View source for Magic Johnson

{{Short description|American basketball player and entrepreneur (born 1959)}}
{{other uses|Magic Johnson (disambiguation)}}
{{redirect|Earvin Johnson|the NBA center|Ervin Johnson}}
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{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox basketball biography
| name = Magic Johnson
| image = Magic Johnson at SXSW 2022 (51958828669) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Johnson in 2022
| team = 
| position = 
| league = 
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1959|8|14}}
| birth_place = [[Lansing, Michigan]], U.S.
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 9
| weight_lbs = 220
| weight_footnote = <ref>{{cite news |last=Povtak |first=Tim |title=Magic weekend is on tap as Johnson set for NBA encore |work=The Baltimore Sun |date=February 7, 1992 |url=http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1992-02-07-1992038185-story.html |access-date=March 2, 2021 |archive-date=May 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509214158/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1992-02-07-1992038185-story.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
| high_school = [[Everett High School (Michigan)|Everett]] (Lansing, Michigan)
| college = [[Michigan State Spartans men's basketball|Michigan State]] (1977–1979)
| draftyear = 1979
| draftround = 1
| draftpick = 1
| draftteam = [[Los Angeles Lakers]]
| career_start = 1979
| career_end = 1991, 1996, 1999–2000
| career_position = <!--***NOTE: He's primarily a point guard. See [[Talk:Magic Johnson#Position]] ***NOTE***-->[[Point guard]]<!--***NOTE: He's primarily a point guard. See [[Talk:Magic Johnson#Position]] ***NOTE***-->
| career_number = 32
| years1 = {{nbay|1979|start}}–{{nbay|1990|end}}, {{nbay|1995|end}}
| team1 = [[Los Angeles Lakers]]
| years2 = [[Basketligan|1999–2000]]
| team2 = [[Borås Basket|Magic M7 Borås]]
| years3 = [[Basketligaen|2000]]
| team3 = Magic Great Danes
| cyears1 = {{nbay|1993|end}}
| cteam1 = Los Angeles Lakers
| highlights = * 5× [[NBA champion]] ({{nbafy|1980}}, {{nbafy|1982}}, {{nbafy|1985}}, {{nbafy|1987}}, {{nbafy|1988}})
* 3× [[NBA Finals MVP]] ({{nbafy|1980}}, {{nbafy|1982}}, {{nbafy|1987}})
* 3× [[NBA Most Valuable Player]] ({{nbay|1986|end}}, {{nbay|1988|end}}, {{nbay|1989|end}})
* 12× [[NBA All-Star]] ({{nasg|1980}}, {{nasg|1982}}–{{nasg|1992}})
* 2× [[NBA All-Star Game MVP]] ({{nasg|1990}}, {{nasg|1992}})
* 9× [[All-NBA First Team]] ({{nbay|1982|end}}–{{nbay|1990|end}})
* [[All-NBA Second Team]] ({{nbay|1981|end}})
* [[NBA All-Rookie Team]] ({{nbay|1979|end}})
* 4× [[List of NBA annual assists leaders|NBA assists leader]] ({{nbay|1982|end}}, {{nbay|1983|end}}, {{nbay|1985|end}}, {{nbay|1986|end}})
* 2× [[List of NBA annual steals leaders|NBA steals leader]] ({{nbay|1980|end}}, {{nbay|1981|end}})
* [[NBA anniversary team]] ([[50 Greatest Players in NBA History|50th]], [[NBA 75th Anniversary Team|75th]])
* {{abbr|No.|Number}} 32 [[Los Angeles Lakers#Hall of Famers, retired and honored numbers|retired by Los Angeles Lakers]]
* [[List of NCAA Men's Division I Basketball champions|NCAA champion]] ([[1979 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1979]])
* [[NCAA Final Four Most Outstanding Player]] (1979)
* Consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[1979 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1979]])
* Second-team All-American – [[National Association of Basketball Coaches|NABC]] ([[1978 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1978]])
* Third-team All-American – [[Associated Press|AP]], [[UPI]] (1978)
* 2× first-team All-[[Big Ten]] (1978, 1979)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bigten.org/services/download_file.ashx?file_location=https://s3.amazonaws.com/bigten.org/documents/2021/11/5/2021_22_Men_s_Basketball_Media_Guide.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://s3.amazonaws.com/bigten.org/documents/2021/11/5/2021_22_Men_s_Basketball_Media_Guide.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=dead |title=2021–22 Big Ten Men's Basketball Media Guide |publisher=Big Ten Conference |year=2021 |page=88|access-date=May 15, 2024}}</ref>
* No. 33 [[Michigan State Spartans men's basketball#Retired numbers|retired by Michigan State Spartans]]
* First-team [[Parade All-America Boys Basketball Team|''Parade'' All-American]] (1977)
* [[McDonald's All-American Game|McDonald's All-American]] (1977)
* [[Mr. Basketball of Michigan]] (1977)
* [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]] (2025)
| stats_league = NBA
| stat1label = [[Point (basketball)|Points]]
| stat1value = 17,707 (19.5 ppg)
| stat2label = [[Rebound (basketball)|Rebounds]]
| stat2value = 6,559 (7.2 rpg)
| stat3label = [[Assist (basketball)|Assists]]
| stat3value = 10,141 (11.2 apg)
| bbr = johnsma02
| HOF_player = magic-johnson
| CBBASKHOF_year = 2006
| medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|Men's [[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|basketball]]}}
{{MedalCountry|the {{USA}}}}
{{MedalOlympics}}
{{MedalGold|[[Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics – Men's tournament|1992 Barcelona]]|[[1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team|Men's basketball]]}}
{{Medal|Competition|[[Tournament of the Americas|FIBA Americas Championship]]}}
{{Medal|Gold|[[1992 Tournament of the Americas|1992 Portland]]|[[1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team|Men's basketball]]}}
}}
'''Earvin''' "'''Magic'''" '''Johnson Jr.''' (born August 14, 1959) is an American businessman and former professional [[basketball]] player. Often regarded as the greatest [[point guard]] of all time,<ref name="greatestpg" /><ref name="top10pg" /><ref name="Oram">{{cite web |last=Oram |first=Bill |title=NBA 75: At No. 5, Magic Johnson combined dazzling playmaking with charisma to lead the Showtime Lakers to five titles |work=[[The Athletic]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/3126173/2022/02/14/nba-75-at-no-5-magic-johnson-combined-dazzling-playmaking-with-charisma-to-lead-the-showtime-lakers-to-five-titles/ |date=February 14, 2022 |access-date=June 13, 2025 |archive-date=August 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220817105329/https://theathletic.com/3126173/2022/02/14/nba-75-at-no-5-magic-johnson-combined-dazzling-playmaking-with-charisma-to-lead-the-showtime-lakers-to-five-titles/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Greer |first=Jordan |title=Magic Johnson vs. Stephen Curry: Does Warriors star have stats case to surpass Lakers legend as GOAT point guard? |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/magic-johnson-vs-stephen-curry-warriors-lakers-stats/cafi69k0wpymkpoq1a0tsvam |date=September 16, 2022 |access-date=November 28, 2022 |publisher=Sporting News |language=en |archive-date=November 28, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221128230801/https://www.sportingnews.com/us/nba/news/magic-johnson-vs-stephen-curry-warriors-lakers-stats/cafi69k0wpymkpoq1a0tsvam |url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson [[List of NBA players who have spent their entire career with one franchise|spent his entire career]] with the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] in the [[National Basketball Association]] (NBA). After winning a [[NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|national championship]] with the [[Michigan State Spartans men's basketball|Michigan State Spartans]] in [[1979 NCAA Division I basketball tournament|1979]], Johnson was selected [[List of first overall NBA draft picks|first overall]] in the [[1979 NBA draft]] by the Lakers, then led the team to five [[NBA championships]] during their "[[Showtime (basketball)|Showtime]]" era. Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had contracted [[HIV]], but returned to play in the [[1992 NBA All-Star Game|1992 All-Star Game]], winning the [[NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award|All-Star MVP Award]]. He retired again after fellow players protested his return, but returned in 1996, at age 36, to play 32&nbsp;games for the Lakers before retiring for the third and final time.

Known for his extraordinary court vision, passing abilities, and leadership, Johnson was one of the most dominant players of his era. He received three [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award]]s, three [[NBA Finals MVP]] awards, nine [[All-NBA First Team]] designations, and twelve [[List of NBA All-Stars|All-Star]] Game selections. He [[List of NBA annual assists leaders|led the league in regular-season assists]] four times. Johnson holds the NBA records for average assists per game in the regular season (11.19) and in the playoffs (12.35 assists per game).<ref name="alltimeassist">{{cite web |title=NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for Assists Per Game |work=Basketball Reference |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/ast_per_g_career.html |access-date=July 10, 2022 |archive-date=March 28, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130328064305/http://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/ast_per_g_career.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Assists Per Game |work=Basketball Reference |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/ast_per_g_career_p.html |access-date=July 10, 2022 |archive-date=September 13, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190913024547/https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/ast_per_g_career_p.html |url-status=live}}</ref> He also holds the NBA playoffs records for most career [[List of NBA career playoff assists leaders|assists]] and [[List of NBA career playoff triple-double leaders|triple-doubles]].<ref>{{cite web |title=NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Assists |work=Basketball Reference |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/ast_career_p.html |access-date=August 17, 2022 |archive-date=April 24, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424040655/http://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/ast_career_p.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=NBA & ABA Career Playoff Leaders and Records for Triple-Doubles |work=Basketball Reference |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/trp_dbl_career_p.html |access-date=February 10, 2024 |archive-date=February 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240210110811/https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/trp_dbl_career_p.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson was the co-captain of the [[1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team]] ("The Dream Team"),<ref>{{cite news |last=Kiisel |first=Ty |title=Do you remember who was captain of the Dream Team? |work=Deseret News |date=February 6, 2013 |url=https://www.deseret.com/2013/2/6/20513809/do-you-remember-who-was-captain-of-the-dream-team/|access-date=May 1, 2024|archive-date=March 29, 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240329214527/https://www.deseret.com/2013/2/6/20513809/do-you-remember-who-was-captain-of-the-dream-team/|url-status=live}}</ref> which won the [[Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics|Olympic]] gold medal in [[Barcelona]]. Johnson is one of eight players to achieve the [[Triple Crown (American basketball)|basketball Triple Crown]]. After leaving the NBA in 1991, he formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a [[Barnstorming (sports)|barnstorming]] team that traveled around the world playing [[exhibition game]]s.<ref name="barnstorm">[http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/magic-johnson-at.htm "Magic Johnson."] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723124258/http://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/magic-johnson-at.htm |date=July 23, 2015 }}. ''How Stuff Works''. Retrieved June 4, 2022.</ref>

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 as a member of the Dream Team in 2010.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Rohlin |first=Melissa |title=Magic Johnson Says It Breaks His Heart That Kobe Bryant Won't Be At Hall Of Fame Ceremony |magazine=Sports Illustrated |date=April 4, 2020 |url=https://www.si.com/nba/lakers/news/magic-johnson-says-it-breaks-his-heart-that-kobe-bryant-wont-be-at-hall-of-fame-ceremony |access-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-date=May 9, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210509204358/https://www.si.com/nba/lakers/news/magic-johnson-says-it-breaks-his-heart-that-kobe-bryant-wont-be-at-hall-of-fame-ceremony |url-status=live}}</ref> His friendship and rivalry with [[Boston Celtics]] star [[Larry Bird]], whom he faced in the [[1979 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1979 NCAA finals]] and three NBA championship series, are well-documented.

Since his retirement, Johnson has been an advocate for [[HIV/AIDS prevention]] and [[safe sex]],<ref>{{cite news |last=Jaslow |first=Ryan |title=Magic Johnson's HIV activism hasn't slowed 22 years after historic announcement |publisher=CBS News |date=November 29, 2013 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/magic-johnsons-hiv-activism-hasnt-slowed-22-years-since-historic-announcement/ |access-date=December 27, 2020 |archive-date=April 5, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405204324/http://www.cbsnews.com/news/magic-johnsons-hiv-activism-hasnt-slowed-22-years-since-historic-announcement/ |url-status=live}}</ref> as well as an entrepreneur,<ref name="espnticket" /> philanthropist,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.responsemagazine.com/responsemag/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=57850 |title=Do You Believe in 'Magic'? |last=Haire |first=Thomas |date=May 1, 2003 |work=Response Magazine |access-date=May 27, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061026094059/http://www.responsemagazine.com/responsemag/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=57850 |archive-date=October 26, 2006}}</ref> broadcaster, and motivational speaker.<ref name=mot>{{cite news |last=Springer |first=Steve |title=Magic's Announcement: 10 years later, a real survivor |work=Los Angeles Times |date=November 7, 2001 |page=D1}}</ref> Johnson is a former part-owner of the Lakers and was the team's president of basketball operations in the late 2010s. He is a founding member of [[Guggenheim Baseball Management]], the managing entity of the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] (MLB). He is part of ownership groups of the [[Los Angeles Sparks]] (WNBA), [[Los Angeles FC]] (MLS), the [[Washington Commanders]] (NFL), and the [[Washington Spirit]] (NWSL). Johnson has won 16 championships during his career: one in college, five as an NBA player, and ten as an owner.<ref name="Magic rings">{{cite news |title=Magic Johnson now has championship rings in the NBA, MLB and WNBA |url=https://www.bardown.com/magic-johnson-now-has-championship-rings-in-the-nba-mlb-and-wnba-1.1544799 |website=Bardown |access-date=December 21, 2020 |date=October 28, 2020 |archive-date=November 16, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211116050745/https://www.bardown.com/magic-johnson-now-has-championship-rings-in-the-nba-mlb-and-wnba-1.1544799 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="celebrates">{{cite web|last=Marvi|first=Robert|title=Magic Johnson celebrates Dodgers' World Series title on social media|publisher=Yahoo|date=October 31, 2024|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/magic-johnson-celebrates-dodgers-world-013633912.html|access-date=November 25, 2024}}</ref> In 2025, Johnson received the [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]], the highest civilian award of the United States.<ref name="Freedom">{{cite web |url=https://bidenwhitehouse.archives.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2025/01/04/president-biden-announces-recipients-of-the-presidential-medal-of-freedom-3/ |title=President Biden Announces Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom |publisher=[[White House]] |date=January 4, 2025 |access-date=February 1, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Garrison |first=Joey |title=Biden awards Presidential Medal of Freedom to Hillary Clinton, George Soros, 17 others |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/01/04/biden-medal-of-freedom-clinton-soros-wintour/77440603007/ |date=January 5, 2025 |access-date=January 5, 2025 |work=USA Today |language=en-US}}</ref> As of May 2025, his net worth is estimated at US$1.5&nbsp;billion by ''[[Forbes]]''.<ref name="o272">{{cite web | title=Magic Johnson | website=[[Forbes]] | date=May 3, 2025 | url=https://www.forbes.com/profile/magic-johnson/ | access-date=May 10, 2025}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Earvin Johnson Jr. was born in [[Lansing, Michigan]], to [[General Motors]] assembly worker Earvin Sr. and school janitor Christine.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/educate/college/careers/profile42.htm |title=Rebounding from basketball court to boardroom |last=Eldridge |first=Earle |date=November 8, 2004 |work=USA Today |access-date=February 23, 2009 |archive-date=February 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210140525/http://www.usatoday.com/educate/college/careers/profile42.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson, who had six siblings and three half-siblings by his father's previous marriage,<ref>Johnson, Earvin "Magic", and [[William Novak]]. ''My Life''. p. 4. {{ISBN|0-449-22254-3}}.</ref><ref name=mylife />{{efn|Magic was the fourth of seven children Earvin Sr. and Christine had together.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Roselius |first=J. Chris |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WY437HMnVx4C&q=Earvin%2520Johnson%2C%2520Sr.&pg=PA15 |title=Magic Johnson: Basketball Star & Entrepreneur: Basketball Star & Entrepreneur |year=2011 |publisher=ABDO |isbn=978-1-61714-945-0 |language=en |access-date=January 30, 2023 |archive-date=April 11, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411085358/https://books.google.com/books?id=WY437HMnVx4C&q=Earvin%20Johnson,%20Sr.&pg=PA15 |url-status=live}}</ref>}} was influenced by his parents' strong work ethic. 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 would often help his father on the garbage route, and he was teased by neighborhood children who called him "Garbage Man".<ref name=siblings>{{Cite web |date=August 20, 2012 |title=The Meaning of Magic |website=Coach George Raveling |url=http://coachgeorgeraveling.com/the-meaning-of-magic/ |access-date=January 3, 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=June 28, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130628140410/http://coachgeorgeraveling.com/the-meaning-of-magic/ |url-status=live |first=Alejandro |last=Danois}}</ref> His mother raised him in the [[Seventh-day Adventist Church]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://adventistreview.org/news/magic-johnson-shows-gratitude-to-adventists-with-550-000-donation/ |title=Magic Johnson Shows Gratitude to Adventists With $550,000 Donation |last1=Hyman |first1=Ramona |last2=McChesney |first2=Andrew |date=May 18, 2016 |website=Adventist Review|access-date=July 3, 2023|archive-date=July 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230703193201/https://adventistreview.org/news/magic-johnson-shows-gratitude-to-adventists-with-550-000-donation/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.lamag.com/longform/master-of-illusion1/ |title=Master of Illusion |last=Katz |first=Jesse |date=October 1, 2003 |website=[[Los Angeles Magazine]]|access-date=July 3, 2023|archive-date=April 13, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190413061039/https://www.lamag.com/longform/master-of-illusion1/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Johnson came to love basketball as a young man. His favorite basketball player growing up was [[Bill Russell]], whom he admired more for his many championships than his athletic ability.<ref name=bill>{{Cite book |last=Roselius |first=Chris J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WY437HMnVx4C&q=Earvin%2520Johnson%2C%2520Sr&pg=PA15 |title=Magic Johnson: Basketball Star & Entrepreneur |year=2011 |publisher=ABDO |isbn=978-1-61714-945-0 |language=en |access-date=January 30, 2023 |archive-date=January 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240111123750/https://books.google.com/books?id=WY437HMnVx4C&q=Earvin%2520Johnson,%2520Sr&pg=PA15 |url-status=live}}</ref> He also idolized players such as [[Earl Monroe]] and [[Marques Haynes]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=14 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref> and practiced "all day".<ref name="nbafullbio" /> Johnson came from an athletic family. His father played high school basketball in his home state of Mississippi,<ref name=senior>{{cite web |last=Springer |first=Steve |title=Could It Be Magic? |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jun-05-sp-magic05-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=May 18, 2022 |date=June 5, 2002 |archive-date=May 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220518053933/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2002-jun-05-sp-magic05-story.html |url-status=live}}</ref> and Johnson learned the finer points about the game from him. Johnson's mother, originally from [[North Carolina]],<ref name=senior /> had also played basketball as a child, and she grew up watching her brothers play the game.<ref name=bill />

By the time he had reached the eighth grade, Johnson had begun to think about a future in basketball. He had become a dominant junior high player, once scoring 48 points in a game.<ref name=mylife>{{Cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mlrvUwCykMgC&q=Earvin |title=My Life |year=2009 |publisher=Random House |isbn=978-0-307-55817-6 |language=en |access-date=January 30, 2023 |archive-date=October 31, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231031224315/https://books.google.com/books?id=mlrvUwCykMgC&q=Earvin |url-status=live}}</ref> 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. His plans underwent a dramatic change when he learned that he would be [[Desegregation busing|bused]] to the predominantly white [[Everett High School (Michigan)|Everett High School]] instead of going to Sexton,<ref name=bill /><ref name=allwhite>{{Cite book |last1=McClelland |first1=Edward |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Xxq6rogiBi0C&q=Sexton%2520High%2520School%2520integration&pg=PA322 |title=Nothin' But Blue Skies: The Heyday, Hard Times, and Hopes of America's Industrial Heartland |last2=McClelland |first2=Ted |year=2013 |publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing USA |isbn=978-1-60819-529-9 |language=en |access-date=January 30, 2023 |archive-date=January 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240111123750/https://books.google.com/books?id=Xxq6rogiBi0C&q=Sexton%2520High%2520School%2520integration&pg=PA322 |url-status=live}}</ref> which was predominantly black.<ref name=mylife /><ref name=integration>{{Cite news |title=Detroit Board's Busing Decision Termed 'Unwise' |newspaper=[[The Argus-Press]] |date=July 12, 1973 |page=12 |url=https://news.google.co.uk/newspapers?id=yXciAAAAIBAJ&sjid=wKwFAAAAIBAJ&pg=5439%2C1196083 |access-date=February 18, 2025}}</ref> Johnson's sister Pearl and brother Larry had bused to Everett the previous year and did not have a pleasant experience. There were incidents of racism, with rocks being thrown at buses carrying black students and white parents refusing to send their children to school. Larry was kicked off the basketball team after a confrontation during practice, prompting him to beg his brother not to play. Johnson did join the basketball team but became angry after several days when his new teammates ignored him during practice, not even passing the ball to him. He nearly got into a fight with another player before head coach George Fox intervened. Eventually, Johnson accepted his situation and the small group of black students looked to him as their leader.<ref name=mylife /> When recalling the events in his autobiography, ''My Life'', he talked about how his time at Everett had changed him:

{{blockquote|As I look back on it today, I see the whole picture very differently. It's true that I hated missing out on Sexton. And the first few months, I was miserable at Everett. But being bused to Everett turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me. It got me out of my own little world and taught me how to understand white people, how to communicate and deal with them.<ref name=mylife />}}

