Magic Johnson
Basketball · Hometown: Lansing, MI
- High school
- Everett High School
- College
- Michigan State University
- Pro team(s)
- Los Angeles Lakers
- Hall of Fame
- ⭐ Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
Earvin "Magic" Johnson was born in Lansing, Michigan, and starred at Everett High School before playing two seasons at Michigan State University. His 1979 NCAA Championship matchup against Larry Bird — the most-watched college basketball game in history — set the stage for one of sport's greatest rivalries. The Los Angeles Lakers selected him first overall in 1979. The 6'9" point guard won five NBA Championships (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988), three MVP awards, and 12 All-Star selections. After announcing he had contracted HIV in 1991 — a disclosure that changed public awareness of the disease worldwide — he returned to lead Team USA's 1992 "Dream Team" to Olympic gold. Johnson was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.