Spartan Olympians: Earvin "Magic" Johnson
EARVIN “MAGIC” JOHNSON, Member, U.S. Men’s Basketball Team, 1992 Summer Games in Barcelona, Spain, Gold Medal
Earvin Johnson is one of those rare athletes known worldwide simply by his nickname, “Magic.”
Arguably the greatest point guard to ever play the game, Magic won championships at every level—leading Lansing’s Everett High School to the state championship in 1976, leading MSU to the NCAA title in 1979 in the all-time, most-watched college basketball game telecast, and leading the Los Angeles Lakers to five NBA championships.
In 1992, the first year NBA professionals were allowed to compete in the Olympics, Magic made the so-called “Dream Team” along with the likes of Larry Bird and Michael Jordan. Said to be the finest collection of basketball talent in Olympic history, they defeated 8 opponents by an average of 44 points.
Since retiring from professional basketball in 1992, Magic has dedicated his energies to growing his business empire, which focuses on underserved markets for everything from coffee shops to movie theatre complexes. He has also helped encourage AIDS research. He is one of the few premier athletes to enjoy exceptional success as a business executive.