== High school career ==
Johnson was first dubbed "Magic" at 15, when he recorded a [[triple-double]] of 36&nbsp;[[point (basketball)|points]], 18&nbsp;[[rebound (basketball)|rebounds]], and 16&nbsp;assists as a sophomore at Everett.<ref name="nbafullbio" /> After the game, Fred Stabley Jr., a sports writer for the ''[[Lansing State Journal]]'', gave him the moniker<ref name="magic">{{cite news |first=Jeff |last=Zillgitt |title=Magic Memories of a Real Star |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/zillgitt/2002-09-27-zillgitt_x.htm |work=USA Today |date=September 27, 2002 |access-date=November 1, 2007 |archive-date=October 1, 2002 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021001105025/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/columnist/zillgitt/2002-09-27-zillgitt_x.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> despite the belief of Johnson's mother, a devout Christian, that the name was sacrilegious.<ref name="nbafullbio" /> In his final high school season, Johnson led Everett to a 27–1 win–loss record while averaging 28.8&nbsp;points and&nbsp;16.8 rebounds per game,<ref name="nbafullbio" /> and took his team to an [[Overtime (sports)|overtime]] victory in the state championship game.<ref name="espnshowtime">{{cite web |first=Larry |last=Schwartz |title=Magic made Showtime a show |url=https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00016111.html |publisher=ESPN |access-date=May 18, 2022 |archive-date=September 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210921195852/https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00016111.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson dedicated the championship victory to his best friend Reggie Chastine, who was killed in a car accident the previous summer.<ref name=reggie>{{Cite web |last=Atkins |first=Harry |title=State Basketball Championships Are Now History |work=The Argus-Press |agency=Associated Press |date=March 28, 1977 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=qz0iAAAAIBAJ&sjid=ZawFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1394 |access-date=December 10, 2024 |page=9}}</ref> He gave Chastine much of the credit for his development as a basketball player and as a person,<ref name=yearbook>{{Cite book |title=Everett High School Yearbook |location=Lansing, Mich. |publisher=Everett High School |year=1977 |page=79 |url=http://www.e-yearbook.com/yearbooks/Everett_High_School_Archives_Yearbook/1977/Page_79.html |access-date=January 3, 2023 |via=e-yearbook.com |language=en-US |archive-date=April 7, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220407014500/http://www.e-yearbook.com/yearbooks/Everett_High_School_Archives_Yearbook/1977/Page_79.html |url-status=live}}</ref> saying years later, "I doubted myself back then."<ref name=gary /> Johnson and Chastine were almost always together, playing basketball or riding around in Chastine's car.<ref name=siblings /> Upon learning of Chastine's death, Magic ran from his home, crying uncontrollably.<ref name=gary /> 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.<ref name=reggie /> He was also named to the inaugural [[McDonald's All-America]]n team, which played in the 1977 [[Capital Classic (all-star game)|Capital Classic]].<ref name=mcdonalds>{{Cite web |title=Boy's Alumni |publisher=McDonald's All-American Game |url=http://www.mcdonaldsallamerican.com/content/dam/allamerican/pdfs/Player-Alumni-List-12-2013.pdf |access-date=January 3, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130507101142/http://www.mcdonaldsallamerican.com/content/dam/allamerican/pdfs/Player-Alumni-List-12-2013.pdf |archive-date=May 7, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Origin of the McDonalds All American Game |date=February 26, 2003 |publisher=ESPN |url=http://a.espncdn.com/ncb/mcdonaldsaa03/origin.html |access-date=April 3, 2023 |archive-date=October 5, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131005061255/http://a.espncdn.com/ncb/mcdonaldsaa03/origin.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

== College career ==
Although Johnson was recruited by several top-ranked colleges such as [[Indiana Hoosiers men's basketball|Indiana]] and [[UCLA Bruins men's basketball|UCLA]], he decided to play close to home.<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=45 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref> His college decision came down to [[Michigan Wolverines men's basketball|Michigan]] and [[Michigan State Spartans men's basketball|Michigan State]] in [[East Lansing]]. He ultimately decided to attend Michigan State when coach [[Jud Heathcote]] told him he could play the [[point guard]] position. The talent already on Michigan State's roster also drew him to the program.<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=48 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref>

Johnson did not initially aspire to play professionally, focusing instead on his [[communication studies]] [[Academic major|major]] and desire to become a television commentator.<ref name="borkstars">{{cite book |last=Bork |first=Günter |title=Die großen Basketball Stars |year=1994 |pages=56–66 |publisher=Copress-Verlag |isbn=3-7679-0369-5}}</ref> Playing with future NBA draftees [[Greg Kelser]], [[Jay Vincent]], and [[Mike Brkovich]], Johnson averaged 17.0&nbsp;points, 7.9&nbsp;rebounds, and 7.4&nbsp;assists per game as a [[freshman]], and led the [[1977–78 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team|Spartans]] to a 25–5&nbsp;record, the [[Big Ten Conference]] title, and a berth in the [[1978 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|1978 NCAA tournament]].<ref name="nbafullbio" /> The Spartans reached the [[Elite Eight]], but lost narrowly to eventual national champion [[1977–78 Kentucky Wildcats men's basketball team|Kentucky]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/ncaa-tournament/history/yearbyyear/1978 |title=1978 Men's NCAA basketball tournament |work=CBS Sports |access-date=May 6, 2008 |archive-date=January 30, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120130150451/http://www.cbssports.com/collegebasketball/ncaa-tournament/history/yearbyyear/1978 |url-status=live}}</ref>

During the [[1978–79 NCAA Division I men's basketball season|1978–79 season]], Michigan State again qualified for the [[1979 NCAA Division I men's basketball tournament|NCAA tournament]], where they advanced to the [[1979 NCAA Division I Basketball Championship Game|championship game]] and faced [[1978–79 Indiana State Sycamores men's basketball team|Indiana State]], which was led by senior [[Larry Bird]]. In what was the most-watched college basketball game ever,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/endofcentury/s/century/katz.html |title=From coast to coast, a magical pair |last=Katz |first=Andy |publisher=ESPN |access-date=May 18, 2022 |archive-date=May 22, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220522225715/https://www.espn.com/endofcentury/s/century/katz.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Michigan State defeated Indiana State 75–64, and Johnson was voted [[NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player|Most Outstanding Player]] of the [[NCAA Men's Division I Basketball Championship|Final Four]].<ref name="espnshowtime" /> He was selected to the [[1979 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|1978–79 All-American team]] for his performance that season.<ref name="consensus">{{cite web |website=Sports-Reference |title=Consensus All-America Teams (1969–70 to 1978–79) |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/awards/all-america-1970-1979.html |access-date=September 17, 2017 |archive-date=September 18, 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170918065011/https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/awards/all-america-1970-1979.html |url-status=live}}</ref> After two years in college, during which he averaged 17.1&nbsp;points, 7.6&nbsp;rebounds, and 7.9&nbsp;assists per game, Johnson entered the [[1979 NBA draft]].<ref name="stats">{{cite web |website=Basketball-Reference |title=Magic Johnson Statistics |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/johnsma02.html |access-date=September 13, 2007 |archive-date=December 21, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071221174008/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/johnsma02.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Jud Heathcote stepped down as coach of the Spartans after the 1994–95 season, and on June 8, 1995, Johnson returned to the [[Breslin Center]] to play in the Jud Heathcote All-Star Tribute Game. He led all scorers with 39 points.<ref name=honor />

== Professional career ==
{{See also|Showtime (basketball)}}

=== Rookie season in the NBA (1979–1980) ===
Johnson was [[List of first overall NBA draft picks|drafted first overall]] in 1979 by the [[1979–80 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]]. Johnson said that what was "most amazing" about joining the Lakers was the chance to play alongside [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=113 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref> the team's 7&nbsp;ft 2&nbsp;in (2.18&nbsp;m) [[center (basketball)|center]] who became the leading scorer in NBA history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/records/regular_points.html |title=Regular Season Records: Points |publisher=National Basketball Association |access-date=May 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512114630/http://www.nba.com/history/records/regular_points.html |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Despite Abdul-Jabbar's dominance, he had failed to win a championship with the Lakers, and Johnson was expected to help them achieve that goal.<ref name="1980finals">{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=Rookie Makes the Lakers Believe in Magic |url=http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19791980.html |access-date=May 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512152948/http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19791980.html |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Johnson wore No. 32 with the Lakers because the No. 33 he had worn at Michigan State was already taken by Abdul-Jabbar.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Miller |first=Chris |date=March 26, 2025 |title=Deseret News archives: Magic outdueled Bird in title game at Special Events Center |url=https://www.deseret.com/utah/2025/03/26/deseret-news-archives-magic-outdueled-bird-in-title-game-at-special-events-center/ |access-date=June 10, 2025 |work=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref> Lakers coach [[Jack McKinney (basketball)|Jack McKinney]] had the {{convert|6|ft|9|in|m|adj=on}} rookie Johnson, who some analysts thought should play [[forward (basketball)|forward]], be a point guard, even though incumbent [[Norm Nixon]] was already one of the best in the league.<ref name="extra">{{cite news |last=Helin |first=Kurt |title=The Extra Pass: Talking "Showtime" Lakers with author Jeff Pearlman |date=March 5, 2014 |publisher=NBC Sports |url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2014/03/05/the-extra-pass-talking-showtime-lakers-with-author-jeff-pearlman/ |access-date=September 29, 2018 |archive-date=December 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219125722/https://nba.nbcsports.com/2014/03/05/the-extra-pass-talking-showtime-lakers-with-author-jeff-pearlman/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Ramsay |first=Jack |title=Dr. Jack's Leadership Lessons Learned From a Lifetime in Basketball |page=98 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |year=2004 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uDQYw_Dr-hEC&q=%22magic+johnson%22+forward+mckinney&pg=PA98 |isbn=978-0-471-46929-2 |access-date=May 1, 2024 |archive-date=May 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240501170608/https://books.google.com/books?id=uDQYw_Dr-hEC&q=%22magic+johnson%22+forward+mckinney&pg=PA98#v=snippet&q=%22magic%20johnson%22%20forward%20mckinney&f=false |url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson averaged 18.0&nbsp;points, 7.7&nbsp;rebounds, and 7.3&nbsp;assists per game for the season, was selected to the [[NBA All-Rookie Team]], and was named an [[NBA All-Star Game]] starter.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/birdla01.html |title=Larry Bird Statistics |website=Basketball-Reference |access-date=March 16, 2009 |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512162618/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/birdla01.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

The Lakers compiled a 60–22&nbsp;record in the regular season and reached the [[1980 NBA Finals]],<ref>{{cite web |website=Basketball-Reference |title=1979–80 NBA Season Summary |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1980.html |access-date=May 17, 2008 |archive-date=August 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804024957/http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1980.html |url-status=live}}</ref> where they faced the [[1979–80 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]], who were led by [[forward (basketball)|forward]] [[Julius Erving]]. The Lakers took a 3–2&nbsp;lead in the series, but Abdul-Jabbar, who averaged 33&nbsp;points a game in the series,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1980_finals.html |title=1980 NBA Finals Composite Box Score |website=Basketball-Reference |access-date=February 28, 2009 |archive-date=May 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090512161154/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1980_finals.html |url-status=live}}</ref> sprained his ankle in Game 5 and could not play in Game 6.<ref name="1980finals" /> Coach [[Paul Westhead]], who had replaced McKinney early in the season after he had a near-fatal bicycle accident,<ref name="extra" /><ref>{{cite book |last=Shmelter |first=Richard J. |title=The Los Angeles Lakers Encyclopedia |page=216 |publisher=McFarland & Company |year=2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fzLECwAAQBAJ&pg=PA216 |isbn=978-0-7864-6683-2 |access-date=October 16, 2018 |archive-date=February 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240210110046/https://books.google.com/books?id=fzLECwAAQBAJ&pg=PA216#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live}}</ref> decided to start Johnson at center in Game 6; Johnson recorded 42&nbsp;points, 15&nbsp;rebounds, 7&nbsp;assists, and 3 [[steal (basketball)|steals]] in a 123–107 win, while playing guard, forward, and center at different times during the game.<ref name="1980finals" /> Johnson became the only rookie to win the [[NBA Finals MVP]] award,<ref name="1980finals" /> with his performance in the [[Clutch (sports)|clutch]] regarded among the best in NBA history.<ref name="greatestpg" /><ref name="1980nbafinals">{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=NBA's Greatest Moments: Magic Fills in at Center |url=http://www.nba.com/history/magiccenter_moments.html |access-date=May 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512120544/http://www.nba.com/history/magiccenter_moments.html |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="playoffmoments">{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/web/COM1053908/index.htm |title=Star time |last=McCallum |first=Jack |date=June 2, 2006 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210060947/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/web/COM1053908/index.htm |archive-date=February 10, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=June 17, 2019}}</ref> He also became one of four players to win NCAA and NBA championships in consecutive years.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/stories/2001-11-07-magic-timeline.htm |title=Magic Johnson timeline |date=July 11, 2001 |work=USA Today |access-date=May 8, 2008 |archive-date=February 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210133332/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/stories/2001-11-07-magic-timeline.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Ups and downs (1980–1983) ===
Early in the [[1980–81 NBA season|1980–81 season]], Johnson was sidelined after he suffered torn [[cartilage]] in his left knee. He missed 45&nbsp;games,<ref name="stats" /> and said that his [[Physical therapy|rehabilitation]] was the "most down" he had ever felt.<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=135 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref> Johnson returned before the start of the [[1981 NBA Playoffs|1981 playoffs]], but the Lakers' then-assistant and future head coach [[Pat Riley]] later said Johnson's much-anticipated return made the Lakers a "divided team".<ref>{{Cite book |first=Pat |last=Riley |url=http://archive.org/details/winnerwithinlife00rile_0/page/48 |title=The Winner Within |year=1994 |publisher=Berkley Books |page=48 |isbn=978-0-425-14175-5}}</ref> The 54-win Lakers faced the 40–42 [[1980–81 Houston Rockets season|Houston Rockets]] in the first round of playoffs,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/ |title=Houston Rockets |website=Basketball-Reference |access-date=May 24, 2008 |archive-date=June 26, 2004 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20040626085012/https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/HOU/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/ |title=Los Angeles Lakers |website=Basketball-Reference |access-date=May 14, 2009 |archive-date=June 12, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100612234102/http://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/ |url-status=live}}</ref> where Houston upset the Lakers 2–1 after Johnson [[Air ball|airballed]] a last-second shot in Game 3.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/08/sports/sports-of-the-times-magic-johnson-s-legacy.html |title=Sports of The Times; Magic Johnson's Legacy |last=Berkow |first=Ira |date=November 8, 1991 |work=The New York Times |access-date=May 17, 2022 |archive-date=February 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210140855/http://www.nytimes.com/1991/11/08/sports/sports-of-the-times-magic-johnson-s-legacy.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1981, after the 1980–81 season, Johnson signed a 25-year, $25&nbsp;million contract with the Lakers ({{inflation|US|25000000|1981|fmt=eq|r=-6}}), which was the highest-paying contract in sports history up to that point.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Hs9RAAAAIBAJ&pg=2762,5761965 |title=Johnson rubs LA's Magic lantern for 25 million bucks |date=June 27, 1981 |work=Pittsburgh Post-Gazette |agency=Associated Press |page=10|access-date=April 24, 2022|archive-date=April 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424224811/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Hs9RAAAAIBAJ&pg=2762,5761965|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Seven Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a U.S. Dollar Amount – 1790 to Present |publisher=MeasuringWorth |url=https://www.measuringworth.com/calculators/uscompare/|access-date=October 20, 2020|archive-date=April 8, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070408052700/http://measuringworth.com/calculators/uscompare/|url-status=live}}</ref> Early in the [[1981–82 NBA season|1981–82 season]], Johnson had a heated dispute with Westhead, who Johnson said made the Lakers "slow" and "predictable".<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=141 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref> After Johnson demanded to be traded, Lakers owner [[Jerry Buss]] fired Westhead and replaced him with Riley. Although Johnson denied responsibility for Westhead's firing,<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |author2=Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=143 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref> he was booed across the league, even by Laker fans.<ref name="nbafullbio" /> Buss was also unhappy with the Lakers' offense and had intended on firing Westhead days before the Westhead–Johnson altercation, but assistant GM [[Jerry West]] and GM [[Bill Sharman]] had convinced Buss to delay his decision.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Ostler |first1=Scott |last2=Springer |first2=Steve |title=Winnin' Times: The Magical Journey of the Los Angeles Lakers |year=1988 |pages=154–156, 159–160, 169 |publisher=Collier Books |isbn=0-02-029591-X}}</ref> Despite his off-court troubles, Johnson averaged 18.6&nbsp;points, 9.6&nbsp;rebounds, 9.5&nbsp;assists, and a league-high 2.7&nbsp;steals per game, and was voted a member of the [[All-NBA]] Second Team.<ref name="stats" /> He also joined [[Wilt Chamberlain]] and [[Oscar Robertson]] as the only NBA players to tally at least 700&nbsp;points, 700&nbsp;rebounds, and 700&nbsp;assists in the same season.<ref name="espnshowtime" /> The Lakers advanced through the [[1982 NBA Playoffs|1982 playoffs]] and faced [[1981–82 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia]] for the second time in three years in the [[1982 NBA Finals]]. After a triple-double from Johnson in Game 6, the Lakers defeated the Sixers 4–2, as Johnson won his second NBA Finals MVP award.<ref>{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=Lakers' Arduous Season Ends in Victory |url=http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19811982.html|access-date=May 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512100412/http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19811982.html|archive-date=May 12, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> During the championship series against the Sixers, Johnson averaged 16.2&nbsp;points on .533&nbsp;shooting, 10.8&nbsp;rebounds, 8.0&nbsp;assists, and 2.5&nbsp;steals per game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1982_finals.html |title=1982 NBA Finals Composite Box Score |website=Basketball-Reference|access-date=November 3, 2008|archive-date=October 14, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081014095032/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1982_finals.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson later said that his third season was when the Lakers first became a great team,<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=148 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref> and he credited their success to Riley.<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=149 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref>

During the [[1982–83 NBA season]], Johnson's first of nine consecutive [[double-double]] seasons, he averaged 16.8&nbsp;points, 10.5&nbsp;assists, and 8.6&nbsp;rebounds per game, and earned his first All-NBA First Team nomination.<ref name="stats" /> The Lakers again reached the [[1983 NBA Finals|Finals]], and for a third time faced the [[1982–83 Philadelphia 76ers season|Sixers]], who featured [[Center (basketball)|center]] [[Moses Malone]] as well as Erving.<ref name="1983finals">{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=Moses Helps Dr. J, Sixers Reach Promised Land |url=http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19821983.html|access-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120303032025/http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19821983.html|archive-date=March 3, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref name="1983finals" /> In a losing effort against Philadelphia, Johnson averaged 19.0&nbsp;points on .403&nbsp;shooting, 12.5&nbsp;assists, and 7.8&nbsp;rebounds per game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1983_finals.html |title=1983 NBA Finals Composite Box Score |website=Basketball-Reference|access-date=February 19, 2008|archive-date=December 23, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223115548/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1983_finals.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Battles against the Celtics (1983–1987) ===
[[File:Magic Johnson Steve Lipofsky.jpg|thumb|Johnson with the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] {{circa}} 1987]]
Prior to Johnson's [[1983–84 Los Angeles Lakers season|fifth season]], West—who had become the Lakers general manager—traded Nixon to free Johnson from sharing the ball-handling responsibilities.<ref>{{cite news |last=Schrader |first=Steve |title=Ticker: Jerry West still fielding Magic Johnson-Norm Nixon questions |date=March 23, 2014 |newspaper=Detroit Free Press |url=http://www.freep.com/article/20140323/SPORTS03/303230065/ticker?odyssey=obinsite |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140324014222/http://www.freep.com/article/20140323/SPORTS03/303230065/ticker?odyssey=obinsite |archive-date=March 24, 2014 |access-date=May 9, 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson averaged another double-double season, with 17.6&nbsp;points, 13.1&nbsp;assists, and 7.3&nbsp;rebounds per game.<ref name="stats" /> The Lakers reached the [[1984 NBA Finals|Finals]] for the third year in a row, where Johnson's [[1983–84 Los Angeles Lakers season|Lakers]] and Bird's [[1983–84 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]] met for the first time in the postseason.<ref name="1984finals">{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=Celtics Win First Bird–Magic Finals Showdown |url=http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19831984.html|access-date=May 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512145314/http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19831984.html|archive-date=May 12, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Lakers won the first game, and led by two points in Game 2 with 18&nbsp;seconds 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 124–121 in overtime.<ref name="1984finals" /> In Game 3, Johnson responded with 21&nbsp;assists in a 137–104 win, but he made several crucial errors late in the contest during Game 4. 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. The Celtics won Game 4 in overtime, and the teams split the next two games. 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.<ref name="1984finals" /> 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.<ref name="auto">{{Cite book |last=Lazenby |first=Roland |url=http://archive.org/details/showinsidestoryo00laze/page/237 |title=The Show: The Inside Story of the Spectacular Los Angeles Lakers in the Words of Those Who Lived It |year=2006 |location=New York |publisher=McGraw-Hill |page=237 |isbn=978-0-07-143034-0}}</ref><ref name=thomsen>{{cite magazine |last=Thomsen |first=Ian |title=Isiah blasts Magic Johnson over criticisms in forthcoming book |date=October 22, 2009 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=https://www.si.com/more-sports/2009/10/22/isiah-magic |access-date=December 4, 2017 |archive-date=January 15, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210115191809/https://www.si.com/more-sports/2009/10/22/isiah-magic |url-status=live}}</ref> During the Finals, Johnson averaged 18.0&nbsp;points on .560&nbsp;shooting, 13.6&nbsp;assists, and 7.7&nbsp;rebounds per game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1984_finals.html |title=1984 NBA Finals Composite Box Score |work=basketball-reference.com|access-date=February 19, 2008|archive-date=October 21, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081021010039/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1984_finals.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson later described the series as "the one championship we should have had but didn't get".<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=196 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref>

