Magic John (Earvin “Sorcery” Johnson Jr.) is a former NBA star, successful businessman, and generous philanthropist. Johnson’s passing ability, court vision, and general level of intelligence on the ball court were legendary. He was also quite good at both scoring and grabbing boards. Magic John is also an accomplished financial manager and humanitarian outside of the basketball arena. Since coming to terms with the illness in 1991, he has been an advocate for HIV/Helps awareness and education. Because of the significant time and effort he has devoted to business, entrepreneurial endeavors, and charitable causes, his influence goes far beyond the realm of sports.
Early life and Work in the Ball Industry
Growing up in a family of seven, he was the fourth of five kids. Johnson got his start in basketball at a young age and developed further while attending Everett Secondary School in Lansing. In his senior year, he was the team’s catalyst as they won the state championship thanks to his stellar play on the basketball court.
Magic John continued his ball career at Michigan State University after graduating from high school. He had a successful collegiate career at Michigan State, where he contributed to the team’s 1979 national championship. Later that year, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Johnson with the first overall pick in the NBA draught after Johnson declared his eligibility.
Finals reports
Johnson made an instant impression in the NBA, helping the Lakers reach the NBA Finals in his rookie year. Throughout his career, he was consistently a dominant force on the floor, earning MVP honors from the NBA Finals that year. He spent 13 years with the Lakers, during which time the team won five NBA championships and he was named MVP three times. Johnson’s incredible passing ability, court vision, and overall basketball IQ earned him a reputation as one of the game’s best. A talented scorer and rebounder, he has several skills.
Vocational education in high school
When Magic John was 15 and a sophomore at Everett Secondary School, he earned the nickname “Sorcery” after compiling a triple-twofold of 36 placements, 18 bounce backs, and 16 assists. [Despite Johnson’s deeply religious mother’s view that the name was sacrilegious, he was given the moniker after the game by Fred Stabley Jr., a games essayist for the Lansing State Diary.
![magic john](https://magazineviz.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/magic-john3-300x200.jpg)
In his senior year of high school, Johnson led Everett to a 27-1 win-loss record, an overtime state championship victory, and an average of 28.8 points scored and 16.8 rebounds rebounded per game. Johnson devoted his championship win to his best friend Reggie Chastine, who was killed in a car accident this past summer.
The struggle of the Jonson’s
He credited Chastine with much of the credit for his development as a basketball player, adding, “I questioned myself in those days,” a reflection on his uncertainty at the time. Johnson and Chastine spent a lot of time together. They would often go out and play ball together or go about in Chastine’s car. Wizardry, distraught about Chastine’s death, stormed out of the house and ran away. After graduating from high school, Johnson was named to the All-State team twice and was also selected for the 1977 McDonald’s All-American team. He was widely considered to be the greatest high school player to come out of Michigan.
College Career
Magic John was recruited by several top schools, including Indiana and UCLA, but ultimately decided to play at the Division I level in his hometown. Only two schools in the state of Michigan were serious contenders for his enrollment: Michigan and Michigan State University in East Lansing. After learning from his mentor Jud Heathcote that he could play the point monitor position at Michigan State, he made up his mind to enroll there. He was also intrigued by the talent already present on Michigan State’s roster.
After preparing for the NCAA tournament once more in 1978–1979, Michigan State advanced to the championship game, where they met Indiana State, led by senior Larry Bird. Johnson received the most votes for Most Extraordinary Player of the Final Four after leading Michigan State to a 75-64 victory over Indiana State in the most-watched college basketball game in history.
Date | Event |
---|---|
August 14, 1959 | Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. is born in Lansing, Michigan |
1977 | Graduates from Everett High School and attends Michigan State University |
1979 | Leads Michigan State to the NCAA championship title and is drafted first overall by the Los Angeles Lakers |
1980 | Wins NBA championship and Finals MVP in rookie season |
1991 | Announces retirement from basketball after contracting HIV |
1992 | Wins gold medal with Dream Team at Olympic Games in Barcelona |
1996 | Returns to NBA for a brief comeback with the Lakers |
2002 | Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame |
2010 | Becomes co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers |
2012 | Part of the ownership group that purchases the Los Angeles Sparks WNBA, team |
2019 | Celebrates 60th birthday and 40th anniversary of NCAA championship win |
The unique style and talent of Magic John playing;
Passing Ability:
- Magic John’s passing ability was widely regarded as among the best in NBA history. He had a remarkable knack for finding teammates in scoring position, and his no-look or behind-the-back passes often caught his opponents off guard.
- It’s safe to say that Johnson’s passing skills were crucial to the success of his team. At his career midpoint, he was averaging 11.2 assists per game, which was the highest mark ever for a player who had played at least 500 games in the NBA.
Ball Handling:
- Magic John was a great ball-handler who could easily break through defenses. His ability to protect the ball and quickly react to avoid defenders made him a fan favorite.
- Johnson’s ball-handling skills allowed him to fill a variety of roles on the floor, from point guard to small forward.
Basketball IQ:
- Magic John possessed a rare basketball IQ, allowing him to study the game and make strategic decisions while playing. He was well-respected for his ability to adjust to the flow of the game and make adjustments as necessary.
- With his high basketball IQ, Johnson could also anticipate his opponent’s moves and successfully make defensive plays. He was an above-average defender who averaged 1.9 takeaways per game.
Scoring Ability:
- Magic John was primarily noted for his passing skills, but he also had a knack for putting points on the board. He could score from any spot on the court and played an aggressive, versatile game.
