[126] He was coaching a team that had five of his former teammates on the roster: Vlade Divac, Elden Campbell, Tony Smith, Kurt Rambis, James Worthy, and Michael Cooper, who was brought in as an assistant coach. He said that he retired because he "didn't want to hurt the game. Johnson went on to win the Finals MVP that year, though he lost the Rookie of the Year trophy to Larry Bird. [79], In the 198485 regular season, Johnson averaged 18.3points, 12.6assists, and 6.2rebounds per game, and led the Lakers into the 1985 NBA Finals, where they faced the Celtics again. [125][176] 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. Random House. Javascript is required for the selection of a player. He put together a 14-point, 21-assist performance in Game 3. With Kareem out, Magic started at center as a rookie and won the series, which earned him Finals MVP. Coming off the bench, Johnson had 19 points, 8 rebounds, and 10 assists to help the Lakers to a 128118 victory. Even without . Of course, he would go on to win five NBA titles and become one of the best players in history. SimLeague Basketball. Happy Birthday to Hall of Famer, Magic Johnson! [72] Johnson would often help his father on the garbage route, and he was teased by neighborhood children who called him "Garbage Man". [163], On February 21, 2017, Johnson replaced Jim Buss as the president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers. [28] His career 138triple-double games places him third all-time behind Oscar Robertson and Russell Westbrook. "[28] Fellow Lakers guard Michael Cooper said, "There have been times when [Johnson] has thrown passes and I wasn't sure where he was going. Or write about sports? "[108], 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,[110] and several NBA players, including Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone, argued that they would be at risk of contamination if Johnson suffered an open wound while on court. "[128] While Johnson played well in 1996, there were struggles both on and off the court. Rookie Magic Johnson 42 Pts 15 reb 7 ast Full Game Highlights | Los Angeles Lakers vs Philadelphia 76ers - Game 6 | 1980 NBA Finals | HOH Throwback Subscri. [44] Jud Heathcote stepped down as coach of the Spartans after the 199495 season, and on June 8, 1995, Johnson returned to the Breslin Center to play in the Jud Heathcote All-Star Tribute Game. In the final game of the CBA series, Johnson had 30 points, 17 rebounds, and 13 assists, leading the All-Stars to a 126121 victory over the Oklahoma City Cavalry. Mathurin recorded a game-high 26 points while Banchero scored 23 for . 40 years ago today, Magic Johnson scores 42 pts as a rookie (most in NBA history) while starting at center in place of the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the Lakers claim the 1980 NBA Championship with a 123-107 win over the 76ers in Philadelphia in Game 6 of the '80 NBA Finals. Join us for a March Madness Webinar on Tuesday, March 7 at 8pm ET. His father played high school basketball in his home state of Mississippi,[29]and Johnson learned the finer points about the game from him. [19][218], Johnson is a supporter of the Democratic Party. 1 overall pick by the Lakers, Johnson had an immediate partner in crime with Abdul-Jabbar. Logos were compiled by the amazing SportsLogos.net. [73], Prior to Johnson's fifth season, Westwho had become the Lakers general managertraded Nixon to free Johnson from sharing the ball-handling responsibilities. [113], Johnson was chosen to compete in the Barcelona 1992 Summer Olympics for the U.S. national team, dubbed the "Dream Team" because of the NBA stars on the roster. [16] 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. Magic Johnson was drafted by Los Angeles Lakers, 1st round (1st pick, 1st overall), 1979 NBA Draft. [120] The 1992 event, which was the first one held after Johnson's appearance in the 1992 Olympics, raised over $1.3 million for UNCF. [36] He officially returned to the team on January 29, 1996,[128] and played his first game the following day against the Golden State Warriors. [103][104] Although the series was portrayed as a matchup between Johnson and Jordan,[105] Bulls forward Scottie Pippen defended effectively against Johnson. [129], After the Lakers lost to the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs,[136] Johnson initially expressed a desire to return to the team for the 199697 NBA season, but he also talked about joining another team as a free agent, hoping to see more playing time at point guard instead of power forward. 40. "[134] Johnson was himself suspended five days later, when he bumped referee Scott Foster, missing three games. There was a point early on in the episode when Johnson (Quincy Isaiah) hears that Larry Bird (Sean Patrick Small) was selected as the 1980 NBA Rookie of the Year. [57], Early in the 198081 season, Johnson was sidelined after he suffered torn cartilage in his left knee. [191], Johnson began thinking of life after basketball while still playing with the Lakers. [131][132] He missed two games and was stripped of his title as team captain. [186] In addition to these business ventures, Johnson has also created the Magic Card, a pre-paid MasterCard aimed at helping low-income people save money and participate in electronic commerce. The 42 points scored by Johnson were the most ever by a rookie in the NBA, a record that still stands today. As remarkable Magic's performance was in Game 6, Kareem's. [143] He later joined the Danish team The Great Danes. 