In the [[1984–85 NBA season|1984–85 regular season]], Johnson averaged 18.3&nbsp;points, 12.6&nbsp;assists, and 6.2&nbsp;rebounds per game, and led the [[1984–85 Los Angeles Lakers season|Lakers]] into the [[1985 NBA Finals]], where they faced the [[1984–85 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]] again. The series started poorly for the Lakers when they allowed an NBA Finals record 148&nbsp;points to the Celtics in a 34-point loss in Game 1.<ref name="85finals">{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=Aging Abdul-Jabbar Finds Youth |url=http://www.nba.com/history/85jabbar_moments.html|access-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210020433/http://www.nba.com/history/85jabbar_moments.html|archive-date=February 10, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> However, Abdul-Jabbar, who was now 38&nbsp;years old, scored 30&nbsp;points and grabbed 17&nbsp;rebounds in Game 2, and his 36&nbsp;points in a Game 5 win were instrumental in establishing a 3–2 lead for Los Angeles.<ref name="85finals" /> After the Lakers defeated the Celtics in six games, Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson, who averaged 18.3&nbsp;points on .494&nbsp;shooting, 14.0&nbsp;assists, and 6.8&nbsp;rebounds per game in the championship series,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1985_finals.html |title=1985 NBA Finals Composite Box Score |website=Basketball-Reference.com|access-date=May 11, 2008|archive-date=September 23, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110923012030/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1985_finals.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=Kareem, Lakers Conquer the Celtic Mystique |url=http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19841985.html|access-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120304073836/http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19841985.html|archive-date=March 4, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> said the Finals win was the highlight of their careers.<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |author2=Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=199 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref>

Johnson again averaged a double-double in the [[1985–86 NBA season]], with 18.8&nbsp;points, 12.6&nbsp;assists, and 5.9&nbsp;rebounds per game.<ref name="stats" /> The [[1985–86 Los Angeles Lakers season|Lakers]] advanced to the [[1986 NBA Playoffs|Western Conference Finals]], but were unable to defeat the [[1985–86 Houston Rockets season|Houston Rockets]], who advanced to the Finals in five games.<ref>{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=1986 Playoff Results |url=http://www.nba.com/history/playoffs/19851986.html|access-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210020516/http://www.nba.com/history/playoffs/19851986.html|archive-date=February 10, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> In the [[1986–87 NBA season|next season]], Johnson averaged a career-high of 23.9&nbsp;points, as well as 12.2&nbsp;assists and 6.3&nbsp;rebounds per game,<ref name="stats" /> and earned his first [[NBA Most Valuable Player Award|regular season MVP award]].<ref>{{cite web |title=All-Time #NBArank: Magic No. 4 |publisher=ESPN |date=February 10, 2016 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/nbarank4/all-nbarank-4|access-date=December 27, 2020|archive-date=November 8, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201108104536/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/nbarank4/all-nbarank-4|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1987.html#mvp |title=1986–87 NBA MVP Voting |website=Basketball-Reference|access-date=February 19, 2008|archive-date=February 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080217094314/http://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1987.html#mvp|url-status=live}}</ref> The [[1986–87 Los Angeles Lakers season|Lakers]] met the [[1986–87 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]] for the third time in the [[1987 NBA Finals|NBA Finals]], and in Game 4 Johnson hit a last-second hook shot over Celtics [[frontcourt|big men]] Parish and [[Kevin McHale (basketball)|Kevin McHale]] to win the game 107–106.<ref name="finals87">{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=Magic Maneuvers Lakers Past Celtics |url=http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19861987.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110622091755/http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19861987.html |archive-date=June 22, 2011}}</ref> The game-winning shot, which Johnson dubbed his "junior, junior, junior [[hook shot|sky-hook]]",<ref name="finals87" /> helped Los Angeles defeat Boston in six games. Johnson was awarded his third Finals MVP title after averaging 26.2&nbsp;points on .541&nbsp;shooting, 13.0&nbsp;assists, 8.0&nbsp;rebounds, and 2.33&nbsp;steals per game.<ref name="finals87" /><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1987_finals.html |title=1987 NBA Finals Composite Box Score |website=Basketball-Reference|access-date=November 3, 2008|archive-date=August 8, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110808123105/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1987_finals.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Repeat and falling short (1987–1991) ===
[[File:Pat Riley and Earvin "Magic" Johnsonat the Century Plaza (cropped).jpg|thumb|left|Johnson with Lakers' head coach [[Pat Riley]] (left)]]
Before the [[1987–88 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 [[1968–69 Boston Celtics season|Celtics]] did so in the [[1969 NBA Finals]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/rileyrepeat_moments.html |title=Riley Guarantees A Repeat |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition|access-date=May 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512115807/http://www.nba.com/history/rileyrepeat_moments.html|archive-date=May 12, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> Johnson had another productive season with averages of 19.6&nbsp;points, 11.9&nbsp;assists, and 6.2&nbsp;rebounds per game despite missing 10 games with a groin injury.<ref name="stats" /> In the [[1988 NBA Playoffs|1988 playoffs]], the Lakers swept the [[1987–88 San Antonio Spurs season|San Antonio Spurs]] in 3 games, then survived two 4–3&nbsp;series against the [[1987–88 Utah Jazz season|Utah Jazz]] and [[1987–88 Dallas Mavericks season|Dallas Mavericks]] to reach [[1988 NBA Finals|the Finals]] and face Thomas and the [[1987–88 Detroit Pistons season|Detroit Pistons]],<ref>{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=1988 Playoff Results |url=http://www.nba.com/history/playoffs/19871988.html|access-date=May 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512145222/http://www.nba.com/history/playoffs/19871988.html|archive-date=May 12, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> who with players such as [[Bill Laimbeer]], [[John Salley]], [[Vinnie Johnson]], and [[Dennis Rodman]] were known as the "Bad Boys" for their physical style of play.<ref name="laimbeer">{{cite web |publisher=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=Bill Laimbeer career summary |url=http://www.nba.com/history/players/laimbeer_summary.html|access-date=May 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512152438/http://www.nba.com/history/players/laimbeer_summary.html|archive-date=May 12, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref name=thomsen /><ref name=gaydenial /><ref>Lazenby, [https://archive.org/details/showinsidestoryo00laze/page/261 p. 261].</ref> After the teams split the first six games, Lakers forward and Finals MVP [[James Worthy]] had his first career [[triple-double]] of 36&nbsp;points, 16&nbsp;rebounds, and 10&nbsp;assists, and led his team to a 108–105&nbsp;win.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19871988.html |title=Lakers Capture the Elusive Repeat |publisher=NBA |access-date=June 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222173733/http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19871988.html|archive-date=February 22, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Despite not being named MVP, Johnson had a strong championship series, averaging 21.1&nbsp;points on .550&nbsp;shooting, 13&nbsp;assists, and 5.7&nbsp;rebounds per game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1988_finals.html |title=1988 NBA Finals Composite Box Score |website=Basketball-Reference|access-date=February 19, 2008|archive-date=August 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110807013857/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1988_finals.html|url-status=live}}</ref> It was the fifth and final NBA championship of his career.<ref>{{cite book |last=Blevins |first=Dave |title=The Sports Hall of Fame Encyclopedia: Baseball, Basketball, Football, Hockey, Soccer, Volume 1 |publisher=Rowman & Littlefield |year=2012 |page=499 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aB8sCV5nVaoC&pg=PA499 |isbn=978-0-8108-6130-5}}</ref>

In the [[1988–89 NBA season]], Johnson's 22.5&nbsp;points, 12.8&nbsp;assists, and 7.9&nbsp;rebounds per game<ref name="stats" /> earned him his second MVP award,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1989.html#mvp |title=1988–89 NBA MVP Voting |website=Basketball-Reference|access-date=February 19, 2008|archive-date=February 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080217094320/http://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1989.html#mvp|url-status=live}}</ref> and the [[1988–89 Los Angeles Lakers season|Lakers]] reached the [[1989 NBA Finals]], in which they again faced the [[1988–89 Detroit Pistons season|Pistons]]. However, after Johnson went down with a hamstring injury in Game 2, the Lakers were no match for the Pistons, who swept them 4–0.<ref>{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=Waiting Game Ends for Impatient Pistons |url=http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19881989.html|access-date=June 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222151438/http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19881989.html|archive-date=February 22, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Playing without Abdul-Jabbar for the first time, Johnson won his third MVP award<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1990.html#mvp |title=1989–90 NBA MVP Voting |website=Basketball-Reference|access-date=October 22, 2022|archive-date=March 1, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080301141609/http://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1990.html#mvp|url-status=dead}}</ref> after a strong [[1989–90 NBA season]] in which he averaged 22.3&nbsp;points, 11.5&nbsp;assists, and 6.6&nbsp;rebounds per game.<ref name="stats" /> However, the [[1989–90 Los Angeles Lakers season|Lakers]] bowed out to the [[1989–90 Phoenix Suns season|Phoenix Suns]] in the [[1990 NBA Playoffs|Western Conference semifinals]], which was the Lakers' earliest playoffs elimination in nine years.<ref>{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=1990 Playoff Results |url=http://www.nba.com/history/playoffs/19891990.html|access-date=June 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210020526/http://www.nba.com/history/playoffs/19891990.html|archive-date=February 10, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> [[Mike Dunleavy Sr.|Mike Dunleavy]] became the Lakers' head coach in [[1990–91 Los Angeles Lakers season|1990–91]], when Johnson had grown to be the league's third-oldest point guard. He had become more powerful and stronger than in his earlier years, but was also slower and less nimble.<ref>{{cite book |last=Perlman |first=Jeff |title=Showtime: Magic, Kareem, Riley, and the Los Angeles Lakers Dynasty of the 1980s |pages=396–7 |year=2014 |publisher=Gotham Books |isbn=978-1-59240-755-2}}</ref> Under Dunleavy, the offense used more half-court sets, and the team had a renewed emphasis on defense.<ref>{{cite news |last=Aldridge |first=Dave |title=Johnson Not Ready To Pass Mantle; For 9th Time, Lakers Show Magic Touch |date=June 2, 1991 |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1067923.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150328154935/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-1067923.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=March 28, 2015|access-date=February 15, 2019 |quote=But after a slow start under new coach Mike Dunleavy, Los Angeles found out that new weapons and new emphasis on defense could take it to the same place as Showtime did during the 1980s.}}{{subscription required}}</ref> Johnson performed well during the season, with averages of 19.4&nbsp;points, 12.5&nbsp;assists, and 7&nbsp;rebounds per game, and the Lakers reached the [[1991 NBA Finals]]. There they faced the [[1990–91 Chicago Bulls season|Chicago Bulls]], led by [[shooting guard]] [[Michael Jordan]], a five-time scoring champion regarded as the finest player of his era.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/players/jordan_bio.html |title=Michael Jordan Bio |publisher=NBA|access-date=March 22, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060902114359/http://www.nba.com/history/players/jordan_bio.html|archive-date=September 2, 2006|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/1999/jordan_retires/news/1999/01/13/jordan_greatest/ |title=Praise from his peers |date=February 1, 1999 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=February 27, 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090121165849/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/1999/jordan_retires/news/1999/01/13/jordan_greatest/ |archive-date=January 21, 2009}}</ref> Although the series was portrayed as a matchup between Johnson and Jordan,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19901991.html |title=Bulls Finally Get That Championship Feeling |publisher=NBA |access-date=June 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222162648/http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19901991.html|archive-date=February 22, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref><!-- the Laker's leading scorer James Worthy and starting shooting guard [[Byron Scott]] were both injured, and --> Bulls forward [[Scottie Pippen]] defended effectively against Johnson. Despite two triple-doubles from Johnson during the series, Finals MVP Jordan led his team to a 4–1&nbsp;win.<ref name="nbafullbio" /> In the last championship series of his career, Johnson averaged 18.6&nbsp;points on .431&nbsp;shooting, 12.4&nbsp;assists, and 8&nbsp;rebounds per game.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1991_finals.html |title=1991 NBA Finals Composite Box Score |website=Basketball-Reference|access-date=November 3, 2008|archive-date=December 1, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081201144624/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1991_finals.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== HIV announcement and Olympics (1991–1992) ===
Johnson played with the Lakers in the [[McDonald's Open]] in Paris, France, in October 1991, and was named the tournament MVP after helping the Lakers win gold.<ref name="call">{{cite news |first1=Mark |last1=Heisler |title=Lakers Get the Better of a Close Call, 116–114: Pro basketball: The NBA remains unbeaten in McDonald's Open, but it gets by with a little help from its friends |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-10-20-sp-376-story.html |access-date=February 23, 2025 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=October 20, 1991}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |first1=Natasha |last1=Carleton |title=LA Lakers bring the NBA's flair to Paris |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/san-angelo-standard-times-la-lakers-brin/166485640/ |access-date=February 23, 2025 |work=San Angelo Standard-Times |agency=Associated Press |date=October 21, 1991 |page=3B}}</ref> However, after a [[physical examination]] before the [[1991–92 NBA season]], Johnson discovered that he had tested positive for [[HIV]]. In a press conference held on November 7, 1991, Johnson made a public announcement that he would retire immediately.<ref name="espn">{{cite news |last=Weinberg |first=Rick |date=September 1, 2004 |title=7: Magic Johnson announces he's HIV-positive |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/espn25/story?page=moments/7 |url-status=live |access-date=December 27, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110914185048/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/espn25/story?page=moments%2F7 |archive-date=September 14, 2011}}</ref> 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".<ref name="espn" />

Johnson initially said that he did not know how he contracted the disease,<ref name="espn" /> but later acknowledged that it was through having numerous sexual partners during his playing career.<ref name=stunning>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/espn/news/story?id=1273720 |title=Still stunning the world 10 years later |last=Friend |first=Tom |date=November 7, 2001 |publisher=ESPN|access-date=December 27, 2021|archive-date=March 13, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220313012921/https://www.espn.com/espn/news/story?id=1273720|url-status=live}}</ref> 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".<ref name=stunning /> At the time, only a small percentage of HIV-positive American men had contracted it from heterosexual sex,<ref name="gaydenial">{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=225 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref><ref name=gender>{{Cite book |last1=Dworkin |first1=Sharon Lee |last2=Wachs |first2=Faye Linda|editor-last1=McKay|editor-first1=Jim|editor-last2=Messner|editor-first2=Michael|editor-last3=Sabo|editor-first3=Donald |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Osehn3at7GoC&q=magic%2520johnson |chapter=The Morality/Manhood Paradox: Masculinity, Sport, and the Media |title=Masculinities, Gender Relations, and Sport |year=2000 |publisher=SAGE |pages=53–54 |isbn=978-0-7619-1272-9 |language=en|access-date=January 30, 2023|archive-date=April 27, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230427140344/https://books.google.com/books?id=Osehn3at7GoC&q=magic%20johnson|url-status=live}}</ref> and it was initially rumored that Johnson was [[gay]] or [[bisexual]], although he denied both.<ref name="gaydenial" /> Johnson later accused [[Isiah Thomas]] of spreading the rumors, a claim Thomas denied.<ref name=thomsen /><ref>Lazenby, [https://archive.org/details/showinsidestoryo00laze/page/297 pp. 297–8].</ref>

Johnson's HIV announcement became a major news story in the United States,<ref name=gender /> and in 2004 was named as ESPN's seventh-most memorable moment of the previous 25 years.<ref name=espn /> 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."<ref name=gender />

Despite his retirement, Johnson was voted by fans as a starter for the [[1992 NBA All-Star Game]] at [[Orlando Arena]], although his former teammates [[Byron Scott]] and [[A.C. Green]] said that Johnson should not play,<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1003401/index.htm |title=Most Valuable Person |last=McCallum |first=Jack |date=February 17, 1992 |magazine=Sports Illustrated|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100128120538/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1003401/index.htm|archive-date=January 28, 2010|url-status=dead|access-date=June 17, 2019}}</ref> and several NBA players, including Utah Jazz forward [[Karl Malone]], argued that they would be at risk of contamination if Johnson sustained an open wound while on court.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bork |first=Gunter |title=Die großen Basketball Stars |year=1994 |pages=90–94}} {{ISBN|3-7679-0369-5}}.</ref> Johnson led the West to a 153–113&nbsp;win and was crowned All-Star MVP after recording 25&nbsp;points, 9&nbsp;assists, and 5&nbsp;rebounds.<ref>{{cite web |first=Jon |last=Cooper |title=1992 NBA All-Star Game |url=http://www.nba.com/allstar2007/1992_allstar.html |publisher=NBA |access-date=June 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210020120/http://www.nba.com/allstar2007/1992_allstar.html|archive-date=February 10, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> The game ended after he made a last-minute [[three-pointer]], and players from both teams ran onto the court to congratulate Johnson.<ref name="magiclarryquotes">{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/Classic_NBA_Quotes_Magic_and_Larry.html |title=Classic NBA Quotes: Magic and Larry |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition|access-date=June 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210023632/http://www.nba.com/history/Classic_NBA_Quotes_Magic_and_Larry.html|archive-date=February 10, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Johnson was chosen to compete in the [[Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics|Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics]] for the [[United States men's national basketball team|U.S. national team]], dubbed the "[[1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team|Dream Team]]" because of the NBA stars on the roster.<ref>Ten of the 12 players on the team were named on the NBA's list of [[50 Greatest Players]]: {{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/dreamT_moments.html |title=The Original Dream Team |publisher=NBA |access-date=June 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516085220/http://www.nba.com/history/dreamT_moments.html|archive-date=May 16, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> The Dream Team, which along with Johnson included fellow [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame|Hall of Famers]] such as Bird, [[Michael Jordan]], and [[Charles Barkley]], was considered unbeatable.<ref name=gold>[http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/moly_1992.html "Games of the XXVth Olympiad – 1992."] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100718073041/http://www.usabasketball.com/mens/national/moly_1992.html |date=July 18, 2010 }}. ''www.usabasketball.com.'' Retrieved May 9, 2017.</ref> After qualifying for the Olympics with a gold medal at the [[1992 Tournament of the Americas]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AA8wAAAAIBAJ&pg=6822,1672263 |title=From Rip City to Barcelona |agency=Associated Press |newspaper=Toledo Blade |page=17 |date=July 6, 1992|access-date=April 24, 2022|archive-date=April 24, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220424224812/https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=AA8wAAAAIBAJ&pg=6822,1672263|url-status=live}}</ref> the Dream Team dominated in Olympic competition, winning the gold medal with an 8–0 record, beating their opponents by an average of 43.8 points per game. Johnson averaged 8.0 points per game during the Olympics, and his 5.5 assists per game was second on the team.<ref name=gold /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/dreamT_moments.html |title=The Original Dream Team |publisher=NBA|access-date=June 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120516085220/http://www.nba.com/history/dreamT_moments.html|archive-date=May 16, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Johnson played infrequently because of knee problems,<ref name=knee>{{Cite web |last=Barnard |first=Bill |title=Knee injury knocks Magic out of Dream Team lineup against Germany |work=The Bend Bulletin |page=D-5|date=July 29, 1992 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1243&dat=19920729&id=TV4PAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kYYDAAAAIBAJ&pg=3579,2868782|access-date=December 10, 2024}}</ref> but he received [[standing ovation]]s from the crowd, and used the opportunity to inspire HIV-positive people.<ref name="borkstars" />

=== Post-Olympics and later life ===
Before the [[1992–93 NBA season]], Johnson announced his intention to stage an NBA comeback. After practicing and playing in several pre-season games, he retired again before the start of the regular season, citing controversy over his return sparked by opposition from several active players.<ref name="espnshowtime" /> 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."<ref name=memory>{{Cite web |date=August 2, 2011 |title=Magic Johnson wishes he hadn't retired so early (Video) |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2011/08/magic-johnson-wishes-he-didnt-retire-so-early.html|access-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526112903/http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2011/08/magic-johnson-wishes-he-didnt-retire-so-early.html |archive-date=May 26, 2018}}</ref> Johnson said that despite the physical, highly competitive practices and scrimmages leading up to the 1992 Olympics, some of those same teammates still expressed concerns about his return to the NBA. He said that he retired because he "didn't want to hurt the game."<ref name=memory />

During his retirement, Johnson has written a book on [[safe sex]], run several businesses, worked for [[NBC]] as a [[Color commentator|commentator]], and toured Asia, Australia, and New Zealand with a basketball team of former college and NBA players.<ref name="nbafullbio" /> In 1985, Johnson created "A Midsummer Night's Magic", a yearly charity event which included a celebrity basketball game and a [[black tie]] dinner. The proceeds went to the [[United Negro College Fund]], and Johnson held this event for twenty years, ending in 2005. "A Midsummer Night's Magic" eventually came under the umbrella of the [[Magic Johnson Foundation]], which he founded in 1991.<ref name=charity>{{Cite web |title=20 years of A Midsummer Night's Magic |url=http://www.magicjohnson.org/20-magic-moments/moment-6.php|access-date=November 7, 2024 |website=magicjohnson.org|archive-date=April 15, 2013|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130415063025/http://www.magicjohnson.org/20-magic-moments/moment-6.php|url-status=dead}}</ref> The 1992 event, which was the first one held after Johnson's appearance in the [[1992 Summer Olympics|1992 Olympics]], raised over $1.3 million for UNCF. Johnson joined [[Shaquille O'Neal]] and celebrity coach [[Spike Lee]] to lead the blue team to a 147–132 victory over the white team, which was coached by [[Arsenio Hall]].<ref name=gala>{{Cite magazine |title=Magic Johnson's Gala Midsummer Night Magic Gets $1.3 Mil for UNCF |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=mMEDAAAAMBAJ&q=magic%2520johnson%2520uncf%2520all-stars&pg=PA48 |magazine=Jet |date=October 19, 1992|access-date=April 24, 2022 |language=en|archive-date=April 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411085357/https://books.google.com/books?id=mMEDAAAAMBAJ&q=magic%20johnson%20uncf%20all-stars&pg=PA48|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=event>{{Cite web |title=Game worn Shaquille O'Neal jersey from "A Midsummer Night's Magic" charity game |url=https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/4081378_176-1990s-shaquille-o-neal-uncf-magic-johnson-all-star|access-date=January 1, 2023 |website=LiveAuctioneers |language=en|archive-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103190954/https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/4081378_176-1990s-shaquille-o-neal-uncf-magic-johnson-all-star|url-status=live}}</ref>

