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Magic Johnson.

Earvin Johnson Jr.

Magic Johnson — Activist
Born Lansing, United States
Citizenship United States
Age 66 yr Today

15 min read

Reading time

2,937

Words

Published

76

Film credits

4

Books

12

Awards

TL;DR

Magic Johnson was the first rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award in 1980, leading the Lakers to a championship. In his 12-year NBA career, he earned three MVP awards and five championship rings. After announcing his HIV diagnosis in 1991, he became an HIV advocate and co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012.

Identity & family.

KIN · 2

Names, aliases, and relatives of Magic Johnson — birth name, kin, and personal ties.

Birth Name Earvin Johnson Jr.
Nicknames Magic, Buck, Rawal
Aliases Earvin Johnson', Magic Johnson des Lakers de Los Angeles, Earvin Johnson, Earvin Magic Johnson, Ervin Johnson
SPOUSES
Cookie Johnson
CHILDREN
EJ Johnson

At a glance.

STATS

Magic Johnson by the numbers — life, work, and family.

66 Age
76 Film credits
4 Books
12 Awards
1 Marriage
1 Child

Who is Magic Johnson?

BIOGRAPHY

Magic Johnson — early life, career, personal life, and legacy.

Early life

Earvin Johnson Jr. first became known as Magic during his time at Everett High School in Lansing, Michigan, after sportswriter Fred Stabley Jr. coined the nickname. He played for Michigan State University from 1977 to 1979, leading the Spartans to the NCAA Division I national championship in 1979 alongside teammate Greg Kelser.

Growing up in Lansing, Johnson had siblings Pearl and Larry Johnson. He attended Everett High School, where he developed his basketball skills and earned the nickname that followed him to the NBA.

Career

Johnson’s NBA career began when he was selected first overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1979 NBA Draft. In his rookie season, he stepped in for an injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in Game 6 of the 1980 NBA Finals and scored 42 points, earning the Finals MVP award — a feat no other rookie has accomplished. He formed a rivalry with Larry Bird and led the Lakers to five championships.

Johnson won the NBA MVP award three times 1987, 1989, 1990 and was named to the All-NBA First Team nine times. On November 7, 1991, he announced he was HIV positive and retired immediately. After a brief comeback and a short stint as Lakers head coach in 1994, he retired for good in 1996. Off the court, he founded Magic Johnson Theatres and became a co-owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012 and the Washington Commanders in 2023.

Personal life

Magic Johnson married Earlitha Cookie Kelly on September 14, 1991. They have three children: son Earvin EJ Johnson III born June 4, 1992, adopted daughter Elisa Johnson adopted January 1995, and son Andre Johnson from a previous relationship. Johnson is also a grandfather to Avery Johnson and Gigi Johnson.

In 1991, Johnson announced he was HIV positive, a moment that altered his life and career. He became an advocate for HIV awareness and prevention.

Legacy

Magic Johnson was enshrined in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002. He earned the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. As a 6-foot-8 point guard, he revolutionized the position and led the Lakers to five championships during the Showtime era. His business ventures made him a billionaire, and his HIV advocacy saved lives. He is remembered for his no-look passes and winning smile.

Filmography.

FILMS · 76

Browse the complete filmography of Magic Johnson — every film, TV show, and documentary credit, ranked by popularity.

  1. TV Poster for The Simpsons

    The Simpsons

  2. TV Poster for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

    The Late Show with Stephen Colbert

  3. TV Poster for The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

    The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson

  4. TV Poster for Malcolm in the Middle

    Malcolm in the Middle

  5. TV Poster for Conan

    Conan

  6. TV Poster for The Jennifer Hudson Show

    The Jennifer Hudson Show

  7. TV Poster for Empire

    Empire

  8. TV Poster for Jimmy Kimmel Live!

    Jimmy Kimmel Live!

  9. TV Poster for The Ellen DeGeneres Show

    The Ellen DeGeneres Show

  10. TV Poster for Black-ish

    Black-ish

  11. TV Poster for Late Night with Conan O'Brien

    Late Night with Conan O'Brien

  12. TV Poster for Arli$$

    Arli$$

  13. TV Poster for The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien

    The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien

  14. TV Poster for Punk'd

    Punk'd

Awards & honors.

AWARDS · 12

Every award, honor, and recognition received by Magic Johnson — Grammys, hall-of-fame inductions, civic honors, lifetime achievements.

  • NBA All-Rookie Team
  • Bill Russell NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award
  • All-NBA Team
  • NBA Most Valuable Player Award
  • NBA All-Star Game Kobe Bryant Most Valuable Player Award
  • J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award
  • Grammy Award for Best Audio Book, Narration & Storytelling Recording
  • BET Humanitarian Award
  • California Hall of Fame
  • star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
  • Phoenix Award
  • Presidential Medal of Freedom

Bibliography.

BOOKS · 4

Magic Johnson's bibliography — every authored, edited, and co-written book, ranked by edition count.

  1. Cover for Wo Zhe Yi Sheng

    Wo Zhe Yi Sheng

    by Earvin Johnson et al.

  2. Cover for What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS

    What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS

    by Earvin Johnson

  3. Cover for 32 Ways to Be a Champion in Business

    32 Ways to Be a Champion in Business

    by Earvin Johnson

  4. Cover for Tu Puedes Evitarlo

    Tu Puedes Evitarlo

    by Earvin Johnson

Notable quotes.

QUOTES · 50

A wall of memorable lines from Magic Johnson — lyrics, interviews, and off-the-cuff remarks captured over a lifetime.

Did you know?

FACTS · 27

Little-known facts about Magic Johnson — origins, oddities, and behind-the-scenes details from a public life.

You wanted to know.

FAQ · 38

Quick answers to the questions readers ask most about Magic Johnson.

Audited & updated by

Michael Hayes

Senior Copy Editor & Editorial Fact Reviewer

Michael is the last person to read a profile before it goes live, which makes him the one who catches what everyone else missed. 5 years as a copy editor has given him a sharp sense for what's off. A wrong year, a vague credit, a sentence that almost makes sense but doesn't quite. He's especially thorough with filmographies. He'll tell you that's where most of the errors hide. He's right.

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