- Johnson averaged 19.5 points per game throughout his professional career and scored 46 points in a game against the Boston Celtics in the 1987 NBA Finals.
Extreme ups and lows (1980-1983)
A ruptured ligament in Magic John’s left knee forced him to miss the start of the 1980–81 season. After a long absence, Johnson returned to the Lakers before the 1981 playoffs began. Nevertheless, his former teammate and future head coach Pat Riley subsequently remarked that Johnson’s return had created a “partitioned group” within the Lakers organization. On the main stage of the postseason, the 54-win Los Angeles Lakers took on the 40-42 loss Houston Rockets.
![magic john](https://magazineviz.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/magic-john1.jpg)
Old ideas, unsatisfactory results (1987-1991)
Even though no team had won back-to-back titles in the NBA since the Celtics in 1969, Lakers head coach Pat Riley confidently promised that his team will do so before the 1987–88 season. Although missing 10 games due to a crotch ailment, Magic John had another productive season, averaging 19.6 points, 11.9 assists, and 6.2 rebounds per contest. In the 1988 playoffs, the Lakers dispatched the San Antonio Prods in three games before enduring two 4-3 series against the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Nonconformists to reach the Finals and face Thomas and the Detroit Cylinders, who were infamous for their “Awful Young Men” style of play thanks to players like Bill Laimbeer, John Salley, Vinnie Johnson, and Dennis Rodman. Before the first tip of Game 1, Johnson and Thomas greeted each other with a kiss on the cheek, which they described as a display of genuine devotion.
Finals about jonson’s
Finals MVP James Commendable led the Lakers to a 108-105 victory in game seven after the teams split the first six games. Commendable scored a career-high 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists. Johnson was not awarded MVP of the series, but he still averaged 21.1 points per game while shooting.550 from the field, 13.1 assists each contest, and 5.7 boards. This championship was his fifth and final NBA championship.
In the 1988–1989 NBA season, Magic John won his second MVP award with 22.5 points, 12.8 assists, and 7.9 rebounds per game, leading the Lakers to the NBA Finals, where they would once again meet the Cylinders. With Johnson sidelined due to a hamstring injury in Game 2, the Lakers were no match for the Cylinders, who swept them (4-0).
Grants and titles
With an outstanding basketball career, Magic John won multiple championships and individual awards throughout his time in the NBA. Details of his title win and awards are listed below.
Championships:
- Magic John won five NBA championships (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988) while playing for the Los Angeles Lakers.
- During each of these championship runs, he played a pivotal role, and he was recognized as the NBA Finals MVP in 1980, 1982, and 1987.
Individual Awards:
- In 1987, 1989, and 1990, Johnson was named the NBA’s Most Valuable Player each year.
- Throughout his career, he was repeatedly selected as an NBA All-Star, and in 1990, he was awarded the Most Valuable Player of the NBA All-Star Game.
- Johnson was a perennial All-Star, earning First Team All-NBA and All-Guard honors on many occasions.
Generational Impact
Magic John played in 905 NBA games and finished with 17,707 points, 6,559 rebounds, and 10,141 assists, good for career averages of 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 11.2 assists per game. His 11.2 assists per game average are the highest in NBA history. He’s the only player in NBA Finals history to have averaged 12 assists a series, and he’s done it multiple times. He has the most career assists in the Top pick game (22) and the most in a single game in the Elite player game (22). (127).
On the court
Magic John’s extraordinary playing style and rare ability established a new standard for point watches and revolutionized the game.
PROS & CONS
Pros:
- An extraordinary basketball player, often considered to be among the finest of all time
- Changed the standard operating procedure for the point watch position.
- Very successful entrepreneur and financier with a unique network of companies
- an inspiring leader and role model for many
Cons:
- quit twice on the ball team, the second time due to HIV stigma.
- After backlash for making homophobic comments in the 1990s, he eventually apologized and became an advocate for LGBTQ+ rights.
Pros | Cons |
---|---|
Exceptional basketball player | Retired from basketball twice, once due to HIV contraction |
Revolutionized the point guard position | Criticized for his brief stint as head coach of the Los Angeles Lakers |
Highly successful entrepreneur and investor | Faced backlash for making homophobic comments in the 1990s |
Founder of the Magic John Foundation, which has made a significant impact on underserved communities and HIV/AIDS education and prevention | |
Inspirational figure and role model for many individuals |
FAQs
So what is the status of Magic John’s basketball career?
In basketball, Magic John manned the point.
The total number of championships won by Wizardry Johnson?
In his time with the Los Angeles Lakers, Magic John won five NBA championships.
When did Wizardry Johnson stop playing basketball?
Nonetheless, he returned to the sport in 1996 for a brief rebound before finally retiring.
The Johnson Magical Company is what?
The organization focuses on five areas: HIV/AIDS education and prevention; community development; health and wellness; education; and financial aid.
In monetary terms, how much does Wizardry Johnson have?
Around $600 million will be Sorcery Johnson’s total assets by the year 2021.
Johnson, known for his wizardry, has tried his hand at a variety of sports, including tennis, golf, and boxing. He has also worked in the media as a basketball analyst and reporter.
Do we have a baller in Wizardry Johnson?
Even now, he cheers on the Los Angeles Lakers, the team he helped win five NBA championships with.
Conclusion
A summary of Magic John’s influence and his lasting legacy. A consideration of his varied career and the many ways in which he has benefited society.