==== Return to the Lakers as coach and player (1994, 1996) ====
Johnson returned to the NBA as coach for the Lakers near the end of the [[1993–94 NBA season]], replacing [[Randy Pfund]], and [[Bill Bertka]], who served as an interim coach for two games.<ref name=pfund>{{Cite news |last=Araton |first=Harvey |date=March 23, 1994 |title=Pro Basketball; Los Angeles Lakers Hire Magic Johnson To Be Head Coach |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/23/sports/pro-basketball-los-angeles-lakers-hire-magic-johnson-to-be-head-coach.html|access-date=January 3, 2023|archive-date=February 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203022540/http://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/23/sports/pro-basketball-los-angeles-lakers-hire-magic-johnson-to-be-head-coach.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=newcoach>{{Cite web |title=1993–94 Los Angeles Lakers Schedule and Results |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/1994_games.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en|archive-date=February 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230203195936/https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/1994_games.html|url-status=live}}</ref> 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." He insisted that his health was not an issue, while downplaying questions about returning as a player, saying, "I'm retired. Let's leave it at that."<ref name=brief>{{Cite web |title=Magic coaching stint short term? |work=The Argus-Press |date=March 24, 1994 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=QEAiAAAAIBAJ&sjid=A60FAAAAIBAJ&pg=1144,2167755|access-date=December 10, 2024 |page=13}}</ref> Amid speculation from general manager [[Jerry West]] that he may only coach until the end of the season,<ref name=brief /> Johnson took over a team that had a 28–38 record, and won his first game as head coach, a 110–101 victory over the [[Milwaukee Bucks]].<ref name=bucks>{{Cite web |title=Johnson gets win in first game as coach |work=The Fort Scott Tribune |date=March 28, 1994 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=t_gfAAAAIBAJ&sjid=BAMFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4548,4127621|access-date=December 10, 2024 |page=8}}</ref> He was coaching a team that had five of his former teammates on the roster: [[Vlade Divac]], [[Elden Campbell]], [[Tony Smith (basketball)|Tony Smith]], [[Kurt Rambis]], [[James Worthy]], and [[Michael Cooper]], who was brought in as an assistant coach.<ref name=brief /><ref name=worthy>{{Cite web |title=1993–94 Los Angeles Lakers Roster and Stats |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/1994.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en|archive-date=December 5, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205144202/https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/LAL/1994.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson, who still had a guaranteed player contract that would pay him $14.6 million during the [[1994–95 NBA season]], signed a separate contract to coach the team that had no compensation.<ref name=brief /> The Lakers played well initially, winning five of their first six games under Johnson, but after losing the next five games, Johnson announced that he was resigning as coach after the season. The Lakers finished the season on a ten-game losing streak, and Johnson's final record as a head coach was 5–11.<ref name=newcoach /> Stating that it was never his dream to coach, he chose instead to purchase a 5% share of the team in June 1994.<ref name="nbafullbio" />

At the age of 36, Johnson attempted another comeback as a player when he rejoined the Lakers during the [[1995–96 NBA season]]. During his retirement, Johnson began intense workouts to help his fight against HIV, raising his [[bench press]] from 135 to 300 pounds, and increasing his weight to 255 pounds.<ref name=gary /> He officially returned to the team on January 29, 1996,<ref name=deseret>{{Cite web |date=May 14, 1996 |title=Magic Johnson Retires Again |url=https://www.deseret.com/1996/5/14/19242861/online-document-magic-johnson-retires-again|access-date=January 3, 2023 |work=Deseret News |agency=Associated Press |language=en|archive-date=April 4, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230404205205/https://www.deseret.com/1996/5/14/19242861/online-document-magic-johnson-retires-again|url-status=live}}</ref> and played his first game the following day against the [[1995–96 Golden State Warriors season|Golden State Warriors]]. Coming off the bench, Johnson had 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists to help the Lakers to a 128–118 victory.<ref name="first">{{Cite web |title=Magic Johnson 1995–96 Game Log |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/johnsma02/gamelog/1996/|access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en|archive-date=December 9, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171209154140/https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/j/johnsma02/gamelog/1996|url-status=live}}</ref> On February 14, Johnson recorded the final triple-double of his career, when he scored 15 points, along with 10 rebounds and 13 assists in a victory against the [[1995–96 Atlanta Hawks season|Atlanta Hawks]].<ref name=first /> Playing [[power forward]], he averaged 14.6&nbsp;points, 6.9&nbsp;assists, and 5.7&nbsp;rebounds per game in 32&nbsp;games, and finished tied for 12th place with [[Charles Barkley]] in voting for the MVP Award.<ref name="stats" /><ref name=mvpvote>{{Cite web |title=1995–96 NBA Awards Voting |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1996.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en|archive-date=October 2, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221002015846/https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/awards_1996.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The Lakers had a record of 22–10 in the games Johnson played, and he considered his final comeback "a success."<ref name=deseret /> While Johnson played well in 1996, there were struggles both on and off the court. [[Cedric Ceballos]], upset over a reduction in his playing time after Johnson's arrival, left the team for several days.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Taylor |first=Phil |title=On Spring Break |date=April 1, 1996 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |url=https://www.si.com/vault/1996/04/01/211548/on-spring-break-cedric-ceballoss-unauthorized-vacation-threatened-to-destroy-the-chemistry-that-had-made-the-lakers-a-contender-since-magic-johnsons-return|access-date=December 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303181633/http://www.si.com/vault/1996/04/01/211548/on-spring-break-cedric-ceballoss-unauthorized-vacation-threatened-to-destroy-the-chemistry-that-had-made-the-lakers-a-contender-since-magic-johnsons-return|archive-date=March 3, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Brown |first=Clifton |title=Pro Basketball; Leaving on His Terms, Johnson Retires Again |date=May 15, 1996 |newspaper=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/15/sports/pro-basketball-leaving-on-his-terms-johnson-retires-again.html|access-date=July 7, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417005042/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/05/15/sports/pro-basketball-leaving-on-his-terms-johnson-retires-again.html|archive-date=April 17, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> He missed two games and was stripped of his title as team captain.<ref>{{cite news |last=Howard-Cooper |first=Scott |title=Ceballos Is Back, but Not All the Way |date=March 27, 1996 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-03-27-sp-51859-story.html|access-date=May 19, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151020030044/http://articles.latimes.com/1996-03-27/sports/sp-51859_1_cedric-ceballos|archive-date=October 20, 2015|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Nick Van Exel]] received a seven-game suspension for bumping referee [[Ron Garretson]] during a game on April 9. Johnson was publicly critical of Van Exel, saying his actions were "inexcusable."<ref name=nick>{{Cite web |agency=Associated Press |date=April 11, 1996 |title=Hitting Referee Costs Van Exel $187,000 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-04-11-sp-57305-story.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US|archive-date=January 16, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230116185207/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-04-11-sp-57305-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson was himself suspended five days later, when he bumped referee [[Scott Foster (basketball)|Scott Foster]], missing three games. He also missed several games due to a calf injury.<ref name=deseret /> Despite these difficulties, the Lakers finished with a record of 53–29 and fourth seed in the [[1996 NBA Playoffs|NBA Playoffs]]. Although they were facing the defending NBA champion [[1995–96 Houston Rockets season|Houston Rockets]], the Lakers had home court advantage in the five-game series. The Lakers played poorly in a Game 1 loss, prompting Johnson to express frustration with his role in coach [[Del Harris]]' offense.<ref name=del>{{Cite web |last=Howard-Cooper |first=Scott |date=April 27, 1996 |title=Magic Raises Questions About Laker Confusion |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-04-27-sp-63301-story.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US|archive-date=April 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411085428/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1996-04-27-sp-63301-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson led the way to a Game 2 victory with 26 points, but averaged only 7.5 points per game for the remainder of the series, which the Rockets won three games to one.<ref name="first" />

After the Lakers lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs,<ref>{{cite web |title=1996 Playoff Results |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |url=http://www.nba.com/history/playoffs/19951996.html|access-date=June 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120609062651/http://www.nba.com/history/playoffs/19951996.html|archive-date=June 9, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> Johnson initially expressed a desire to return to the team for the [[1996–97 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.<ref name=deseret /> A few days later, Johnson changed his mind and retired permanently, saying, "I am going out on my terms, something I couldn't say when I aborted a comeback in 1992."<ref name="espnshowtime" /><ref name=deseret />

==== Magic Johnson All-Stars ====
Determined to play competitive basketball despite being out of the NBA, Johnson formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a [[Barnstorm (sports)|barnstorming]] team composed of former NBA and college players. In 1994, Johnson joined with former pros [[Mark Aguirre]], [[Reggie Theus]], [[John Long (basketball, born 1956)|John Long]], [[Earl Cureton]], [[Jim Farmer]], and [[Lester Conner]], as his team played games in Australia, Israel, South America, Europe, New Zealand, and Japan. They also toured the United States, playing five games against teams from the [[Continental Basketball Association|CBA]]. In the final game of the CBA series, Johnson had 30 points, 17 rebounds, and 13 assists, leading the All-Stars to a 126–121 victory over the [[Oklahoma City Cavalry]].<ref name=cba>{{Cite magazine |last=Rodgers |first=Ted |title=Still Magic |magazine=The Sporting News |date=February 28, 1994 |url=http://business.highbeam.com/62653/article-1G1-14841180/still-magic|access-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511000528/http://business.highbeam.com/62653/article-1G1-14841180/still-magic |archive-date=May 11, 2013}}</ref> By the time he returned to the Lakers in 1996, the Magic Johnson All-Stars had amassed a record of 55–0, and Johnson was earning as much as $365,000 per game.<ref name=gary>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Gary |title=True Lies |date=February 12, 1996 |url=https://vault.si.com/vault/1996/02/12/true-lies-all-along-magic-johnson-insisted-he-wasnt-coming-back-was-he-kidding-us-his-familyor-himself|access-date=January 3, 2023 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |language=en-us|archive-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103190954/https://vault.si.com/vault/1996/02/12/true-lies-all-along-magic-johnson-insisted-he-wasnt-coming-back-was-he-kidding-us-his-familyor-himself|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson played with the team frequently over the next several years, with possibly the most memorable game occurring in November 2001. At the age of 42, Johnson played with the All-Stars against his [[alma mater]], [[Michigan State Spartans men's basketball|Michigan State]]. Although he played in a celebrity game to honor coach Jud Heathcoate in 1995,<ref name=honor>{{Cite web |title=Magic Johnson Returns To The Breslin Center |date=November 1, 2001 |url=https://msuspartans.com/news/2001/11/1/magic_johnson_returns_to_the_breslin_center|access-date=January 3, 2023 |publisher=Michigan State University Athletics |language=en|archive-date=April 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411085354/https://msuspartans.com/news/2001/11/1/magic_johnson_returns_to_the_breslin_center|url-status=live}}</ref> this was Johnson's first meaningful game played in his hometown of Lansing in 22 years. Playing in front of a sold-out arena, Johnson had a [[triple-double]] and played the entire game, but his all-star team lost to the Spartans by two points. Johnson's half-court shot at the buzzer would have won the game, but it fell short.<ref name=spartan>{{Cite web |title=Outside the Lines: Magic – 10 Years Later, and Limits of Loyalty |publisher=ESPN |date=November 4, 2001 |url=https://www.espn.com/page2/tvlistings/show84transcript.html|access-date=January 3, 2023|archive-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103190952/https://www.espn.com/page2/tvlistings/show84transcript.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=msuhoops>{{Cite web |title=Men's Basketball Opens Exhibition Season Against Magic Johnson All-Stars |date=November 1, 2002 |url=https://msuspartans.com/news/2002/11/1/men_s_basketball_opens_exhibition_season_against_magic_johnson_all_stars|access-date=January 3, 2023 |publisher=Michigan State University Athletics |language=en|archive-date=April 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411085355/https://msuspartans.com/news/2002/11/1/men_s_basketball_opens_exhibition_season_against_magic_johnson_all_stars|url-status=live}}</ref> On November 1, 2002, Johnson returned to play a second exhibition game against Michigan State. Playing with the [[Canberra Cannons]] of Australia's [[National Basketball League (Australasia)|National Basketball League]] instead of his usual group of players, Johnson's team defeated the Spartans 104–85, as he scored 12 points and had 10 assists and 10 rebounds.<ref name=cnnsi>{{Cite web |date=November 1, 2002 |title=Memory Lane: Magic records triple-double in exhibition win vs. Mich. St. |publisher=CNN/Sports Illustrated |agency=Associated Press |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/news/2002/11/01/magic_msu_ap/|access-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120324083135/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/college/news/2002/11/01/magic_msu_ap/ |archive-date=March 24, 2012}}</ref>

==== Brief period in Scandinavia ====
In 1999, Johnson joined the Swedish squad [[M7 Borås]] (now known as 'Borås Basket'), and was undefeated in five games with the team.<ref name=indsweden>{{Cite web |title=Basketball: Johnson plays in Sweden |date=November 12, 1999 |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/basketball-johnson-plays-in-sweden-1125438.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |work=The Independent |language=en|archive-date=March 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304225031/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/basketball-johnson-plays-in-sweden-1125438.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=dane>{{Cite web |title=Magic Johnson Returns To Scandinavia |date=November 5, 2000 |url=https://apnews.com/article/53526b867521051f6e439e024d41db9a|access-date=January 3, 2023 |publisher=Associated Press |language=en|archive-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103190952/https://apnews.com/article/53526b867521051f6e439e024d41db9a|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson also became a co-owner of the club;<ref name=solosweden>{{Cite web |last=Sanchis |first=J. R. |title=Historias nórdicas: Magic Johnson, el vikingo |date=November 10, 2011 |url=https://www.solobasket.com/internacional/historias-nordicas-magic-johnson-el-vikingo|access-date=January 3, 2023 |website=Solobasket |language=es|archive-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103190957/https://www.solobasket.com/internacional/historias-nordicas-magic-johnson-el-vikingo|url-status=live}}</ref> however, the project failed after one season and the club was forced into reconstruction.<ref name=solosweden /> He later joined the Danish team The Great Danes.<ref name=solosweden />

== Rivalry with Larry Bird ==
{{See also|Celtics–Lakers rivalry}}
[[File:1987 NBA Finals Lipofsky.jpg|thumb|left|Johnson against the [[Boston Celtics]] during the [[1987 NBA Finals]]]]
Johnson and Bird were first linked as rivals after Johnson's Michigan State Spartans squad defeated Bird's Indiana State Sycamores team in the 1979 [[NCAA]] finals. 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. Johnson asserted that for him, the 82-game regular season was composed of 80 normal games, and two Lakers–Celtics games. Similarly, Bird admitted that Johnson's daily [[box score]] was the first thing he checked in the morning.<ref name="magiclarryquotes" />

Several journalists hypothesized that the Johnson–Bird 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 black and white people.<ref>{{cite book |last=Bork |first=Gunter |title=Basketball Sternstunden |year=1995 |pages=49–55}} {{ISBN|3-7679-0456-X}}.</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/web/COM1057184/1/index.htm |title=The Stuff Dreams Are Made Of |last=Halberstam |first=David |date=June 29, 1987 |magazine=Sports Illustrated|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210082434/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/web/COM1057184/1/index.htm|archive-date=February 10, 2012|url-status=dead|access-date=June 17, 2019}}</ref> The rivalry was also significant because it drew national attention to the faltering NBA. Prior to Johnson and Bird's arrival, the NBA had gone through a decade of declining interest and low TV ratings.<ref>Neal, Rome. {{cite news |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/magic-time/ |title='Magic' Time |publisher=CBS News |date=September 26, 2002|access-date=June 11, 2022|archive-date=May 6, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120506035445/http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2002/09/26/earlyshow/leisure/main523385.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> With the two future Hall of Famers, the league won a whole generation of new fans,<ref name="cbc">{{cite news |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/larry-bird-inducting-magic-johnson-1.337388 |title=Larry Bird inducting Magic Johnson |publisher=CBC |date=August 15, 2002|access-date=April 5, 2021|archive-date=January 3, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220103211953/https://www.cbc.ca/sports/basketball/larry-bird-inducting-magic-johnson-1.337388|url-status=live}}</ref> drawing both traditionalist adherents of Bird's dirt court Indiana game and those appreciative of Johnson's public park flair. According to sports journalist Larry Schwartz of ESPN, Johnson and Bird saved the NBA from [[bankruptcy]].<ref name="espnshowtime" />

Despite their on-court rivalry, Johnson and Bird became close friends during the filming of a 1984 [[Converse (company)|Converse]] shoe advertisement that depicted them as enemies.<ref>{{cite book |last=Aamidor |first=Abraham |title=Chuck Taylor, All Star: The True Story of the Man Behind the Most Famous Athletic Shoe in History |year=2006 |page=151 |publisher=Indiana University Press |isbn=0-253-34698-3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/features/00014103.html |title=Eye for victory |last=Schwartz |first=Larry |publisher=ESPN|access-date=February 28, 2009|archive-date=November 27, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111127175835/http://espn.go.com/sportscentury/features/00014103.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson appeared at Bird's retirement ceremony in 1992, and described Bird as a "friend forever";<ref name="magiclarryquotes" /> during Johnson's Hall of Fame ceremony, Bird formally inducted his old rival.<ref name="cbc" />

In 2009, Johnson and Bird collaborated with journalist [[Jackie MacMullan]] on a non-fiction book titled ''When the Game Was Ours''. The book detailed their on-court rivalry and friendship with one another.<ref>{{cite news |last=Sheinin |first=Dave |title=Book review: When the Game Was Ours by Larry Bird and Magic Johnson |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/11/AR2009121101705.html |newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=September 12, 2016 |date=December 13, 2009|archive-date=April 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220425055327/https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/12/11/AR2009121101705.html|url-status=live}}</ref> The following year, [[HBO]] developed a documentary about their rivalry titled ''[[Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals]]'', which was directed by [[Ezra Edelman]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Clinchy |first=Evans |title=HBO Documentary Revisits Magic Johnson–Larry Bird Rivalry That Saved Basketball |url=https://nesn.com/2010/03/hbo-documentary-revisits-magicbird-rivalry-that-saved-basketball/ |website=NESN.com |access-date=October 31, 2018 |date=March 6, 2010 |archive-date=January 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220103211809/https://nesn.com/2010/03/hbo-documentary-revisits-magicbird-rivalry-that-saved-basketball/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Legacy ==
In 905&nbsp;NBA games, Johnson tallied 17,707&nbsp;points, 6,559&nbsp;rebounds, and 10,141&nbsp;assists, translating to career averages of 19.5&nbsp;points, 7.2&nbsp;rebounds, and 11.2&nbsp;assists per game, the highest assists per game average in NBA history.<ref name="stats" /> Johnson shares the single-game playoff record for assists (24),<ref name="assrec">{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=Magic Johnson Career Stats |url=http://www.nba.com/history/players/johnsonm_stats.html|access-date=June 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120616051831/http://www.nba.com/history/players/johnsonm_stats.html|archive-date=June 16, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> holds the Finals record for assists in a game (21),<ref name="assrec" /> and has the most playoff assists (2,346).<ref>{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=All-Time Playoffs Individual Career Leaders |url=http://www.nba.com/history/records/alltime_playoffs_ind_career.html|access-date=May 8, 2008|archive-date=May 30, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120530092226/http://www.nba.com/history/records/alltime_playoffs_ind_career.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He is the only player to average 12 assists in an NBA Finals series, achieving it six times.<ref name=espn_alltime_rank>{{cite news |title=All-Time #NBArank: Magic No. 4 |date=February 10, 2016 |publisher=ESPN |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/page/nbarank4/all-nbarank-4|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160211001219/http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/page/nbarank4/all-nbarank-4|archive-date=February 11, 2016|url-status=live}}</ref> He holds the All-Star Game single-game record for assists (22), and the All-Star Game record for career assists (127).<ref name="assrec" /> Johnson is one of only eight players in the history of basketball to achieve the [[Triple Crown (American basketball)|Triple Crown]] — winning an NCAA championship, NBA championship, and Olympic gold medal.<ref>{{cite news |last=Beslic |first= Stephen|date=November 11, 2022 |title=Eight players who have won NCAA, NBA, and Olympic titles |url=https://www.basketballnetwork.net/latest-news/seven-players-who-have-won-ncaa-nba-and-olympic-titles |work= Basketball Network|location= |access-date=November 27, 2024}}</ref><ref name="Davis">{{cite news |last= Cohn|first=Jordan |date= October 11, 2020|title= Anthony Davis joins 7 other players to win NBA Finals, NCAA Championship, Olympic gold medal|url=https://www.audacy.com/thefandc/sports/nba/anthony-davis-joins-basketballs-triple-crown-club |work=[[106.7 The Fan]] |location= |access-date=November 27, 2024}}</ref>

