnson (Junior World Biographies) . Chelsea Juniors, New York, New York 1993, ISBN 0-7910-2038-X .
  • Steven Frank: Magic Johnson (Basketball Legends) . Chelsea House Publishers, New York, New York 1994, ISBN 0-7910-2430-X .
  • Howard Blatt: Magic! Against The Odds . Pocket Books, New York, New York 1996, ISBN 0-671-00301-1 .
  • Ted Gottfried: Earvin Magic Johnson: Champion and Crusader . F. Watts, New York, New York 2001, ISBN 0-531-11675-1 .

See also

Web links

Commons : Magic Johnson  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ All Time Leaders: Assists Per Game . In: NBA.com . Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Information: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 8, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  2. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j k Magic Johnson Bio . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
  3. ↑ a b c Daily Dime: Special Edition - The 10 Greatest Point Guards Ever . ESPN. Retrieved September 13, 2007.
  4. ^ Earle Eldridge: Rebounding from basketball court to boardroom . In: USA Today , November 8, 2004. Retrieved February 23, 2009. 
  5. ^ Johnson, Novak: My Life , p. 14.
  6. ↑ Jeff Zillgitt: Magic Memories of a real star . In: USA Today , Gannett Co. Inc, September 27, 2002. Retrieved November 1, 2007. 
  7. ↑ a b c d e f g Larry Schwartz: Magic made Showtime a show . ESPN. Retrieved September 13, 2007.
  8. ^ Johnson, Novak: My Life , p. 45.
  9. ^ Johnson, Novak: My Life , p. 48.
  10. ↑ a b Bork: The great basketball stars 1994, pp. 56–66.
  11. ^ 1978 NCAA Tournament . sportsline.com. Retrieved May 6, 2008.
  12. ^ Andy Katz: From coast to coast, a magical pair . ESPN. Retrieved May 6, 2008.
  13. ↑ a b c d e f g h i j Magic Johnson Statistics . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved September 13, 2007.
  14. ^ Johnson, Novak: My Life , p. 113.
  15. ↑ Regular Season Records: Points . NBA.com. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved February 28, 2009. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  16. ↑ a b c d Rookie Makes the Lakers Believe in Magic . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on February 21, 2012. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 7, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  17. ^ Larry Bird Statistics , Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved March 16, 2009. 
  18. ↑ 1979-80 NBA Season Summary . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 17, 2008.
  19. ↑ 1980 NBA Finals Composite Box Score . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 28, 2009.
  20. ↑ NBA's Greatest Moments: Magic Fills in at Center . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved September 13, 2007. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  21. ↑ Jack McCallum: Magic Johnson: A Tribute to the Greatest Point Guard in NBA History (Page 4) . In: Sports Illustrated , Time Inc, June 2, 2006. Retrieved May 12, 2008. 
  22. ^ Magic Johnson timeline . In: USA Today , Gannett Co. Inc, July 11, 2001. Retrieved May 8, 2008. 
  23. ↑ http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/
  24. ↑ Houston Rockets . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 24, 2008.
  25. ↑ Ira Berkow: Sports of The Times; Magic Johnson's Legacy . In: The New York Times , November 8, 1991. Retrieved February 28, 2009. 
  26. ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/1981/06/26/sports/magic-johnson-signs-25-million-contract.html
  27. ^ Johnson, Novak: My Life , p. 141.
  28. ^ Johnson, Novak: My Life , p. 143.
  29. ↑ Lakers' Arduous Season Ends in Victory . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on February 21, 2012. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 7, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  30. ↑ 1982 NBA Finals Composite Box Score . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 3, 2008.
  31. ^ Johnson, Novak: My Life , pp. 148, 149.
  32. ↑ 1983 NBA Finals Composite Box Score . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  33. ↑ a b c Celtics Win First Bird-Magic Finals Showdown . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on February 21, 2012. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 7, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  34. ↑ 1984 NBA Finals Composite Box Score . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  35. ^ Johnson, Novak: My Life , p. 196.
  36. ^ A b Aging Abdul-Jabbar Finds Youth . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 11, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  37. ↑ 1985 NBA Finals Composite Box Score . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved May 11, 2008.
  38. ^ Kareem, Lakers Conquer the Celtic Mystique . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on February 21, 2012. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 7, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  39. ^ Johnson, Novak: My Life , p. 199.
  40. ^ 1986 Playoff Results . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 7, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  41. ↑ 1986-87 NBA MVP voting . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  42. ↑ a b c Magic Maneuvers Lakers Past Celtics . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on June 22, 2011. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 7, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  43. ↑ 1987 NBA Finals Composite Box Score . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 3, 2008.
  44. ^ Riley Guarantees A Repeat . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 9, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  45. ↑ 1988 Playoff Results . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 7, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  46. ↑ Bill Laimbeer career summary . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved September 13, 2007. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  47. ^ Lakers Capture the Elusive Repeat . In: NBA.com . Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on February 21, 2012. Information: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 15, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  48. ↑ 1988 NBA Finals Composite Box Score . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  49. ↑ 1988-89 NBA MVP voting . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  50. ^ Waiting Game Ends for Impatient Pistons . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on February 21, 2012. Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 7, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  51. ↑ 1989-90 NBA MVP voting . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved February 19, 2008.
