Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American
retired professional basketball player and former president of
basketball operations of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National
Basketball Association (NBA). Often regarded as the best point guard
of all time, Johnson is also considered to be one of the greatest
players in NBA history. He played for the Lakers for 13 seasons.After
winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected
first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Lakers. He won a
championship and an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his
rookie season, and won four more championships with the Lakers during
the 1980s. Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he
had contracted HIV, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game,
winning the All-Star MVP Award. After protests from his fellow
players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996, at age
36, to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring for the third and
final time.Johnson's career achievements include three NBA MVP Awards,
nine NBA Finals appearances, twelve All-Star games, and ten All-NBA
First and Second Team nominations. He led the league in regular-season
assists four times, and is the NBA's all-time leader in average
assists per game, at 11.2. Johnson was a member of the 1992 United
States men's Olympic basketball team ("The Dream Team"), which won the
Olympic gold medal in 1992. After leaving the NBA in 1992, Johnson
formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a barnstorming team that traveled
around the world playing exhibition games. Johnson was honored as one
of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.
retired professional basketball player and former president of
basketball operations of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National
Basketball Association (NBA). Often regarded as the best point guard
of all time, Johnson is also considered to be one of the greatest
players in NBA history. He played for the Lakers for 13 seasons.After
winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected
first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Lakers. He won a
championship and an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his
rookie season, and won four more championships with the Lakers during
the 1980s. Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he
had contracted HIV, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game,
winning the All-Star MVP Award. After protests from his fellow
players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996, at age
36, to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring for the third and
final time.Johnson's career achievements include three NBA MVP Awards,
nine NBA Finals appearances, twelve All-Star games, and ten All-NBA
First and Second Team nominations. He led the league in regular-season
assists four times, and is the NBA's all-time leader in average
assists per game, at 11.2. Johnson was a member of the 1992 United
States men's Olympic basketball team ("The Dream Team"), which won the
Olympic gold medal in 1992. After leaving the NBA in 1992, Johnson
formed the Magic Johnson All-Stars, a barnstorming team that traveled
around the world playing exhibition games. Johnson was honored as one
of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.
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