{{quote box|align=right|width=25em|quote="Magic is head-and-shoulders above everybody else [...] I've never seen [anybody] as good as him."|source=—[[Larry Bird]]<ref name="LegendProfile">{{cite web |author=NBA.com Staff |title=Legends profile: Magic Johnson |publisher=NBA |url=https://www.nba.com/news/history-nba-legend-magic-johnson|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240210100752/https://www.nba.com/news/history-nba-legend-magic-johnson|archive-date=February 10, 2024|access-date=February 10, 2024|url-status=live}}</ref>}}
Johnson introduced a fast-paced style of basketball called "[[Showtime (basketball)|Showtime]]", described as a mix of "no-look passes off the [[fast break]], pin-point [[alley-oop]]s from halfcourt, spinning feeds and overhand bullets under the basket through [[double team|triple teams]]."<ref name="nbafullbio">{{cite web |website=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=Magic Johnson Bio |url=http://www.nba.com/history/players/johnsonm_bio.html|access-date=May 8, 2008|archive-date=January 26, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120126080348/http://www.nba.com/history/players/johnsonm_bio.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Fellow Lakers guard [[Michael Cooper]] said, "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."<ref name="nbafullbio" /><ref name="espnshowtime" /> Johnson could dominate a game without scoring, running the offense and distributing the ball with flair.<ref name=espn_alltime_rank /> In the [[1982 NBA Finals]], he was named the Finals MVP averaging just 16.2 points, the lowest average of any Finals MVP award recipient in the three-point shot era.<ref name=espn_alltime_rank />

Johnson was exceptional because he played point guard despite being 6&nbsp;ft 9&nbsp;in (2.06&nbsp;m), a size reserved normally for [[frontcourt]] players.<ref name="nbafullbio" /> His career 138&nbsp;triple-double games places him fourth all-time behind [[Russell Westbrook]], [[Oscar Robertson]], and [[Nikola Jokić]].<ref>{{cite web |title=NBA & ABA Career Leaders and Records for Triple-Doubles |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/trp_dbl_career.html |website=basketball-reference.com |access-date=February 9, 2025 |archive-date=December 26, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241226220158/https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/trp_dbl_career.html |url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson is the only player in NBA Finals history to have triple-doubles in multiple series-clinching games.<ref name=espn_alltime_rank />

For his feats, Johnson was voted as one of the [[50 Greatest Players in NBA History|50 Greatest Players of All Time]] by the NBA in 1996,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/players/50greatest.html |title=The NBA at 50 |publisher=National Basketball Association|access-date=May 15, 2008|archive-date=May 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120519214031/http://www.nba.com/history/players/50greatest.html|url-status=live}}</ref> and selected to the [[NBA 75th Anniversary Team]] in 2021.<ref name="75th" /> The [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] inducted him in 2002.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://assets.espn.go.com/nba/news/2002/0605/1391196.html |title=Johnson, Brown elected to Hall of Fame |date=June 5, 2002 |publisher=ESPN|access-date=May 15, 2008|archive-date=September 25, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120925141726/http://assets.espn.go.com/nba/news/2002/0605/1391196.html|url-status=live}}</ref> ESPN's ''SportsCentury'' ranked Johnson {{abbr|No.|Number}} 17 in their "50 Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century"<ref>{{Cite web |title=Top N. American athletes of the century |url=https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/athletes.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |publisher=ESPN|archive-date=September 9, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909034514/https://www.espn.com/sportscentury/athletes.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2006, [[ESPN]].com rated Johnson the greatest point guard of all time, stating, "It could be argued that he's the one player in NBA history who was better than Michael Jordan."<ref name="greatestpg">{{cite web |publisher=ESPN |date=May 11, 2006 |title=Daily Dime: Special Edition&nbsp;– The 10 Greatest Point Guards Ever |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-GreatestPointGuards|access-date=September 13, 2007|archive-date=February 16, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120216111709/http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/dailydime?page=dailydime-GreatestPointGuards|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Bleacher Report]] also listed Johnson first in its all-time NBA point guard rankings.<ref name="top10pg">{{cite web |last=Bailey |first=Andy |title=NBA All-Time Player Rankings: Top 10 Point Guards |publisher=Bleacher Report |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2852716-nba-all-time-player-rankings-top-10-point-guards|access-date=August 10, 2020|archive-date=January 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118182459/https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2852716-nba-all-time-player-rankings-top-10-point-guards|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022, to commemorate the NBA's 75th anniversary, ''[[The Athletic]]'' ranked their top 75 players of all time, and named Johnson as the 5th greatest player in NBA history, and the highest ranked point guard.<ref name="Oram" /> Several of his achievements in individual games have also been named among the top moments in the NBA.<ref name="playoffmoments" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Singer |first=Michael |title=Jordan to Bird: Top 10 moments in NBA All-Star history |newspaper=USA Today |date=February 17, 2017 |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2017/02/17/ranking-top-10-nba-all-star-moments/98047416/|access-date=June 25, 2019|archive-date=July 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210707073609/https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/nba/2017/02/17/ranking-top-10-nba-all-star-moments/98047416/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/encyclopedia/moments/60moments.html |title=The 60 Greatest Playoff Moments |publisher=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition|access-date=May 12, 2008|archive-date=March 19, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210319204157/https://www.nba.com/encyclopedia/moments/60moments.html|url-status=live}}</ref> At the [[2019 NBA Awards]], Johnson received the [[NBA Lifetime Achievement Award]] (shared with Bird).<ref name="lifetime">{{cite magazine |last=Kimble |first=Lindsay |title=Larry Bird and Magic Johnson Receive NBA Lifetime Achievement Award |url=https://people.com/sports/nba-awards-2019-larry-bird-magic-johnson-lifetime-achievement/ |magazine=People |date=June 24, 2019|access-date=June 24, 2019|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308073329/https://people.com/sports/nba-awards-2019-larry-bird-magic-johnson-lifetime-achievement/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2022, the NBA began awarding MVPs for the conference finals; the [[NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Western Conference Finals MVP]] trophy is named after Johnson, while the Eastern Conference trophy is named after Bird.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Feldman |first=Dan |url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/05/12/nba-to-name-conference-finals-mvps/ |title=NBA to name conference finals MVPs |publisher=[[NBC Sports]] |date=May 12, 2022|access-date=May 18, 2022|archive-date=June 10, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220610165832/https://nba.nbcsports.com/2022/05/12/nba-to-name-conference-finals-mvps/|url-status=live}}</ref>

== NBA career statistics ==
{{NBA player statistics legend|champion=y|leader=y|record=y}}

=== Regular season ===
{{NBA player statistics start|caption=Magic Johnson regular season statistics<ref name="stats" />}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|{{nbay|1979}}{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1979–80 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 77 || 72 || 36.3 || .530 || .226 || .810 || 7.7 || 7.3 || 2.4 || 0.5 || 18.0
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left"|{{nbay|1980}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1980–81 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 37 || 35 || 37.1 || .532 || .176 || .760 || 8.6 || 8.6 || style="background:#cfecec;"|'''3.4'''* || '''0.7''' || 21.6
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|{{nbay|1981}}{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1981–82 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 78 || 77 || '''38.3''' || .537 || .207 || .760 || '''9.6''' || 9.5 || style="background:#cfecec;"|2.7* || 0.4 || 18.6
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1982}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1982–83 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 79 || 79 || 36.8 || .548 || .000 || .800 || 8.6 || style="background:#cfecec;"|10.5* || 2.2 || 0.6 || 16.8
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left"|{{nbay|1983}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1983–84 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 67 || 66 || '''38.3''' || '''.565''' || .207 || .810 || 7.3 || style="background:#cfecec;"|'''13.1'''* || 2.2 || '''0.7''' || 17.6
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|{{nbay|1984}}{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1984–85 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 77 || 77 || 36.1 || .561 || .189 || .843 || 6.2 || 12.6 || 1.5 || 0.3 || 18.3
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1985}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1985–86 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 72 || 70 || 35.8 || .526 || .233 || .871 || 5.9 || style="background:#cfecec;"|12.6* || 1.6 || 0.2 || 18.8
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|{{nbay|1986}}{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1986–87 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| '''80''' || '''80''' || 36.3 || .522 || .205 || .848 || 6.3 || style="background:#cfecec;"|12.2* || 1.7 || 0.4 || '''23.9'''
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|{{nbay|1987}}{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1987–88 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 72 || 70 || 36.6 || .492 || .196 || .853 || 6.2 || 11.9 || 1.6 || 0.2 || 19.6
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1988}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1988–89 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 77 || 77 || 37.5 || .509 || .314 || style="background:#cfecec;"|'''.911'''* || 7.9 || 12.8 || 1.8 || 0.3 || 22.5
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1989}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1989–90 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 79 || 79 || 37.2 || .480 || '''.384''' || .890 || 6.6 || 11.5 || 1.7 || 0.4 || 22.3
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1990}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1990–91 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 79 || 79 || 37.1 || .477 || .320 || .906 || 7.0 || 12.5 || 1.3 || 0.2 || 19.4
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1995}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1995–96 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 32 || 9 || 29.9 || .466 || .379 || .856 || 5.7 || 6.9 || 0.8 || 0.4 || 14.6
|- class="sortbottom"
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 906 || 870 || 36.7 || .520 || .303 || .848 || 7.2 || style="background:#E0CEF2;"|11.2{{double-dagger}} || 1.9 || 0.4 || 19.5
|- class="sortbottom"
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|All-Star
| 11 || 10 || 30.1 || .489 || .476 || .905 || 5.2 || 11.5 || 1.9 || 0.6 || 16.0
{{s-end}}

=== Playoffs ===
{{NBA player statistics start|caption=Magic Johnson post-season statistics<ref name="stats" />}}
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|[[1980 NBA Playoffs|1980]]{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1979–80 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 16 || 16 || 41.1 || .518 || .250 || .802 || 10.5 || 9.4 || '''3.1''' || 0.4 || 18.3
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|[[1981 NBA Playoffs|1981]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1980–81 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 3 || 3 || 42.3 || .388 || .000 || .650 || '''13.7''' || 7.0 || 2.7 || '''1.0''' || 17.0
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|[[1982 NBA Playoffs|1982]]{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1981–82 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 14 || 14 || 40.1 || .529 || .000 || .828 || 11.3 || 9.3 || 2.9 || 0.2 || 17.4
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|[[1983 NBA Playoffs|1983]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1982–83 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 15 || 15 || 42.9 || .485 || .000 || .840 || 8.5 || 12.8 || 2.3 || 0.8 || 17.9
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|[[1984 NBA Playoffs|1984]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1983–84 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 21 || 21 || 39.9 || '''.551''' || .000 || .800 || 6.6 || 13.5 || 2.0 || '''1.0''' || 18.2
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|[[1985 NBA Playoffs|1985]]{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1984–85 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 19 || 19 || 36.2 || .513 || .143 || .847 || 7.1 || '''15.2''' || 1.7 || 0.2 || 17.5
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|[[1986 NBA Playoffs|1986]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1985–86 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 14 || 14 || 38.6 || .537 || .000 || .766 || 7.1 || 15.1 || 1.9 || 0.1 || 21.6
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|[[1987 NBA Playoffs|1987]]{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1986–87 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 18 || 18 || 37.0 || .539 || .200 || .831 || 7.7 || 12.2 || 1.7 || 0.4 || 21.8
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;"|[[1988 NBA Playoffs|1988]]{{dagger}}
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1987–88 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| '''24''' || '''24''' || 40.2 || .514 || '''.500''' || .852 || 5.4 || 12.6 || 1.4 || 0.2 || 19.9
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|[[1989 NBA Playoffs|1989]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1988–89 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 14 || 14 || 37.0 || .489 || .286 || '''.907''' || 5.9 || 11.8 || 1.9 || 0.2 || 18.4
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|[[1990 NBA Playoffs|1990]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1989–90 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 9 || 9 || 41.8 || .490 || .200 || .886 || 6.3 || 12.8 || 1.2 || 0.1 || '''25.2'''
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|[[1991 NBA Playoffs|1991]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1990–91 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 19 || 19 || '''43.3''' || .440 || .296 || .882 || 8.1 || 12.6 || 1.2 || 0.0 || 21.8
|-
!scope="row" style="text-align:left;"|[[1996 NBA Playoffs|1996]]
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1995–96 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| 4 || 0 || 33.8 || .385 || .333 || .848 || 8.5 || 6.5 || 0.0 || 0.0 || 15.3
|- class=sortbottom
!scope="row" style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career
| 190 || 186 || 39.7 || .506 || .241 || .838 || 7.7 || style="background:#E0CEF2;"|12.3{{double-dagger}} || 1.9 || 0.3 || 19.5
|-
{{s-end}}

== Head coaching record ==
{{NBA coach statistics legend}}
{{NBA coach statistics start|caption=Magic Johnson coaching statistics}}
|-
| style="text-align:left;"|[[1993–94 Los Angeles Lakers season|L.A. Lakers]]
| style="text-align:left;"|{{nbay|1993}}
| 16 || 5 || 11 || {{Winning percentage|5|11}} || style="text-align:center;"|(resigned) || — || — || — || — || style="text-align:center;"|—
|-
| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"|Career<ref>{{cite book |last=Marcus |first=Jeff |title=Biographical Dictionary of Professional Basketball Coaches |publisher=Scarecrow Press |year=2003 |pages=189–191 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JRBtAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA189 |isbn=978-1-4617-2653-1}}</ref>
| 16 || 5 || 11 || {{Winning percentage|5|11}} || || — || — || — || — || style="text-align:center;"|—
{{s-end}}

== Awards and honors ==
{{See also|List of career achievements by Magic Johnson}}
[[File:Earvin Magic Johnson's star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.jpg|right|thumb|upright=1.13|Johnson's Hollywood Walk of Fame star|alt=A five-point star engraved on a tile. In the center of the star are the words "EARVIN MAGIC JOHNSON". An image of a movie camera is etched directly below these words, though still in the star.]]
[[File:LakersRetiredJerseys.jpg|thumb|right|upright=1.13|alt=A display of yellow basketball jerseys bearing the names and uniform numbers of players|Johnson's number 32 jersey was retired by the [[Los Angeles Lakers]] in 1992.]]

'''[[Triple Crown (American basketball)|Basketball Triple Crown]]'''<ref name="Davis"/>

'''NBA'''
* 5× [[NBA]] champion ({{nbafy|1980}}, {{nbafy|1982}}, {{nbafy|1985}}, {{nbafy|1987}}, {{nbafy|1988}})<ref name="Magic rings" />
* 3× [[NBA Most Valuable Player]] ({{nbay|1986|end}}, {{nbay|1988|end}}, {{nbay|1989|end}})<ref name="stats" />
* 3× [[NBA Finals MVP]] ({{nbafy|1980}}, {{nbafy|1982}}, {{nbafy|1987}})<ref name="stats" />
* 9× [[All-NBA First Team]] ({{nbay|1982|end}}–{{nbay|1990|end}})<ref name="stats" />
* [[All-NBA Second Team]] ({{nbay|1981|end}})<ref name="stats" />
* 12× [[NBA All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award|NBA All-Star]] ({{nasg|1980}}, {{nasg|1982}}–{{nasg|1992}})<ref name="stats" />
* 2× [[NBA All-Star Game MVP]] ({{nasg|1990}}, {{nasg|1992}})<ref name="stats" />
* [[McDonald's Open]] winner (1991)<ref name="call"/>
* McDonald's Open MVP (1991)<ref name="call"/>
* [[J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award]] ({{nbay|1991|end}})<ref name="stats" />
* [[NBA Lifetime Achievement Award]] ([[2019 NBA Awards|2019]])<ref name="lifetime"/>
* 4× [[List of NBA annual assists leaders|NBA assists leader]] ({{nbay|1982|end}}, {{nbay|1983|end}}, {{nbay|1985|end}}, {{nbay|1986|end}})<ref>{{cite web|title=NBA & ABA Year-by-Year Leaders and Records for Assists Per Game|website=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/ast_per_g_yearly.html|access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref>
* 2× [[List of NBA annual steals leaders|NBA steals leader]] ({{nbay|1980|end}}, {{nbay|1981|end}})<ref>{{cite web|title=NBA & ABA Year-by-Year Leaders and Records for Steals Per Game|website=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leaders/stl_per_g_yearly.html|access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref>
* 6× [[NBA Player of the Month and Week#Notable Records|NBA Player of the Month]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=NBA Players of the Month |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/pom.html |access-date=April 17, 2025 |website=Basketball-Reference |language=en}}</ref>
* 18× [[NBA Player of the Month and Week#Notable Records|NBA Player of the Week]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=NBA Players of the Week |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/pow.html |access-date=April 17, 2025 |website=Basketball-Reference |language=en}}</ref>
* Named one of the [[50 Greatest Players in NBA History]] in 1996<ref name="LegendProfile" />
* Selected on the [[NBA 75th Anniversary Team]] in 2021<ref name="75th">{{cite web |url=https://www.nba.com/75/player/magic-johnson-77142 |title=Magic Johnson |publisher=NBA |access-date=October 21, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211021185454/https://www.nba.com/75/player/magic-johnson-77142 |archive-date=October 21, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref>
* No. 32 [[Los Angeles Lakers#Retired numbers|retired by the Los Angeles Lakers]]<ref name="MSHOF" />
* [[Statue of Magic Johnson|Statue]] in front of [[Crypto.com Arena]]<ref>{{cite web |last=Thorbecke |first=Catherine |title=Iconic Staples Center changing its name to Crypto.com Arena in reflection of changing times |publisher=ABC News |date=November 17, 2021 |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Business/iconic-staples-center-changing-crypto-arena-reflection-changing/story?id=81227119|access-date=August 17, 2022|archive-date=August 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220817103453/https://abcnews.go.com/Business/iconic-staples-center-changing-crypto-arena-reflection-changing/story?id=81227119|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Trophy named in Johnson's honor (Earvin "Magic" Johnson Trophy) awarded to [[NBA Conference Finals Most Valuable Player Award|Western Conference Finals MVP]] (established in 2022)<ref>{{cite web |last=Goldsberry |first=Kirk |title=NBA unveils new trophies, awards honoring Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, Bob Cousy, Oscar Robertson |publisher=ESPN |date=May 12, 2022 |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33902416/nba-unveils-new-trophies-awards-honoring-larry-bird-magic-johnson-bob-cousy-oscar-robertson|access-date=June 9, 2022|archive-date=June 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220615053153/https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/33902416/nba-unveils-new-trophies-awards-honoring-larry-bird-magic-johnson-bob-cousy-oscar-robertson|url-status=live}}</ref>

'''USA Basketball'''
* [[Basketball at the Summer Olympics|Olympic]] gold medal winner ([[Basketball at the 1992 Summer Olympics|1992]])<ref name="Dream Team">{{cite web |title=1992 United States Olympic Team |publisher=Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame |url=https://hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/1992-united-states-olympic-team|access-date=January 6, 2021|archive-date=March 31, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220331040701/https://www.hoophall.com/hall-of-famers/1992-united-states-olympic-team|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Tournament of the Americas]] gold medal winner ([[1992 Tournament of the Americas|1992]])<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20150429204708/http://www.usab.com/history/national-team-mens/mens-tournament-of-the-americas-1992.aspx "Men's Tournament of the Americas – 1992"]. USA Basketball. Retrieved September 17, 2023.</ref>

'''NCAA'''
* 2× [[Big Ten Conference|Big Ten]] champion ([[1977–78 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team|1978]], [[1978–79 Michigan State Spartans men's basketball team|1979]])<ref>{{cite web|title=Men's Big Ten Conference|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cbb/conferences/big-ten/men/|access-date=May 12, 2025}}</ref>
* [[1979 NCAA Division I basketball tournament|NCAA national championship]] ([[1979 NCAA Division I basketball tournament|1979]])<ref name="espnshowtime" />
* [[NCAA basketball tournament Most Outstanding Player]] ([[1979 NCAA Division I basketball tournament|1979]])<ref name="espnshowtime" />
* [[Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball|''Chicago Tribune'' Silver Basketball Award]] (1979)<ref>{{cite news |title=Earvin Johnson Wins Silver Cage Award |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/sun-herald-earvin-johnson-wins-silver-ca/175039395/ |newspaper=[[Sun Herald]] |location=[[Biloxi, Mississippi]] |date=April 25, 1979 |page=41|via=[[Newspapers.com]] |access-date=June 22, 2025}}</ref>
* Consensus first-team [[NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans|All-American]] ([[1979 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#1979 Consensus All-America team|1979]])<ref name="consensus"/>
** [[Associated Press|AP]] first-team All-American ([[1979 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1979]])<ref name="AP">{{cite web|title=NCAA College Basketball AP All-America Teams|publisher=Basketball-Reference|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/all_america.html|access-date=May 19, 2025}}</ref>
** [[U.S. Basketball Writers Association|USBWA]] first-team All-American ([[1979 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1979]])<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.sportswriters.net/usbwa/awards/allamerica/1970-79.html |title=USBWA Men's All-Americans |publisher=U.S. Basketball Writers Association |access-date=May 19, 2025 |archive-date=August 27, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090827033832/http://www.sportswriters.net/usbwa/awards/allamerica/1970-79.html |url-status=dead}}</ref>
** [[National Association of Basketball Coaches|NABC]] first-team All-American ([[1979 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1979]])<ref name="NABC">{{cite web|title=NABC Division I All-America History|date=December 17, 2021 |publisher=National Association of Basketball Coaches|url=https://nabc.com/awards/allamerica/divisioni/|access-date=May 19, 2025}}</ref>
** [[United Press International|UPI]] first-team All-American ([[1979 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1979]])
* [[National Association of Basketball Coaches|NABC]] second-team All-American ([[1978 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1978]])<ref name="NABC"/>
* [[Associated Press|AP]] third-team All-American ([[1978 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1978]])<ref name="AP"/>
* [[United Press International|UPI]] third-team All-American ([[1978 NCAA Men's Basketball All-Americans#Individual All-America teams|1978]])
* 2× first-team All-[[Big Ten]] (1978, 1979)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://bigten.org/services/download_file.ashx?file_location=https://s3.amazonaws.com/bigten.org/documents/2021/11/5/2021_22_Men_s_Basketball_Media_Guide.pdf |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20221009/https://s3.amazonaws.com/bigten.org/documents/2021/11/5/2021_22_Men_s_Basketball_Media_Guide.pdf |archive-date=October 9, 2022 |url-status=dead |title=2021–22 Big Ten Men's Basketball Media Guide |publisher=Big Ten Conference |year=2021 |page=88|access-date=May 15, 2024}}</ref>
* No. 33 [[Michigan State Spartans men's basketball#Retired numbers|retired by Michigan State Spartans]]<ref name="MSHOF">{{cite web |url=http://www.michigansportshof.org/inductee/magic-johnson-jr |title=Earvin (Magic) Johnson Jr. |publisher=Michigan Sports Hall of Fame|access-date=January 6, 2021|archive-date=May 11, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220511084711/https://michigansportshof.org/inductee/magic-johnson-jr/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* Statue at Michigan State<ref>{{cite news |url=http://detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2016/05/26/msu-magic-johnson-statue/84964444 |title=Crews move MSU's Magic Johnson statue |work=The Detroit News |date=May 27, 2016|access-date=January 6, 2021|archive-date=May 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516093137/https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2016/05/26/msu-magic-johnson-statue/84964444/|url-status=live}}</ref>

