Magic Johnson

Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Jr. (born August 14, 1959 in Lansing, Michigan) is a 6' 9" (2.06 m) former American professional basketball star who played for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1980s and early 1990s. Playing point guard, he led the Lakers to five NBA championships (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988), as well as four other NBA Finals appearances. He also led Michigan State University to the NCAA title in 1979 against arch-rival Larry Bird's Indiana State University. Johnson is also the only NBA rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP Award. He is one of only four players to win NCAA and NBA championships in consecutive years.

HIV publicity

Outside of basketball, Johnson is probably most famous for his November 7, 1991, public announcement that he had contracted HIV and would be immediately retiring from basketball. The public announcement by a prominent and popular athlete shocked the nation into awareness about the AIDS epidemic and helped put the virus into the public eye.

Related Topics:
November 7 - 1991 - HIV - Retiring - AIDS

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Johnson and a team of ghostwriters produced a book which was published by Random House in 1992. Profits from the book were donated to the Magic Johnson Foundation for the prevention, education, research and care in the battle against AIDS.

Related Topics:
Random House - Magic Johnson Foundation

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~