Johnson, Magic

byname of Earvin Johnson, Jr.

(born Aug. 14, 1959, Lansing, Mich., U.S.) American basketball player who led the National Basketball Association (NBA) Los Angeles Lakers to five championships.

The son of an auto worker, Johnson earned his nickname “Magic” for his creative and entertaining ball handling. He was an intense competitor who won everywhere he played. He led his high school team to a state championship in 1977, Michigan State University to the National Collegiate Athletic Association championship in 1979, and the U.S. team to a basketball gold medal at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.

Johnson achieved his greatest success in the professional ranks, guiding the Lakers to NBA championships in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988. He was named the NBA's Most Valuable Player in 1987, 1989, and 1990. He played point guard and brought new versatility to that position. At 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m), he was a dangerous inside scorer and a capable rebounder. However, he was best known for innovative no-look and bounce passes and expert floor leadership. At the time of his initial retirement due to HIV infection in 1991, Johnson was the NBA's all-time leader in assists (9,921). Later he served briefly as head coach of the Lakers (1994), and he returned as a player for a portion of the 1995–96 season.