'''High school'''
* 1977 Michigan high school state champion ([[Everett High School (Michigan)|Lansing Everett High School]])<ref name="MSHOF" />
* First-team [[Parade All-America Boys Basketball Team|''Parade'' All-American]] (1977)<ref>{{cite news|last=Cohen|first=Haskell|title=Parade's All-American High School Basketball Team|date=April 3, 1977|work=Parade|page=18|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47783263/1977-parade-all-american/|via=[[Newspapers.com]]|access-date=May 20, 2025}}</ref>
* [[McDonald's All-American]] (1977)<ref name="mcdonalds"/>
* [[Mr. Basketball of Michigan]] (1977)<ref>{{cite web|title=BCAM Names '7s' Retro Mr. Basketball Winners|publisher=Michigan High School Athletic Association|date=May 1, 2017|url=https://www.mhsaa.com/sports/boys-basketball/stories/bcam-names-7s-retro-mr-basketball-winners|access-date=May 20, 2025}}</ref>

'''Halls of Fame'''
* [[Michigan Sports Hall of Fame]] – Class of 1998<ref>{{Cite web |title=Earvin (Magic) Johnson Jr. |url=https://michigansportshof.org/inductee/magic-johnson-jr/ |access-date=April 17, 2025 |website=Michigan Sports Hall of Fame |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[List of stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame|Star]] on the [[Hollywood Walk of Fame]] – 2001<ref>{{cite news |last=Stanton |first=Russ |title=Earvin "Magic" Johnson |work=Los Angeles Times |date=February 25, 2010 |url=http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/earvin-magic-johnson/|access-date=January 6, 2021|archive-date=March 6, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210306152827/http://projects.latimes.com/hollywood/star-walk/earvin-magic-johnson/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Earvin Magic Johnson |date=October 25, 2019 |url=https://walkoffame.com/earvin-magic-johnson/ |publisher=Hollywood Walk of Fame |access-date=February 11, 2024 |archive-date=February 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240211222027/https://walkoffame.com/earvin-magic-johnson/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
* 2× [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] inductee:
** Class of 2002 – individual
** Class of 2010 – member of "The Dream Team"<ref name="Dream Team" />
* [[National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame]] – Class of 2006<ref>{{cite web |url=https://collegebasketballexperience.com/members/earvin-magic-johnson/ |title=Earvin "Magic" Johnson |publisher=National Collegiate Basketball Hall of Fame|access-date=January 6, 2021|archive-date=February 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220201163934/https://collegebasketballexperience.com/members/earvin-magic-johnson/|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[FIBA Hall of Fame]] – Class of 2017 (as a member of "The Dream Team")<ref>{{cite web |url=http://fiba.basketball/news/2017-class-of-fiba-hall-of-fame-dream-team |title=2017 Class of FIBA Hall of Fame: Dream Team |date=September 5, 2017 |publisher=FIBA|access-date=January 6, 2021|archive-date=April 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220415051919/https://www.fiba.basketball/news/2017-class-of-fiba-hall-of-fame-dream-team|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame]] – Class of 2009 (as a member of "The Dream Team")<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.teamusa.org/Hall-of-Fame/Hall-of-Fame-Members/1992-US-Olympic-Mens-Basketball-Team |title=1992 U.S. Olympic Men's Basketball Team |publisher=United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee|access-date=June 20, 2022|archive-date=August 15, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220815212801/https://www.teamusa.org/Hall-of-Fame/Hall-of-Fame-Members/1992-US-Olympic-Mens-Basketball-Team|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[California Hall of Fame]] – Class of 2011<ref>{{cite web|title=Magic Johnson|publisher=The California Museum|url=https://californiamuseum.org/inductee/magic-johnson/|access-date=January 3, 2025}}</ref>

'''Ownership'''
* 5× [[NBA]] champion ([[2000 NBA Finals|2000]], [[2001 NBA Finals|2001]], [[2002 NBA Finals|2002]], [[2009 NBA Finals|2009]], [[2010 NBA Finals|2010]]) — as part owner/executive of the [[Los Angeles Lakers]]<ref name="Magic rings" />
* [[WNBA]] champion ([[2016 WNBA Finals|2016]]) — as part owner of the [[Los Angeles Sparks]]<ref name="Magic rings" />
* 3× [[World Series]] champion ([[2020 World Series|2020]], [[2024 World Series|2024]], [[2025 World Series|2025]]) — as part owner of the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]<ref name="Magic rings" /><ref name="celebrates"/><ref>{{cite web|last=Stone|first=Jackson|title=Dodgers' Magic Johnson drops '18 championships' bar after World Series win|publisher=Yahoo Sports|date=November 2, 2025|url=https://sports.yahoo.com/article/dodgers-magic-johnson-drops-18-162912142.html|access-date=December 1, 2025}}</ref>
* [[MLS Cup]] champion ([[2022 MLS Cup|2022]]) — as part owner of [[Los Angeles FC]]<ref name="MLSCup" />

'''Media and entertainment'''
* [[The Sporting News|''Sporting News'']] NBA MVP (1987)<ref>{{Cite web |title=NBA Sporting News MVP Award Winners |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/awards/tsn_mvp.html |access-date=April 17, 2025 |website=Basketball-Reference.com |language=en}}</ref>
* [[The Sporting News|''Sporting News'']] NBA 1980s All-Decade First-Team<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 28, 2020 |title=The 1980s All-Decade Team {{!}} Sporting News Canada |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/ca/nba/news/the-1980s-all-decade-team/hsxyp0oubis51est67xoi12o1 |access-date=April 17, 2025 |website=www.sportingnews.com |language=en-ca}}</ref>
* [[Associated Press|AP]] NBA 1980s All-Decade Team<ref>{{Cite web |date=January 17, 2022 |title=Rivals Magic, Bird highlight AP's 1980s all-decade NBA team |url=https://apnews.com/article/nba-sports-philadelphia-76ers-boston-celtics-los-angeles-lakers-7e2e0e88f74fc5f39a9d1c4282fb7ba6 |access-date=April 17, 2025 |website=AP News |language=en}}</ref>
* [[NAACP Image Awards]] – [[NAACP Image Award – Jackie Robinson Sports Award|Jackie Robinson Sports Award]] (1992)<ref>{{cite news |url=http://latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-01-12-me-271-story.html |title=Magic Johnson and Natalie Cole Honored at NAACP Awards Show |work=Los Angeles Times |date=January 12, 1992|access-date=February 11, 2021|archive-date=May 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517131911/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-01-12-me-271-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Grammy Awards|Grammy Award]] for [[Grammy Award for Best Spoken Word Album|Best Spoken Word or Non-Musical Album]] ([[35th Annual Grammy Awards|1993]])<ref>{{cite web |url=http://grammy.com/grammys/artists/earvin-magic-johnson/13659 |title=Earvin "Magic" Johnson |date=November 23, 2020 |publisher=Grammy Awards|access-date=January 6, 2021|archive-date=January 1, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220101011840/https://www.grammy.com/grammys/artists/earvin-magic-johnson/13659|url-status=live}}</ref>
* [[Marca Leyenda]] (2002)<ref>{{cite web |title=MARCA Leyenda |date=January 25, 2024 |url=https://www.marca.com/marca-leyenda.html |publisher=Marca |access-date=February 11, 2024 |archive-date=February 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240211222214/https://www.marca.com/marca-leyenda.html |url-status=live}}</ref>
* Harold & Carole Pump Foundation – Lifetime Achievement Award (2009)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Lifetime Achievement Award Honorees |url=https://haroldpumpfoundation.com/index.php/events/lifetime-achievement-award-honorees |access-date=April 22, 2025 |website=Harold & Carole Pump Foundation |language=en-gb}}</ref>
* [[Sports Illustrated#Sports Illustrated's Muhammad Ali Legacy Award|''Sports Illustrated''<nowiki/>'s Muhammad Ali Legacy Award]] (2014)<ref>{{Cite web |date=December 2, 2021 |title=Sports Illustrated's Muhammad Ali Legacy Award Winners |url=https://www.si.com/sportsperson/2021/12/02/2021-muhammad-ali-legacy-award-sports-illustrated-winner |access-date=April 22, 2025 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |language=en-US}}</ref>
* [[Major League Baseball|MLB]] [[Civil Rights Game#Beacon Awards|Beacon of Hope]][[Sports Illustrated#Sports Illustrated's Muhammad Ali Legacy Award|<nowiki/>]] [[Civil Rights Game#Beacon Awards|Award]] (2015)<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-04-09 |title=MLB and the Los Angeles Dodgers announce details of the 2015 Civil Rights Game on Jackie Robinson Day |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/mlb-and-the-dodgers-announce-details-of-the-2015-civil-rights-game/c-117243554 |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>

'''National'''
* [[File:Presidential Medal of Freedom (ribbon).svg|80px]] [[Presidential Medal of Freedom]], [[United States]] (January 4, [[List of Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients#Awarded by Joe Biden|2025]])<ref name="Freedom" /><ref>{{cite web |last=Anderson |first=Kari |title=Magic Johnson, Lionel Messi receive Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Joe Biden |work=Yahoo Sports |date=January 5, 2025 |url=https://sports.yahoo.com/magic-johnson-lionel-messi-receive-presidential-medal-of-freedom-from-president-joe-biden-192334839.html |access-date=February 3, 2025 }}</ref>
* [[File:Logo Robert F. Kennedy Memorial.png|80px]] [[Ripple of Hope Award]], United States, December 9, 2025<ref>{{cite news|url=https://athlonsports.com/nba/los-angeles-lakers/nba-legend-magic-johnson-sends-message-after-receiving-honor|title=NBA Legend Magic Johnson Sends Message After Receiving Honor|first=Max|last=Escarpio|publisher=Athlon Sports|date=December 9, 2025|accessdate=December 13, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.wvnews.com/newsfeed/us/2025-ripple-of-hope-awards-gala/image_8a1b472d-9bca-51bc-a6a6-a5772a0410ab.html|title=2025 Ripple of Hope Awards Gala|first=Andy|last=Kropa|publisher=West Virginia News|date=December 9, 2025|accessdate=December 10, 2025}}</ref>

== Executive career ==
On February 21, 2017, Johnson replaced [[Jim Buss]] as the president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-kupchak-buss-20170221-story.html |title=Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak, exec Jim Buss relieved of duties as Magic Johnson takes over basketball operations |work=Los Angeles Times |date=February 21, 2017|access-date=December 11, 2019 |first=Tania |last=Ganguli|archive-date=December 24, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191224101207/https://www.latimes.com/sports/lakers/la-sp-lakers-kupchak-buss-20170221-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Under Johnson, the Lakers sought to acquire multiple star players and cleared existing players, including future All-Star [[D'Angelo Russell]], off of their roster in an attempt to free up room under the [[NBA salary cap|league's salary cap]]. 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 2018–19 season proved unsuccessful. The Lakers did not reach the playoffs during Johnson's executive tenure.<ref name="abruptly" /> 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.<ref name="abruptly">{{cite web |last=Beacham |first=Greg |title=Magic Johnson abruptly resigns as Lakers' president |url=https://www.apnews.com/b2b99caa7baa4314ac61726d8804dc36 |publisher=Associated Press |access-date=April 10, 2019 |date=April 9, 2019 |archive-date=April 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410020630/https://apnews.com/b2b99caa7baa4314ac61726d8804dc36 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Magic Johnson steps down as Lakers' president of basketball operations |url=https://www.nba.com/article/2019/04/09/magic-johnson-steps-down-lakers-president |publisher=NBA |access-date=April 10, 2019 |date=April 9, 2019 |archive-date=September 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200924054317/https://www.nba.com/article/2019/04/09/magic-johnson-steps-down-lakers-president |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Magic Johnson: Los Angeles Lakers legend resigns |url=https://www.bbc.com/sport/basketball/47877288 |publisher=BBC Sport |access-date=April 10, 2019 |date=April 10, 2019 |archive-date=April 10, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410125821/https://www.bbc.com/sport/basketball/47877288 |url-status=live}}</ref>

== Team ownership ==
In January 2012, Johnson joined with [[Guggenheim Partners]] and [[Stan Kasten]] in a bid for ownership of the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]] baseball team.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2011-dec-02-la-sp-1203-plaschke-magic-dodgers-20111203-story.html |title=Magic Johnson leads dream team bidding for Dodgers |last=Plaschke |first=Bill |date=December 2, 2011 |work=Los Angeles Times|access-date=May 17, 2022|archive-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517195140/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2011-dec-02-la-sp-1203-plaschke-magic-dodgers-20111203-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In March 2012, Johnson's ownership group was announced as the winner of the proceedings to buy the Dodgers.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/7745566/los-angeles-dodgers-selling-team-magic-johnson-group|access-date=May 17, 2022 |title=Dodgers sold to Magic Johnson group |publisher=ESPN |date=March 28, 2012|archive-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517195140/https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/mlb/story/_/id/7745566/los-angeles-dodgers-selling-team-magic-johnson-group|url-status=live}}</ref> The Johnson-led group, which also includes movie executive [[Peter Guber]], paid $2&nbsp;billion for the Dodgers. Johnson is considered the face of the ownership group while the [[controlling owner]] is Mark Walter.<ref name="frank">{{cite web |last1=Shaikin |first1=Bill |last2=Wharton |first2=David |title=Magic Johnson-led group is picked as Dodgers' next owner |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-mar-27-la-sp-0329-dodgers-magic-20120329-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=May 17, 2022 |date=March 27, 2012 |archive-date=May 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517195140/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-mar-27-la-sp-0329-dodgers-magic-20120329-story.html |url-status=live}}</ref> The Dodgers won the [[2020 World Series|2020]], [[2024 World Series|2024]], and [[2025 World Series]].<ref>{{cite news |last=Shaikin |first=Bill |title=From bankruptcy to a World Series title: Dodgers' ascension is Magic |work=Los Angeles Times |date=October 30, 2020 |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2020-10-30/dodgers-world-series-magic-johnson-manfred-mccourt|access-date=November 16, 2020|archive-date=November 16, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201116084555/https://www.latimes.com/sports/dodgers/story/2020-10-30/dodgers-world-series-magic-johnson-manfred-mccourt|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Foster |first=Jason |date=October 30, 2024 |title=Complete 2024 MLB postseason results |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2024-mlb-playoff-and-world-series-schedule |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241101180402/https://www.mlb.com/news/2024-mlb-playoff-and-world-series-schedule |archive-date=November 1, 2024 |access-date=November 1, 2024 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>

Johnson and Guber were also partners in the [[Dayton Dragons]],<ref name="frank" /> a [[Minor League Baseball#Class A|Class-A minor league baseball]] team based in [[Dayton, Ohio]], that sold out more than 1,000 consecutive games, a record for professional sports.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fisher |first=Mark |title=New Dragons owners say they won't mess with success |date=July 2, 2014 |url=https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/new-dragons-owners-say-they-won-mess-with-success/J2mU7Twa8r7kvPNWE7g8RK/|access-date=January 3, 2023 |work=Dayton Daily News |language=English|archive-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103190958/https://www.daytondailynews.com/news/new-dragons-owners-say-they-won-mess-with-success/J2mU7Twa8r7kvPNWE7g8RK/|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson and Guber sold their stake in the Dragons in 2014.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Heath |first=Thomas |date=July 13, 2014 |title=Capital Buzz: D.C. businessman buying Dayton baseball team |language=en-US |newspaper=The Washington Post |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/capital-buzz-dc-businessman-buying-dayton-baseball-team/2014/07/11/813d208a-0088-11e4-8fd0-3a663dfa68ac_story.html|access-date=January 3, 2023|archive-date=August 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200821003528/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/capitalbusiness/capital-buzz-dc-businessman-buying-dayton-baseball-team/2014/07/11/813d208a-0088-11e4-8fd0-3a663dfa68ac_story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Together with Guggenheim, Johnson was also involved in buying the [[Los Angeles Sparks]] of the [[WNBA]] in 2014.<ref name="Sparks">{{cite news |url=https://latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-sparks-sold-magic-dodgers-20140204,0,3096283.story#axzz2sJrXrCHG |title=Magic Johnson and other Dodgers owners purchase the Sparks |date=February 4, 2014 |work=Los Angeles Times |first=Melissa |last=Rohlin|access-date=December 11, 2019|archive-date=January 18, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220118184205/https://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-sparks-sold-magic-dodgers-20140204-story.html#axzz2sJrXrCHG|url-status=live}}</ref> As such, in 2014, Johnson was named one of ESPNW's Impact 25.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/impact25/slideshow/12020053/22/magic-johnson-55-los-angeles-sparks-co-owner |title=Magic Johnson, 55, Los Angeles Sparks Co-Owner |publisher=[[ESPN]]|access-date=July 21, 2024|archive-date=December 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141218021850/http://espn.go.com/espnw/news-commentary/impact25/slideshow/12020053/22/magic-johnson-55-los-angeles-sparks-co-owner|url-status=dead}}</ref> He won the WNBA championship as the owner in [[2016 WNBA Finals|2016]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Dougherty |first=Jesse |title=Sparks defeat Lynx for first WNBA championship since 2002 |url=https://latimes.com/sports/nba/la-sp-sparks-lynx-finals-20161020-snap-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times|access-date=December 11, 2019 |date=October 20, 2016|archive-date=August 3, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200803131945/https://www.latimes.com/sports/nba/la-sp-sparks-lynx-finals-20161020-snap-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson announced co-ownership of a [[Major League Soccer]] (MLS) expansion franchise, [[Los Angeles FC]], which began play in 2018 and won the [[MLS Cup]] in 2022.<ref name=LAFClaunch>{{Cite news |date=October 30, 2014 |title=Magic Johnson, Mia Hamm among owners of new L.A. pro soccer team |url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-mls-franchise-los-angeles-20141030-story.html|access-date=January 3, 2013 |work=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US|archive-date=October 31, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141031002802/http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-mls-franchise-los-angeles-20141030-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=LAFCname>{{Cite web |title=MLS Wants Fans' Help To Pick Team Name, Logo For New 'LA Football Club' |date=October 30, 2014 |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/mls-wants-fans-help-to-pick-team-name-logo-for-new-la-football-club/|access-date=January 3, 2023 |publisher=CBS News |language=en-US|archive-date=April 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411085356/https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/mls-wants-fans-help-to-pick-team-name-logo-for-new-la-football-club/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="MJ LAFC">{{cite web |url=https://magicjohnson.com/posts/an-inside-look-at-the-los-angeles-football-club |title=Los Angeles Football Club |website=Magic Johnson.com|access-date=November 25, 2022|archive-date=November 6, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221106003141/https://magicjohnson.com/posts/an-inside-look-at-the-los-angeles-football-club|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="MLSCup">{{cite web |title=Justin Bieber, Magic Johnson, Will Ferrell among many stars at MLS Cup 2022 |publisher=Major League Soccer |date=November 5, 2022 |url=https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/justin-bieber-magic-johnson-wiz-khalifa-among-many-stars-at-mls-cup-2022|access-date=November 25, 2022|archive-date=November 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221125232715/https://www.mlssoccer.com/news/justin-bieber-magic-johnson-wiz-khalifa-among-many-stars-at-mls-cup-2022|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2023, Johnson invested $240{{space}}million in a group headed by [[Josh Harris (businessman)|Josh Harris]] that purchased the [[Washington Commanders]] of the [[National Football League]] (NFL) for $6.05{{space}}billion.<ref name="NFL">{{cite web |last1=Friend |first1=Tom |title=Commanders deal a Magic moment |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2023/07/31/franchises.aspx |website=[[Sports Business Journal]] |access-date=August 5, 2023 |date=July 31, 2023 |archive-date=August 5, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230805123932/https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2023/07/31/franchises.aspx |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Jhabvala |first1=Nicki |title=The Commanders sale was so complicated, it was 'like 20 deals in one' |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/07/20/josh-harris-rales-commanders-owners/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=July 23, 2023 |date=July 20, 2023 |archive-date=September 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230909153248/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/07/20/josh-harris-rales-commanders-owners/ |url-status=live}}</ref> A lifelong fan of the NFL, he considered it a "dream" and the greatest achievement of his business career.<ref name="NFL" /><ref>{{cite news |last1=Maske |first1=Mark |last2=Jhabvala |first2=Nicki |title=NFL owners approve sale of Commanders from Daniel Snyder to Josh Harris |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/07/20/washington-commanders-sale/ |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |access-date=July 21, 2023 |date=July 20, 2023 |archive-date=July 20, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720210850/https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/07/20/washington-commanders-sale/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson had previously held talks with other groups interested in buying the [[Miami Dolphins]] and [[Las Vegas Raiders]] before meeting and joining Harris on an unsuccessful bid on the [[Denver Broncos]] in 2022.<ref name="NFL" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Charania |first=Shams |title=Magic Johnson joins bid to buy Broncos with 76ers owner Josh Harris: Source |work=The Athletic |date=May 5, 2022 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/4179132/2022/05/05/magic-johnson-joins-bid-to-buy-broncos-with-76ers-owner-josh-harris-source/|access-date=June 13, 2025|archive-date=July 20, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230720225505/https://theathletic.com/4179132/2022/05/05/magic-johnson-joins-bid-to-buy-broncos-with-76ers-owner-josh-harris-source/|url-status=live}}</ref> In September 2024, Johnson joined the ownership group of the [[Washington Spirit]] of the [[National Women's Soccer League]] (NWSL).<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kassouf |first1=Jeff |title=Magic Johnson joins NWSL's Washington Spirit as investor |url=https://www.espn.com/soccer/story/_/id/41134551/magic-johnson-joins-nwsl-washington-spirit-investor |website=ESPN |date=September 5, 2024 |access-date=September 11, 2024}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
[[File:Magic Johnson Mercedes-Benz Carousel of Hope Gala 2014 (cropped).jpg|thumb|Johnson with his wife, Cookie, in 2014]]
Johnson first fathered a son in 1981 when Andre Johnson was born to Melissa Mitchell. Although Andre was raised by his mother, he visited Johnson each summer, and later worked for [[Magic Johnson Enterprises]] as a marketing director.<ref name="espnticket">{{cite web |publisher=ESPN |last=Rovell |first=Darren|access-date=May 8, 2008 |date=October 8, 2005 |url=http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=magic |title=Passing on the Magic|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051125192615/http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/eticket/story?page=magic|archive-date=November 25, 2005}}</ref>

