page_title: Magic Johnson
hierarchical_section_title: Magic Johnson
caption_attribution_description: NBA Hall of Famer, Earvin &quot;Magic&quot; Johnson taken on 2007. Photo by Rafael Amado. ©
context_page_description: Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. is an American retired NBA basketball player. He won the NBA Championship in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988 all with the Los Angeles Lakers. He played college basketball at Michigan State University where he developed a rivalry and friendship with Boston Celtics star Larry Bird when he faced him in the 1979 NCAA finals and three NBA championship games. Although Johnson was a versatile player who played all five positions occasionally, he is considered by many to be the greatest point guard, passer and playmaker in the history of the game.
  In 1991, Johnson made public that he had been diagnosed with HIV. He is a supporter of AIDS prevention.
  In 1992, Johnson was a member of the United States men's national basketball team. That team won an Olympic gold medal.
  He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002 and was also named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.
  On February 21, 2017, Johnson replaced Jim Buss as the president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers. On April 9, 2019, Johnson resigned from his role as president of basketball operations of the Lakers wishing to return to his role of NBA ambassador.
context_section_description: Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959 in Lansing, Michigan) is an American retired NBA basketball player. He won the NBA Championship in 1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988 all with the Los Angeles Lakers. He played college basketball at Michigan State University where he developed a rivalry and friendship with Boston Celtics star Larry Bird when he faced him in the 1979 NCAA finals and three NBA championship games.  Although Johnson was a versatile player who played all five positions occasionally, he is considered by many to be the greatest point guard, passer and playmaker in the history of the game.
  In 1991, Johnson made public that he had been diagnosed with HIV. He is a supporter of AIDS prevention.
  In 1992, Johnson was a member of the United States men's national basketball team. That team won an Olympic gold medal.
  He was inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002 and was also named as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996.
  On February 21, 2017, Johnson replaced Jim Buss as the president of basketball operations for the Los Angeles Lakers. On April 9, 2019, Johnson resigned from his role as president of basketball operations of the Lakers wishing to return to his role of NBA ambassador.
caption: Johnson in 2007
exif: {"Image Make": "Canon", "Image Model": "Canon EOS-1D", "Image Orientation": "Horizontal (normal)", "Image XResolution": "72", "Image YResolution": "72", "Image ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Image Software": "Adobe Photoshop CS2 Windows", "Image DateTime": "2008:07:30 14:34:54", "Image YCbCrPositioning": "Co-sited", "Image ExifOffset": "220", "Thumbnail Compression": "JPEG (old-style)", "Thumbnail XResolution": "72", "Thumbnail YResolution": "72", "Thumbnail ResolutionUnit": "Pixels/Inch", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormat": "1046", "Thumbnail JPEGInterchangeFormatLength": "4691", "EXIF ExposureTime": "1/100", "EXIF FNumber": "18", "EXIF ExposureProgram": "Shutter Priority", "EXIF ISOSpeedRatings": "500", "EXIF ExifVersion": "0220", "EXIF DateTimeOriginal": "2006:06:16 09:17:05", "EXIF DateTimeDigitized": "2006:06:16 09:17:05", "EXIF ComponentsConfiguration": "YCbCr", "EXIF ShutterSpeedValue": "53/8", "EXIF ApertureValue": "67/8", "EXIF ExposureBiasValue": "-1/3", "EXIF MeteringMode": "Pattern", "EXIF Flash": "Flash did not fire", "EXIF FocalLength": "200", "EXIF FlashPixVersion": "0100", "EXIF ColorSpace": "sRGB", "EXIF ExifImageWidth": "312", "EXIF ExifImageLength": "432", "Interoperability InteroperabilityIndex": "R98", "Interoperability InteroperabilityVersion": "[48, 49, 48, 48]", "EXIF InteroperabilityOffset": "920", "EXIF FocalPlaneXResolution": "492800/223", "EXIF FocalPlaneYResolution": "824000/373", "EXIF FocalPlaneResolutionUnit": "2", "EXIF CustomRendered": "Normal", "EXIF ExposureMode": "Auto Exposure", "EXIF WhiteBalance": "Auto", "EXIF SceneCaptureType": "Standard"}