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. [223] In 2015, he once again endorsed Hillary Clinton in her second presidential campaign. Shoots: [17] Johnson's first foray into business, a high-end sporting goods store named Magic 32,[17] failed after only one year, costing him $200,000. Draft Info. [162] In 2022, the NBA began awarding MVPs for the conference finals; the Western Conference Finals MVP trophy is named in Johnson's honor, while the Eastern Conference trophy is named after Bird. [40], Before the 199293 NBA season, Johnson announced his intention to stage an NBA comeback. [208] The Johnson-led group, which also includes movie executive Peter Guber, paid $2billion for the Dodgers, the largest amount paid for a professional sports team. [113], Several journalists hypothesized that the JohnsonBird 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 blacks and whites. Magic Johnson was born on August 14, 1959. Subscribe to Stathead Basketball: Get your first month FREEYour All-Access Ticket to the Basketball Reference Database. [177][178], Buss supported Johnson as he revealed his diagnosis of HIV in 1991, and he never hesitated to keep Johnson close to the organization, bringing him in as part-owner, and even as a coach. [106], After a physical before the 199192 NBA season, Johnson discovered that he had tested positive for HIV. [20], Earvin Johnson Jr. was born in Lansing, Michigan, to General Motors assembly worker Earvin Sr. and school janitor Christine. $119.99. Johnson learned everything he could about business, often meeting with corporate executives during road trips. 3. Magic Johnson Rookie Year Stats | StatMuse Magic Johnson averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds and 7.3 assists in 77 games in his rookie season in 1979-80. [95] It was the fifth and final NBA championship of his career. . Ten of the 12 players on the team were named on the NBA's list of, Principal owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers franchise, Brooklyn Atlantics/Grays/Bridegrooms/Grooms/, Michigan State Spartans men's basketball 197879 NCAA champions, 1992 Tournament of the Americas Gold medal, 1992 United States men's Olympic basketball team, Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, List of career achievements by Magic Johnson, List of athletes who came out of retirement, List of National Basketball Association career assists leaders, List of National Basketball Association career steals leaders, List of National Basketball Association career turnovers leaders, List of National Basketball Association career free throw scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff rebounding leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff assists leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff steals leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff turnovers leaders, List of National Basketball Association career playoff free throw scoring leaders, List of National Basketball Association players with most assists in a game, List of National Basketball Association players with most steals in a game, "Magic weekend is on tap as Johnson set for NBA encore", "202122 Big Ten Men's Basketball Media Guide", "Daily Dime: Special Edition The 10 Greatest Point Guards Ever", "NBA All-Time Player Rankings: Top 10 Point Guards", "NBA 75: Top 75 NBA players of all time, from MJ and LeBron to Lenny Wilkens", "NBA 75: At No. [39], Johnson did not initially aspire to play professionally, focusing instead on his communication studies major and his desire to become a television commentator. ESTATE LIQUIDATION- LOT OF NEW OLD VINTAGE UNOPENED NBA Basketball CARDS IN PACK. "I haven't talked . The rookie with the million-watt smile. Brown will miss the remainder of the season after undergoing a successful surgical procedure to address a right tibia stress (). Eventually, Johnson accepted his situation and the small group of black students looked to him as their leader. He was selected to play in 11 All-Star games. Johnson's half-court shot at the buzzer would have won the game, but it fell short. PREMIUM. 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. 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. [154], For his feats, Johnson was voted as one of the 50 Greatest Players of All Time by the NBA in 1996,[156] and selected to the NBA 75th Anniversary Team in 2021. For the NBA center, see, Two moments of Johnson during his tour with the All-Stars to Argentina in January 1994: (left) greeting a local player; (right) hugging soccer superstar, HIV announcement and Olympics (19911992), Return to the Lakers as coach and player (1994, 1996). He now has the type of off-ball offense and defensive tools NBA teams can picture translating. [28], At the age of 36, Johnson attempted another comeback as a player when he re-joined the Lakers during the 199596 NBA season. He won 3 MVP awards, 3 Finals MVP awards and 5 NBA championships. The Lakers. Magic Johnson: No: Stephen Curry: No: All-NBA Second Team Team. Although Johnson's retirement prior to the 199293 NBA season voided this contract, Buss insisted that he still be paid. [150] The following year, HBO developed a documentary about their rivalry titled Magic & Bird: A Courtship of Rivals, which was directed by Ezra Edelman. Copyright 2000-2023 Sports Reference LLC. [34] He gave Chastine much of the credit for his development as a basketball player and as a person,[35] saying years later, "I doubted myself back then. He would win his first game of the season. But being bused to Everett turned out to be one of the best things that ever happened to me. Photo by Jim Cummins/NBAE via Getty Images, https://therookiewire.usatoday.com/2020/05/16/nba-most-points-all-time-rookie-nba-finals-magic-johnson/, NBA players react to Jordan playing baseball on 'The Last Dance', Jordan once told Rip Hamilton he wasn't good enough to wear his shoes, 5 of the top all-time rookie performances in the NBA Finals, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. The team had even drafted Magic Johnson, who was the 1st pick in the 1979 NBA Draft. Position Forward. He nearly got into a fight with another player before head coach George Fox intervened. [18] As such, in 2014, Johnson was named one of ESPNW's Impact 25. The Lakers took a 32lead in the series, but Abdul-Jabbar, who averaged 33points a game in the series,[53] sprained his ankle in Game 5 and could not play in Game 6. [89] Johnson had another productive season with averages of 19.6points, 11.9assists, and 6.2rebounds per game despite missing 10 games with a groin injury. By the time he had reached the eighth grade, Johnson had begun to think about a future in basketball. ISBN0-449-22254-3. He had become more powerful and stronger than in his earlier years, but was also slower and less nimble. Point Guard, Shooting Guard, and Power Forward A pristine copy set a new record in September 2018, selling for $125,200. Note, this is done in an automated way, so we apologize for any errors, & please. 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