In 1991, Johnson married Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly in a small wedding in Lansing which included guests Thomas, Aguirre, and [[Herb Williams]].<ref>Lazenby, [https://archive.org/details/showinsidestoryo00laze/page/281 p. 281].</ref> Johnson and Cookie have one son, [[EJ Johnson|Earvin III]] ("EJ"), who is [[homosexuality|openly gay]] and a star on the reality show ''[[Rich Kids of Beverly Hills]]''.<ref name="espnticket" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Earvin Johnson III, Magic Johnson's Gay Son, Goes Public With Boyfriend, Parents Very Proud (Video) |work=The Huffington Post |date=April 3, 2013 |url=https://huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/02/earvin-johnson-iii-magic-johnson-gay-son-boyfriend_n_2998117.html?view=print&comm_ref=false|access-date=December 28, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130404125045/http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/02/earvin-johnson-iii-magic-Johnson-gay-son-boyfriend_n_2998117.html|archive-date=April 4, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref> The couple adopted a daughter, Elisa, in 1995.<ref>{{cite news |last=Brozan |first=Nadine |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=990CE2DA1438F935A15752C0A963958260 |title=Chronicle |work=The New York Times |date=January 26, 1995|access-date=May 8, 2008|archive-date=April 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220417144154/https://www.nytimes.com/1995/01/26/style/chronicle-125595.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson resides in [[Beverly Hills]] and has a vacation home in [[Dana Point, California]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |url=https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/magic-johnson-california-home |title=Magic Johnson's House in Southern California |last=Haldeman |first=Peter |magazine=Architectural Digest |date=December 2009|access-date=January 31, 2020|archive-date=August 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210804193337/https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/magic-johnson-california-home|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Ryon |first=Ruth |title=Hot property: For Magic Johnson, Dana Point vacation home's a slam dunk |work=The Mercury News |date=November 21, 2007 |url=https://www.mercurynews.com/2007/11/21/hot-property-for-magic-johnson-dana-point-vacation-homes-a-slam-dunk/|access-date=February 6, 2020|archive-date=May 16, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210516154746/https://www.mercurynews.com/2007/11/21/hot-property-for-magic-johnson-dana-point-vacation-homes-a-slam-dunk/|url-status=live}}</ref>

Johnson is a Christian<ref>{{cite web |title=Magic Johnson on Jeremy Lin: 'God is Good' |date=February 20, 2012 |url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/magic-johnson-on-jeremy-lin-god-is-good-69882/|access-date=May 11, 2014|archive-date=May 17, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210517104807/https://www.christianpost.com/news/magic-johnson-on-jeremy-lin-god-is-good-69882/|url-status=live}}</ref> and has said his faith is "the most important thing" in his life.<ref>{{cite web |title=Magic Johnson Testifies His Christian Faith in God at Connecticut Huskies vs. Michigan State Spartans NCAA's March Madness 2014 Game |url=http://www.gospelherald.com/video/magic-johnson-testifies-his-christian-faith-in-god-at-connecticut-huskies-vs-michigan-state-spartans-ncaas-march-madness-2014-game-3635|access-date=May 11, 2014|archive-date=May 18, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210518074849/https://www.gospelherald.com/video/magic-johnson-testifies-his-christian-faith-in-god-at-connecticut-huskies-vs-michigan-state-spartans-ncaas-march-madness-2014-game-3635|url-status=live}}</ref>

=== Relationship with Jerry Buss ===
Johnson had a close relationship with Lakers owner [[Jerry Buss]], whom he saw as a mentor and father figure.<ref name=father>{{Cite web |title=Report: Johnson to became part owner of Lakers |work=Ocala Star-Banner |date=June 27, 1994 |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=4dFPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=-gcEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6886%2C4351985|access-date=December 10, 2024 |page=5B |agency=Associated Press}}</ref> Calling Buss his "second father" and "one of [his] best friends", Johnson spent five hours visiting Buss at the hospital just a few months before his 2013 death from [[cancer]]. Speaking to media just hours after Buss had died, Johnson was emotional, saying, "Without Dr. Jerry Buss, there is no Magic."<ref name=jbuss>{{Cite news |last=Plaschke |first=Bill |date=February 19, 2013 |title=To Magic Johnson, Jerry Buss was friend, mentor and 'second father' |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2013-feb-19-la-sp-magic-jerry-buss-20130219-story.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US|archive-date=April 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411085358/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/la-xpm-2013-feb-19-la-sp-magic-jerry-buss-20130219-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Buss acquired the team from [[Jack Kent Cooke]] in 1979, shortly before he drafted Johnson with the #1 pick in the [[1979 NBA draft]]. Buss took a special interest in Johnson, introducing him to important Los Angeles business contacts and showing him how the Lakers organization was run, before eventually selling Johnson a stake in the team in 1994.<ref name=jbuss /> Johnson credits Buss with giving him the business knowledge that enabled him to become part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers.<ref name=jbuss /><ref name=doctor>{{Cite web |title=Magic says Buss made him the man he is today |date=February 20, 2013 |url=https://apnews.com/article/e5d99a3a1d364a24affbd2022f531178|access-date=January 3, 2023 |publisher=Associated Press |language=en|archive-date=April 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411085355/https://apnews.com/article/e5d99a3a1d364a24affbd2022f531178|url-status=live}}</ref>

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. Johnson had never seriously considered coaching, but he agreed to take the head coaching position with the Lakers in 1994 at Buss' request. 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. Although Johnson's retirement prior to the [[1992–93 NBA season]] voided this contract, Buss insisted that he still be paid.<ref name=jbuss /> It was this arrangement that allowed Johnson to coach the team without receiving any additional salary.<ref name=brief /><ref name=father /> 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.<ref name=jbuss />

=== Media figure and business interests ===
[[File:MagicJ3GRBHous-25apr13.jpg|right|thumb|Johnson giving a speech at the [[George R. Brown Convention Center]] in 2013]]
In 1997, his production company Magic Johnson Entertainment signed a deal with Fox.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Fleming |first=Michael |date=February 12, 1997 |title=Fox hopes to create pix Magic |url=https://variety.com/1997/voices/columns/fox-hopes-to-create-pix-magic-1117435973/|access-date=November 22, 2020 |website=Variety|archive-date=October 4, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211004104239/https://variety.com/1997/voices/columns/fox-hopes-to-create-pix-magic-1117435973/|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1998, Johnson hosted a late night talk show on the [[Fox network]] called ''[[The Magic Hour (talk show)|The Magic Hour]]'', but the show was canceled after two months because of low [[Nielsen ratings|ratings]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9803EFD8103BF93BA3575BC0A96E958260 |title='Magic Hour' Canceled |work=The New York Times |date=August 8, 1998|access-date=May 8, 2008|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308031949/https://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/08/arts/magic-hour-canceled.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Shortly after the cancellation of his talk show, Johnson started a record label. The label, initially called Magic 32 Records, was renamed Magic Johnson Music when Johnson signed a [[joint venture]] with [[MCA Records|MCA]] in 2000. Magic Johnson Music signed R&B artist [[Avant (singer)|Avant]] as its first act.<ref name=magicmusic>{{cite web |last1=Hochman |first1=Steve |title=Magic Johnson Gives His Label an Assist |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-feb-13-ca-63775-story.html |website=Los Angeles Times |access-date=May 17, 2022 |date=February 13, 2000 |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308025105/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-feb-13-ca-63775-story.html |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=firstact>{{Cite web |title=The Biography of Avant |url=https://www.poemhunter.com/lyrics/avant/biography/|access-date=June 4, 2013 |website=Poem Hunter |language=en-us|archive-date=June 5, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130605015641/http://www.poemhunter.com/lyrics/avant/biography/|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson also [[Concert promoter|co-promoted]] [[Janet Jackson]]'s [[Velvet Rope Tour]] through his company Magicworks.<ref name=velvet>{{cite web |title=Magic Johnson Starts Own Record Label |url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1998-10-07-9810070152-story.html |website=Chicago Tribune |access-date=May 17, 2022 |date=October 7, 1998 |archive-date=May 17, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517195139/https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1998-10-07-9810070152-story.html |url-status=live}}</ref> He has also worked as a [[motivational speaker]],<ref name=mot /> and was an NBA commentator for [[Turner Network Television]] for seven years,<ref>{{cite news |last=Sandomir |first=Richard |title=Sports Briefing – Pro Basketball; Magic Johnson Signs With ESPN |work=The New York Times |date=October 14, 2008 |url=https://archive.nytimes.com/query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage-9803E2DF163DF937A25753C1A96E9C8B63.html|access-date=May 17, 2022|archive-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517195139/https://archive.nytimes.com/query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage-9803E2DF163DF937A25753C1A96E9C8B63.html|url-status=live}}</ref> before becoming a studio analyst for ESPN's ''[[NBA Countdown]]'' in 2008.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/news/story?id=3642500 |title=Magic Johnson joins ESPN, ABC as NBA studio analyst |date=October 13, 2008 |publisher=ESPN|access-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222025248/http://espnmediazone.com/press_releases/2008_10_oct/20081013_MagicJohnsonJoinsESPNasNBAStudioAnalyst.htm|archive-date=December 22, 2008}}</ref>

Johnson runs [[Magic Johnson Enterprises]], a [[Conglomerate (company)|conglomerate]] that has a net worth of $700&nbsp;million;<ref name="espnticket" /> its subsidiaries include Magic Johnson Productions, a promotional company; [[Magic Johnson Theaters]], a nationwide chain of movie theaters; and Magic Johnson Entertainment, a film studio.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/article/1998/10/07/musical-magic |title=Musical Magic? |last=Walk |first=Gary Eng |date=October 7, 1998 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081222221931/http://ew.com/ew/article/0,,83770,00.html|archive-date=December 22, 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref> In 2006, Johnson created a contract food service with [[Sodexo]] USA called Sodexo-Magic.<ref name=sodexo>{{Cite web |date=May 15, 2010 |title=About us – Sodexo Magic |website=sodexomagic.com |url=http://www.sodexomagic.com/company.html|access-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100515110404/http://www.sodexomagic.com/company.html |archive-date=May 15, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |author=Elan, Elissa |title=Magic Johnson on his growing foodservice business |url=http://nrn.com/article/magic-johnson-his-growing-foodservice-business |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210094012/http://nrn.com/article/magic-johnson-his-growing-foodservice-business |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 10, 2012 |work=nrn.com |date=December 8, 2009 |access-date=May 9, 2017}}</ref> In 2004, Johnson and his partner Ken Lombard sold Magic Johnson Theaters to [[Loews Cineplex Entertainment]]. The first Magic Johnson Theater located in the [[Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza]], closed in 2010 and re-opened in 2011 as [[Rave Cinemas|Rave Cinema]] 15.<ref name=rave>{{Cite news |last=Vincent |first=Roger |date=June 28, 2011 |title=Former Magic Johnson Theaters reopens as Rave Cinemas |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/money-company/story/2011-06-28/former-magic-johnson-theaters-reopens-as-rave-cinemas|access-date=January 3, 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US|archive-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103190951/https://www.latimes.com/archives/blogs/money-company/story/2011-06-28/former-magic-johnson-theaters-reopens-as-rave-cinemas|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2012, Johnson launched a cable TV network called [[Aspire (TV network)|Aspire]], featuring programming targeted at black audiences, similar to networks such as [[Black Entertainment Television]] (BET) and [[TV One (American TV channel)|TV One]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Braxton |first1=Greg |last2=James |first2=Meg |title=Laker legend to launch a TV network |work=Los Angeles Times |date=February 21, 2012 |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-feb-21-la-fi-ct-magic-johnson-20120221-story.html|access-date=January 22, 2021|archive-date=April 16, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416022904/https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2012-feb-21-la-fi-ct-magic-johnson-20120221-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

Johnson began thinking of life after basketball while still playing for the Lakers. He wondered why so many athletes had failed at business, and sought advice. During his seventh season in the NBA, he had a meeting with [[Michael Ovitz]], CEO of Creative Artists Agency. Ovitz encouraged him to start reading business magazines and to use every connection available to him. Johnson learned everything he could about business, often meeting with corporate executives during road trips.<ref name=ovitz>{{Cite magazine |title=Magic Touch: Magic Johnson's Fast Break Into Business |magazine=Success |url=http://www.success.com/articles/1127-magic-johnson-s-fast-break-into-business|access-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121004004907/http://www.success.com/articles/1127-magic-johnson-s-fast-break-into-business |archive-date=October 4, 2012}}</ref> Johnson's first foray into business, a [[high-end]] sporting goods store named Magic 32,<ref name=ovitz /> failed after only one year, costing him $200,000.<ref name=starbucks /> The experience taught him to listen to his customers and find out what products they wanted. Johnson has become a leading voice on how to invest in urban communities, creating [[redevelopment]] opportunities in underserved areas, most notably through his movie theaters and his [[partnership]] with Starbucks. He went to [[Starbucks]] CEO [[Howard Schultz]] with the idea that he could successfully open the coffee shops in urban areas. After showing Schultz the tremendous buying power of minorities, Johnson was able to purchase 125 Starbucks stores, which reported higher than average per capita sales.<ref name=starbucks>{{Cite web |title=Magic Johnson Offers Business Wisdom |website=Precinct Reporter |url=http://www.precinctreporter.com/national-news/business-a-finance/64-business-a-finance/807-magic-johnson-offers-business-wisdom|access-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100804101731/http://www.precinctreporter.com/national-news/business-a-finance/64-business-a-finance/807-magic-johnson-offers-business-wisdom |archive-date=August 4, 2010}}</ref> The partnership, called Urban Coffee Opportunities, placed Starbucks in locations such as [[Detroit]], Washington, D.C., [[Harlem]], and the [[Crenshaw District]] of Los Angeles. Johnson sold his remaining interest in the stores back to the company in 2010, ending a successful twelve-year partnership.<ref name=sale>{{Cite web |title=Starbucks Acquires Remaining Interest in Magic Johnson Enterprises' Urban Coffee Opportunities (UCO) |work=Starbucks Stories |date=October 21, 2010 |url=https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2010/starbucks-acquires-remaining-interest-in-magic-johnson-enterprises-urban-co/|access-date=January 3, 2023 |publisher=Starbucks |language=en-us|archive-date=December 23, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221223021254/https://stories.starbucks.com/stories/2010/starbucks-acquires-remaining-interest-in-magic-johnson-enterprises-urban-co/|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=lakerblog>{{Cite news |last=Turner |first=Brad |date=October 19, 2010 |title=Magic Johnson sells his 105 Starbucks franchises |work=Los Angeles Times |url=http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2010/10/magic-johnson-sells-his-starbucks-franchises.html|access-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130212040210/http://lakersblog.latimes.com/lakersblog/2010/10/magic-johnson-sells-his-starbucks-franchises.html |archive-date=February 12, 2013}}</ref> He has also made investments in urban real estate through the Canyon-Johnson and Yucaipa-Johnson funds.<ref>{{cite news |last=Llovio |first=Louis |title=Magic Johnson wows the crowd and talks minority-owned businesses |work=Richmond Times-Dispatch |date=September 27, 2012 |url=https://www.richmond.com/business/magic-johnson-wows-the-crowd-and-talks-minority-owned-businesses/article_9135bb5a-7922-5bb9-8c9d-8cd21fe50a13.html|access-date=February 22, 2019|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308152255/https://www.richmond.com/_services/v1/client_captcha/challenge?request=X2xiX3JhdGVfZm9yZWlnbjpMMkoxYzJsdVpYTnpMMjFoWjJsakxXcHZhRzV6YjI0dGQyOTNjeTEwYUdVdFkzSnZkMlF0WVc1a0xYUmhiR3R6TFcxcGJtOXlhWFI1TFc5M2JtVmtMV0oxYzJsdVpYTnpaWE12WVhKMGFXTnNaVjg1TVRNMVltSTFZUzAzT1RJeUxUVmlZamt0T0dNNVpDMDRZMlF5TVdabE5UQmhNVE11YUhSdGJBOjE2MTUyMTY5NzY6MHhlMjgzNTJhYzE0OWU1M2Y0MWU4YjMwZThmMTkyMmI1MjNiNTVmOTM0|url-status=live}}</ref> Another major project is with insurance services company Aon Corp.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-20/magic-johnson-criticizes-lebron-james-says-he-wouldn-t-have-joined-bird.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100723102747/http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-20/magic-johnson-criticizes-lebron-james-says-he-wouldn-t-have-joined-bird.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 23, 2010 |title=Magic Johnson Says He Wouldn't Have Joined Bird After LeBron James's Move |publisher=Bloomberg |date=July 20, 2010 |access-date=May 9, 2017 |first=Barry |last=Rothbard}}</ref> In 2005–2007, Johnson was a part of a syndicate that bought the [[Williamsburgh Savings Bank Tower]], then the tallest building in [[Brooklyn]], for $71 million and converted the 512-foot high landmark structure from an office building into luxury condominiums.<ref>{{cite news |last=Son |first=Hugh |title=Bank On Condos: NBA Great In $71M Tower Deal |work=New York Daily News |date=May 18, 2005 |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/boroughs/bank-condos-nba-great-71m-tower-deal-article-1.604138|access-date=December 23, 2017|archive-date=March 27, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220327093841/https://www.nydailynews.com/archives/boroughs/bank-condos-nba-great-71m-tower-deal-article-1.604138|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Greenberg |first=Andy |title=Manhattan-style condos come to Fort Greene |magazine=The Real Deal |date=October 29, 2007 |url=https://therealdeal.com/issues_articles/manhattan-style-condos-come-to-fort-greene/|access-date=December 23, 2017|archive-date=May 14, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210514132438/https://therealdeal.com/issues_articles/manhattan-style-condos-come-to-fort-greene/|url-status=live}}</ref> According to ''[[Forbes]]'', Johnson became a [[The World's Billionaires|billionaire]] in 2023,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/magic-johnson-becomes-fourth-athlete-billionaire-lakers-icon-joins-michael-jordan-lebron-james-tiger-woods/ |title=Magic Johnson becomes fourth athlete billionaire: Lakers icon joins Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Tiger Woods |website=[[CBS Sports]] |last=Gonzalez |first=Isabel |date=October 30, 2023 |access-date=November 25, 2023 |language=en-US |archive-date=November 9, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231109204246/https://www.cbssports.com/nba/news/magic-johnson-becomes-fourth-athlete-billionaire-lakers-icon-joins-michael-jordan-lebron-james-tiger-woods/ |url-status=live}}</ref> making him one of the [[List of celebrities by net worth|richest celebrities]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Martin|first=Devin Sean|title=The World's Celebrity Billionaires 2024|magazine=Forbes|date=April 3, 2024|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/devinseanmartin/2024/04/02/the-worlds-celebrity-billionaires-2024-taylor-swift-kim-kardashian-oprah/|access-date=January 11, 2025}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gray |first1=Kathy |title=Magic Johnson buys into D.C.-area Pepsi bottling operation |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/07/25/Magic-Johnson-buys-into-DC-area-Pepsi-bottling-operation/8509648878400/ |publisher=United Press International |access-date=June 12, 2020 |date=July 25, 1990 |archive-date=March 8, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308141035/https://www.upi.com/Archives/1990/07/25/Magic-Johnson-buys-into-DC-area-Pepsi-bottling-operation/8509648878400/ |url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson became a minority owner of the Lakers in 1994, having reportedly paid more than $10&nbsp;million for part ownership. He also held the title of team vice president.<ref name="johnson">{{Cite magazine |title=Magic Johnson Becomes Part Owner of Lakers |magazine=Jet Magazine |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8boDAAAAMBAJ&q=magic%2520johnson |date=July 18, 1994 |page=46|access-date=April 24, 2022 |language=en|archive-date=April 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411085400/https://books.google.com/books?id=8boDAAAAMBAJ&q=magic%20johnson|url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson sold his ownership stake in the Lakers in October 2010 to [[Patrick Soon-Shiong]], a Los Angeles surgeon and professor at [[UCLA]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=5700193 |title=Magic Johnson sells Lakers shares |date=October 18, 2010 |publisher=ESPN|access-date=May 17, 2022|archive-date=May 17, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220517195139/https://www.espn.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=5700193|url-status=live}}</ref> but continued as an unpaid vice president of the team.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bresnahan |first=Mike |title=Magic Johnson would be interested in buying Clippers, source says |date=April 28, 2014 |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-magic-johnson-clippers-20140428-story.html|access-date=December 11, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140508171349/http://www.latimes.com/sports/sportsnow/la-sp-sn-magic-johnson-clippers-20140428-story.html|archive-date=May 8, 2014|url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2017, Johnson returned to the Lakers as an advisor to Jeanie Buss.<ref>{{cite web |title=Magic Johnson to Advise Team Ownership |url=http://www.nba.com/lakers/releases/170202-magic-johnson-advise-ownership |publisher=NBA|access-date=February 2, 2017 |date=February 2, 2017 |quote=The Los Angeles Lakers today announced that Earvin "Magic" Johnson will return to the Lakers to assist Jeanie Buss in all areas of basketball and business as an advisor.|archive-date=May 7, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210507225842/https://www.nba.com/lakers/releases/170202-magic-johnson-advise-ownership|url-status=live}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/magic-trick-johnson-group-buy-dodgers-article-1.1771433 |title=Magic Johnson reportedly interested in buying Clippers, NBA plans Tuesday press conference on Donald Sterling investigation |work=New York Daily News |date=April 28, 2014 |access-date=May 1, 2014 |author=Botte, Peter |location=New York |archive-date=April 13, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413052938/https://www.nydailynews.com/sports/basketball/magic-trick-johnson-group-buy-dodgers-article-1.1771433 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2015, Johnson completed his planned acquisition for a "majority, controlling interest" in EquiTrust Life Insurance Company, which manages $14.5 billion in annuities, life insurance and other financial products.<ref>{{cite news |title=Magic Johnson buys life insurance company |url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/06/23/magic-johnson-equitrust-life-insurance/29155157/ |website=USA Today|access-date=June 23, 2015 |date=June 23, 2015|archive-date=March 8, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210308195622/https://eu.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/06/23/magic-johnson-equitrust-life-insurance/29155157/|url-status=live}}</ref>