  52. ↑ 1990 Playoff Results . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 7, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  53. ↑ Michael Jordan Bio . NBA.com. Retrieved February 27, 2009.
  54. ^ Praise from his peers . In: Sports Illustrated , February 1, 1999. Archived from the original on June 4, 2011. Retrieved February 27, 2009. 
  55. ↑ 1991 NBA Finals Composite Box Score . Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved November 3, 2008.
  56. ↑ a b c Rick Weinberg: 7: Magic Johnson announces he's HIV-positive . ESPN. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
  57. ^ Tom Friend: Still stunning the world 10 years later . ESPN. November 7, 2001. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
  58. ^ McKay Jim, Michael A. Messner, Donald F. Sabo: Masculinities, Gender Relations, and Sport: Masculinities, Gender Relations . SAGE, 2000, ISBN 0-7619-1272-X , p. 53.
  59. ^ A b Johnson, Novak: My Life , p. 225.
  60. ↑ Rick Weinberg: Magic Johnson announces he's HIV-positive , ESPN. Retrieved May 20, 2008. 
  61. ↑ , McKay, Messner, Sabo Masculinities, Gender Relations, and Sport: Masculinities, Gender Relations , p. 54.
  62. ↑ Jack McCallum: Most Valuable Person . In: Sports Illustrated . Time Inc. February 17, 1992. Retrieved May 10, 2008.
  63. ↑ Bork: The great basketball stars 1994, pp. 90–94.
  64. ↑ Jon Cooper: 1992 NBA All-Star Game . In: NBA.com . Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Information: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 7, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  65. ↑ a b c Classic NBA Quotes: Magic and Larry . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved September 13, 2007. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  66. ↑ Ten of the twelve players in the "Dream Team" made it onto the NBA's list of the 50 best players of all time: The Original Dream Team . In: NBA.com . Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Information: The archive link was automatically inserted and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 12, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  67. ↑ NN: Hammer! Magic takes over Lakers. Los Angeles Lakers: Magic Johnson named new strong man. On: Sport1 website; Ismaning, February 21, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  68. ^ NN: Lakers name Earvin "Magic" Johnson President of Basketball Operations. Magic to run Lakers Basketball Front Office as part of restructuring. On: NBA website; New York City, February 21, 2017. Retrieved June 25, 2018 (in English).
  69. ^ Luke Adams: Magic Johnson Steps Down As Lakers' President Of Basketball Ops. On: Hoops Rumors website; Roselle, IL, April 9, 2019. Retrieved April 10, 2019.
  70. ↑ a b Darren Rovell: Passing on the Magic . ESPN. October 8, 2005. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
  71. ↑ Nadine Brozan: Chronicle . In: The New York Times , The New York Times Company, January 26, 1995. Retrieved May 8, 2008. 
  72. ↑ 'Magic Hour' Canceled . In: The New York Times , The New York Times Company, August 8, 1998. Retrieved May 8, 2008. 
  73. ^ Steve Springer: Magic's Announcement: 10 years later, a real survivor . In: Los Angeles Times , Nov. 7, 2001, p. D1. 
  74. ↑ Magic Johnson Endorses Angelides' Run for Governor . Los Angeles Times . November 30, 2005. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  75. ^ Magic Johnson, Bill Clinton team up for Hillary . In: USA Today , Gannett Co. Inc, December 20, 2007. Retrieved May 10, 2008. 
  76. ↑ NBA 05-06 TNT . TNT.tv. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Retrieved May 15, 2008.
  77. ^ Magic Johnson joins ESPN, ABC as NBA studio analyst . ESPN.com. October 14, 2008. Retrieved September 21, 2012.
  78. ↑ a b Jack McCallum: Life After Death (in English) . In: Sports Illustrated , Time Inc, August 20, 2001. Retrieved March 26, 2018. 
  79. ↑ a b Tom Farrey: AIDS community misses old Magic act , ESPN. November 7, 2001. Retrieved May 15, 2008. 
  80. ^ William C. Rhoden: Sports of The Times; The Greatest Is Honored by The Diplomat . In: The New York Times , The New York Times Company, September 16, 1998. Retrieved May 15, 2008. 
  81. ↑ Eric Böhm: NBA: Rockets win, Westbrook displaces Magic Johnson on the triple-double list. In: sport1.de. October 27, 2019, accessed August 19, 2020 .
  82. ^ The NBA at 50 . In: NBA.com . Turner Sports Interactive, Inc. Retrieved May 15, 2008.
  83. ^ Johnson, Brown elected to Hall of Fame , ESPN. June 5, 2002. Retrieved May 15, 2008. 
  84. ↑ Bork: Basketball Sternstunden 1995, pp. 49-55.
  85. ↑ David Halberstam: The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of . In: Sports Illustrated . Time Inc. June 29, 1987. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved on May 12, 2008.
  86. ^ 'Magic' Time , CBS News. September 27, 2002. Retrieved May 8, 2008. 
  87. ↑ a b Larry Bird inducting Magic Johnson , CBC Sports. August 15, 2002. Retrieved May 8, 2008. 
  88. ↑ Abraham Aamidor: Chuck Taylor All Star: The True Story of the Man Behind the Most Famous Athletic Shoe in History 2006, ISBN 0-253-34698-3 , S. 151st
  89. ^ Larry Schwartz: Eye for victory , ESPN. Retrieved February 28, 2009. 
  90. ^ A b Magic Johnson Career Stats . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Archived from the original on May 20, 2012. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 8, 2008. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.nba.com
  91. ^ All-Time Playoffs Individual Career Leaders . NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition. Retrieved May 8, 2008.
  92. ↑ Historical Player Search: Earvin Magic Johnson . Retrieved June 16, 2009.
This version was added to the list of articles worth reading on June 17, 2009 .
personal data
SURNAME Johnson, Magic
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Johnson, Earvin (real name)
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American basketball player
DATE OF BIRTH August 14, 1959
PLACE OF BIRTH Lansing , Michigan, USA