He is an investor for aXiomatic eSports, the ownership company of [[Team Liquid]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://tl.net/forum/general/514345-wizards-warriors-and-magic-a-strategic-partnership |title=Wizards, Warriors, and Magic: A Strategic Partnership |website=TLnet|access-date=January 3, 2023|archive-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103191030/https://tl.net/forum/general/514345-wizards-warriors-and-magic-a-strategic-partnership|url-status=live}}</ref>

On October 8, 2025, the [[Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association]] named Johnson the [[Grand Marshals of the Rose Parade#2020s|Grand Marshal]] of the 2026 [[Rose Parade]]. He will preside over the parade and participate in the pre-game ceremony at the [[2026 Rose Bowl]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Earvin "Magic" Johnson Named 2026 Tournament of Roses Grand Marshal |url=https://tournamentofroses.com/2026-grand-marshal-magic-johnson/ |publisher=Pasadena Tournament of Roses Association |access-date=October 9, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=October 8, 2025 |title=Magic Johnson to lead 137th Rose Parade as grand marshal |url=https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/46533325/magic-johnson-lead-137th-rose-parade-grand-marshal |access-date=October 9, 2025 |website=ESPN.com |agency=Associated Press |language=en}}</ref>

=== Politics ===
[[File:Magic Johnson and Nancy Pelosi.jpg|thumb|alt=A middle-aged Caucasian woman shakes the hand of a tall black man.|In 2003, Johnson met with [[Nancy Pelosi]] to discuss federal assistance for those with [[AIDS]].]]
Johnson is a supporter of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]]. In 2006, he publicly endorsed [[Phil Angelides]] for [[Governor of California]].<ref>Finnegan, Michael. {{cite web |title=Magic Johnson backs Angelides for Governor |website=Angelides |url=http://www.angelides.com/news/philinthenews/2005_1129_magic.html |date=November 29, 2005|access-date=September 13, 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071222073941/http://www.angelides.com/news/philinthenews/2005_1129_magic.html|archive-date=December 22, 2007}}</ref> He supported [[Hillary Clinton]] during her [[Hillary Clinton 2008 presidential campaign|2008 presidential campaign]],<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-12-18-magic-clinton_N.htm |title=Magic Johnson, Bill Clinton team up for Hillary |date=December 20, 2007 |work=USA Today|access-date=May 10, 2008|archive-date=February 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210141256/http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2007-12-18-magic-clinton_N.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and in 2010, he endorsed [[Barbara Boxer]] in her [[2010 United States Senate election in California|race for re-election]] to the [[U.S. Senate]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 11, 2010 |title=Magic Johnson Backing Barbara Boxer for US Senate |work=Third Age |url=http://www.thirdage.com/news/magic-johnson-backing-barbara-boxer-us-senate_8-11-2010|access-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100818033102/http://www.thirdage.com/news/magic-johnson-backing-barbara-boxer-us-senate_8-11-2010 |archive-date=August 18, 2010}}</ref> In 2012, he endorsed [[Barack Obama]] for president.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 5, 2012 |title=Magic Johnson Endorses President Barack Obama |url=https://majicatl.com/1473613/magic-johnson-endorses-president-barack-obama-audio/|access-date=January 3, 2023 |publisher=WAMJ |language=en-US|archive-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103190955/https://majicatl.com/1473613/magic-johnson-endorses-president-barack-obama-audio/|url-status=live}}</ref> He endorsed and appeared in campaign ads for unsuccessful Los Angeles mayoral candidate [[Wendy Greuel]] in 2013.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mehta |first=Seema |date=March 28, 2013 |title=Magic Johnson endorses Wendy Greuel for L.A. mayor |url=https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-xpm-2013-mar-28-la-me-ln-magic-johnson-endorses-greuel-20130328-story.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US|archive-date=April 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411090349/https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-xpm-2013-mar-28-la-me-ln-magic-johnson-endorses-greuel-20130328-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 2015, he once again endorsed Hillary Clinton in [[Hillary Clinton 2016 presidential campaign|her second presidential campaign]].<ref>{{cite tweet |user=magicjohnson |number=587360411437158402 |date=April 12, 2015 |title=I feel @HillaryClinton will be a great President for the American people and she will make sure that everyone has a voice! |access-date=June 20, 2016}}</ref> He hosted a fundraiser for Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign on August 22, 2016.<ref name="Fundraiser">{{cite news |title=Hillary Clinton Fundraisers Coming to Beverly Hills |url=http://bhcourier.com/beverly-hills-news-hillary-clinton-fundraisers-coming-to-beverly-hills/|access-date=August 9, 2023 |work=The Beverly Hills Courier |date=August 3, 2016|archive-date=February 25, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220225041349/https://beverlyhillscourier.com/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

=== HIV activism ===
{{Blockquote
|text=I think sometimes we think, "Well, only gay people can get it; it's not going to happen to me", and here I am saying that it can happen to anybody.
|author=Magic Johnson (November 7, 1991)<ref>{{cite AV media |people=Magic Johnson |date=November 7, 1991 |title=Magic Johnson HIV announcement |type=Press conference video |language=English |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbdOQUARrEU | access-date = July 30, 2023 |time=4:22ff. |location=Los Angeles |publisher=CNN | archive-date = July 30, 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230730125930/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VbdOQUARrEU | url-status = live}}</ref>
}}
Johnson was one of the first sports stars to go public about having HIV.<ref>{{cite web |title=Magic Johnson announces he is HIV-positive |url=https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/magic-johnson-announces-he-is-hiv-positive |website=History |date=November 24, 2009 |access-date=July 30, 2023 |language=en |archive-date=July 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730123256/https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/magic-johnson-announces-he-is-hiv-positive |url-status=live}}</ref> [[AIDS]] activist [[Elizabeth Glaser]], to whom Johnson had been introduced by a friend,<ref name="SMFrontline" /> convinced Johnson to go public about his diagnosis.<ref name="SMFrontline" /><ref>{{cite news |last=Genet |first=Danielle |title=Cookie Johnson: 'I Fell to My Knees' When Magic Revealed His HIV Diagnosis |url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/cookie-johnson-fell-knees-magic-revealed-hiv-diagnosis/story?id=42141924 |access-date=July 30, 2023 |work=ABC News |date=September 20, 2016 |language=en |archive-date=July 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730114702/https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/cookie-johnson-fell-knees-magic-revealed-hiv-diagnosis/story?id=42141924 |url-status=live}}</ref> "She made me promise before she died that I would become the face of the disease and really go out and help people and educate people about it", Johnson recalled in a 2011 interview with ''[[Frontline (American TV program)|Frontline]]''.<ref name="SMFrontline">{{cite news |last=Moughty |first=Sarah |title=20 Years After HIV Announcement, Magic Johnson Emphasizes: "I Am Not Cured" |url=https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/20-years-after-hiv-announcement-magic-johnson-emphasizes-i-am-not-cured/ |access-date=July 30, 2023 |work=Frontline |publisher=PBS |date=November 7, 2011 |archive-date=July 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730113820/https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/article/20-years-after-hiv-announcement-magic-johnson-emphasizes-i-am-not-cured/ |url-status=live}}</ref>

After announcing his infection in November 1991, Johnson created the [[Magic Johnson Foundation]] to help combat HIV,<ref name="lifeafterdeath">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.si.com/vault/2001/08/20/309211/magic-johnson-life-after-death |title=Life After Death |last=McCallum |first=Jack |date=August 20, 2001 |magazine=Sports Illustrated|access-date=April 28, 2019|archive-date=March 15, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210315035216/https://vault.si.com/vault/2001/08/20/magic-johnson-life-after-death|url-status=live}}</ref> although he later diversified the foundation to include other charitable goals.<ref name="espnaids">{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/gen/s/2001/1105/1274006.html |title=AIDS community misses old Magic act |last=Farrey |first=Tom |date=November 7, 2001 |publisher=ESPN|access-date=May 15, 2008|archive-date=April 19, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419021910/http://espn.go.com/gen/s/2001/1105/1274006.html|url-status=live}}</ref> In 1992, he joined the [[National Commission on AIDS]], a committee appointed by members of [[United States Congress|Congress]] and the [[George H.W. Bush|Bush Administration]]. Johnson left after eight months, saying that the [[White House]] had "utterly ignored" the work of the panel, and had opposed the commission's recommendations, which included [[universal healthcare]] and the expansion of [[Medicaid]] to cover all low-income people with AIDS.<ref name="lifeafterdeath" /><ref name=quits>{{Cite news |title='Disappointed' Magic Johnson quits AIDS commission |date=September 26, 1992 |url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1992-09-26-1992270001-story.html|access-date=January 3, 2023 |work=The Baltimore Sun |agency=Los Angeles Times|archive-date=January 3, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230103190955/https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-1992-09-26-1992270001-story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> He was also the main speaker for the [[United Nations]] (UN) [[World AIDS Day]] Conference in 1999,<ref name="espnaids" /> and has served as a [[United Nations Messenger of Peace]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/16/sports/sports-of-the-times-the-greatest-is-honored-by-the-diplomat.html |title=The Greatest Is Honored by The Diplomat |last=Rhoden |first=William C. |date=September 16, 1998 |work=The New York Times|access-date=May 17, 2022|archive-date=February 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210141420/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/09/16/sports/sports-of-the-times-the-greatest-is-honored-by-the-diplomat.html|url-status=live}}</ref>

HIV had been associated with intravenous drug users and homosexuals,<ref name="lifeafterdeath" /> but Johnson's campaigns sought to show that the risk of infection was not limited to those groups. Johnson stated that his aim was to "help educate all people about what [HIV] is about" and teach others not to "discriminate against people who have HIV and AIDS".<ref name="espnaids" /> Johnson was later criticized by the AIDS community for his decreased involvement in publicizing the spread of the disease.<ref name="lifeafterdeath" /><ref name="espnaids" />

A number of research papers have been written on the "Magic Johnson effect", the effect Johnson's HIV announcement had on various populations, particularly those outside the stereotypes of who got infected with HIV – that is, heterosexuals.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Brennan |first1=Matt |title=How Magic Johnson's HIV diagnosis changed the conversation about AIDS in America |url=https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2022-05-01/winning-time-hbo-magic-johnson-hiv-aids-epidemic |access-date=July 30, 2023 |work=Los Angeles Times |date=May 2, 2022 |archive-date=July 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730123255/https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2022-05-01/winning-time-hbo-magic-johnson-hiv-aids-epidemic |url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson's announcement was a "[[public health|public-health]] catalyst", according to a [[West Virginia University]] paper,<ref name="HadhazyGordon">{{Cite news |last=Hadhazy |first=Adam |last2=Gordon |first2=Jonathan |date=August 24, 2022 |title=How has Magic Johnson survived with HIV? |url=https://www.livescience.com/16909-magic-johnson-hiv-aids-anniversary.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730123256/https://www.livescience.com/16909-magic-johnson-hiv-aids-anniversary.html |archive-date=July 30, 2023 |access-date=July 30, 2023 |work=livescience.com |language=en}}</ref> "rapidly correcting the public's understanding of who was at risk of infection".<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Cardazzi |first1=Alexander |last2=Martin |first2=Joshua C. |last3=Rodriguez |first3=Zachary |date=September 2023 |title=Information shocks and celebrity exposure: The effect of "Magic" Johnson on AIDS diagnoses and mortality in the U.S. |url=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hec.4712 |journal=Health Economics |language=en |volume=32 |issue=9 |pages=2047–2079 |doi=10.1002/hec.4712 |pmid=37292004 |issn=1057-9230 |access-date=May 1, 2024 |archive-date=February 23, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240223123445/https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/hec.4712 |url-status=live|url-access=subscription }}</ref> The paper argues there was a "large but temporary increase in the number of AIDS diagnoses for heterosexual men following the announcement" and suggests that, for some of those people, Johnson's announcement "prolonged patients' lifespans as a result of earlier access to medical care".<ref name="ACJCMZR">{{cite journal |last1=Cardazzi |first1=Alexander |last2=Martin |first2=Joshua C. |last3=Rodriguez |first3=Zachary |title="Information Avoidance and Celebrity Exposure: The Effect of "Magic" Johnson on AIDS Diagnoses and Mortality in the U.S. |journal=Economics Faculty Working Papers Series |date=2021 |issue=57 |url=https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1054&context=econ_working-papers |access-date=July 30, 2023 |archive-date=July 30, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230730123257/https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1054&context=econ_working-papers |url-status=live}}</ref> A paper published in ''[[AIDS Education and Prevention]]'' found that "the announcement by Magic Johnson that he had been infected with HIV was associated with increased concern about HIV and with attitude and behavior changes that would lead to reduced risk".<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Langer |first1=LM |last2=Zimmerman |first2=RS |last3=Hendershot |first3=EF |last4=Singh |first4=M |title=Effect of Magic Johnson's HIV status on HIV-related attitudes and behaviors of an STD clinic population. |journal=AIDS Education and Prevention |date=1992 |volume=4 |issue=4 |pages=295–307 |pmid=1472415}}</ref>

To prevent his HIV infection from progressing to AIDS, Johnson takes a daily combination of [[antiretroviral drugs]], blocking and containing the virus.<ref name="HadhazyGordon" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Dador |first=Denise |title=Big medical advances seen 25 years after Magic Johnson's AIDS diagnosis |date=November 8, 2016 |url=https://abc7.com/magic-johnson-hiv-aids-medicine/1595575/ |access-date=November 4, 2024 |website=ABC7 Los Angeles |language=en}}</ref> He has advertised [[GlaxoSmithKline]]'s drugs,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/drugs/2003-01-20-magic-glaxo_x.htm |title=Magic Johnson assists drugmaker to advertise HIV treatment |date=January 20, 2003 |work=USA Today|access-date=February 17, 2009|archive-date=February 10, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210141139/http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/health/drugs/2003-01-20-magic-glaxo_x.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> and partnered with [[Abbott Laboratories]] to publicize the fight against AIDS in African American communities.<ref name="misperception">{{cite news |last=Sternberg |first=Steve |date=November 30, 2006 |title=Magic Johnson combats AIDS misperceptions |url=https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-11-30-magic-aids_x.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090722213530/https://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2006-11-30-magic-aids_x.htm |archive-date=July 22, 2009 |access-date=November 11, 2023 |work=USA Today}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of athletes who came out of retirement]]
* [[List of NBA career assists leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career steals leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career turnovers leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career free throw scoring leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career triple-double leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career playoff scoring leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career playoff rebounding leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career playoff assists leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career playoff steals leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career playoff turnovers leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career playoff free throw scoring leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career playoff triple-double leaders]]
* [[List of NBA career playoff games played leaders]]
* [[List of NBA single-game assists leaders]]
* [[List of NBA single-game steals leaders]]
* [[List of NBA single-season assists per game leaders]]
* [[List of NBA single-season steals per game leaders]]
* ''[[Magic Johnson's Fast Break]]'', a 1988 video game

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== Sources ==
*{{cite book |last=Lazenby |first=Roland |author-link=Roland Lazenby |title=The Show: The Inside Story of the Spectacular Los Angeles Lakers in the Words of Those Who Lived It |year=2006 |publisher=McGraw-Hill Professional |location=New York |isbn=978-0-07-143034-0 |url=https://archive.org/details/showinsidestoryo00laze |url-access=registration}}
*{{cite book |last=Riley |first=Pat |title=The Winner Within |publisher=G.P. Putnam's Son |year=1993 |isbn=978-0-425-14175-5 |url=https://archive.org/details/winnerwithinlife00rile_0|url-access=registration}}

== Further reading ==

=== Biographies ===
Johnson's [[autobiography]] is {{cite book |title=Magic Johnson: My Life |first=Earvin |last=Johnson |publisher=Random House |year=1992 |isbn=0-449-22254-3}} Other biographies include:
*{{cite book |title=Magic: A Biography of Earvin Johnson |first=James |last=Haskins |year=1981 |isbn=0-89490-044-7 |publisher=Enslow Publishers |location=Hillside, New Jersey}}
*{{cite book |title=Magic: More Than a Legend |first=Bill |last=Gutman |year=1991 |isbn=0-06-100542-8 |publisher=Harper Paperbacks |location=New York |url=https://archive.org/details/magicmorethanleg00gutm}}
*{{cite book |title=The Magic: Earvin Johnson |first=Bill |last=Morgan |year=1991 |publisher=Scholastic |isbn=0-606-01895-6}}
*{{cite book |title=Magic Johnson: Hero On and Off the Court |first=Bill |last=Gutman |year=1992 |isbn=1-56294-287-5 |publisher=Millbrook Press |location=Brookfield, Connecticut |url=https://archive.org/details/magicjohnsonhero00gutm}}
*{{cite book |title=Magic Johnson: Basketball's Smiling Superstar |first=Rick L. |last=Johnson |year=1992 |isbn=0-87518-553-3 |publisher=Dillon Press |location=New York |url=https://archive.org/details/magicjohnsonbask0000john}}
*{{cite book |title=Magic Johnson: Basketball Immortal |first=Laurie |last=Rozakis |year=1993 |isbn=0-86592-025-7 |publisher=Rourke Enterprises |location=Vero Beach, Florida|url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/magicjohnsonbask0000roza}}
*{{cite book |title=Magic Johnson (Junior World Biographies) |first=Martin |last=Schwabacher |year=1993 |isbn=0-7910-2038-X |publisher=Chelsea Juniors |location=New York|url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/magicjohnsonjuni00mart}}
*{{cite book |author=Bork, Günter |title=Die großen Basketball Stars |year=1994 |publisher=Copress-Verl |isbn=3-7679-0369-5}} (German)
*{{cite book |title=Magic Johnson (Basketball Legends) |first=Steven |last=Frank |year=1994 |isbn=0-7910-2430-X |publisher=Chelsea House Publishers |location=New York |url=https://archive.org/details/magicjohnson00fran}}
*{{cite book |author=Bork, Günter |title=Basketball: Sternstunden |year=1995 |publisher=Copress-Verl |isbn=3-7679-0456-X}} (German)
*{{cite book |title=Magic! Against The Odds |first=Howard |last=Blatt |year=1996 |isbn=0-671-00301-1 |publisher=Pocket Books |location=New York}}
*{{cite book |title=Earvin "Magic" Johnson: The Star of Showtime |first=Mark |last=Rosner |year=1999 |editor=Michael MacCambridge |location=New York |publisher=Hyperion ESPN Books |pages=251–52}} (In ''ESPN SportsCentury'')
*{{cite book |title=Earvin Magic Johnson: Champion and Crusader |first=Ted |last=Gottfried |year=2001 |isbn=0-531-11675-1 |publisher=F. Watts |location=New York|url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/earvinmagicjohns0000gott}}

=== Instructional ===
*{{cite book |title=Magic's Touch: From Fundamentals to Fast Break With One of Basketball's All-Time Greats |first=Earvin "Magic" |last=Johnson |year=1992 |isbn=0-201-63222-5 |publisher=Addison-Wesley Pub. Co |location=Reading, Massachusetts}}
*{{cite book |title=What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS |first=Earvin "Magic" |last=Johnson |year=1996 |isbn=0-8129-2844-X |publisher=Times Books |location=New York}}
**Updated version of {{cite book |title=Unsafe Sex in the Age of AIDS |first=Earvin "Magic" |last=Johnson |year=1992 |isbn=0-8129-2063-5 |publisher=Times Books |location=New York |url=https://archive.org/details/whatyoucandotoav00john}}

== External links ==
{{Wikiquote}}
{{Commons}}
* {{Twitter|magicjohnson}}
* {{Basketballhof|magic-johnson|Magic Johnson}}

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