13 SEASONS, 5 CHAMPIONSHIPS, 3 MVPS, 3 FINALS MVPS
At 20 years old, he became the 1980 NBA Finals MVP as a ROOKIE! The only player in NBA history to ever do it.
Magic Johnson’s year-by-year stats:
📊 1980: 18.0 PTS | 7.7 REB | 7.3 AST | 2.4 STL
📊 1981: 21.6 PTS | 8.6 REB | 8.6 AST | 3.4 STL
📊 1982: 18.6 PTS | 9.6 REB | 9.5 AST | 2.7 STL
📊 1983: 16.8 PTS | 8.6 REB | 10.5 AST | 2.2 STL
📊 1984: 17.6 PTS | 7.3 REB | 13.1 AST | 2.2 STL
📊 1985: 18.3 PTS | 6.2 REB | 12.6 AST | 1.5 STL
📊 1986: 18.8 PTS | 5.9 REB | 12.6 AST | 1.6 STL
📊 1987: 23.9 PTS | 6.3 REB | 12.2 AST | 1.7 STL
📊 1988: 19.6 PTS | 6.2 REB | 11.9 AST | 1.6 STL
📊 1989: 22.5 PTS | 7.9 REB | 12.8 AST | 1.8 STL
📊 1990: 22.3 PTS | 6.6 REB | 11.5 AST | 1.7 STL
📊 1991: 19.4 PTS | 7.0 REB | 12.5 AST | 1.3 STL
📊 1992: Did not play (HIV)
📊 1993: Did not play (HIV)
📊 1994: Did not play (HIV)
📊 1995: Did not play (HIV)
📊 1996: 14.6 PTS | 5.7 REB | 6.9 AST | 0.8 STL
He prematurely retired at the start of the 1991-1992 season after he made a public announcement that he had acquired HIV. While it remains as a global epidemic today, much was still unknown about HIV during that time as it was just identified as the cause of AIDS in 1984.
Remember that this happened during his late prime years at 32 years old.
📊 1983: 3rd in MVP
📊 1984: 3rd in MVP
📊 1985: 2nd in MVP
📊 1986: 3rd in MVP
📊 1987: won MVP ✅
📊 1988: 3rd in MVP
📊 1989: won MVP ✅
📊 1990: won MVP ✅
📊 1991: 2nd in MVP
His last appearance in the NBA Finals was Michael Jordan's first. Jordan respect Magic a lot and acknowledged how it meant so much for him to beat Magic Johnson in the finals: "If we didn't have the opportunity to beat Magic Johnson in 1991, you can be sure I would have some thoughts about it. I would have gotten over it, but just being able to beat Magic Johnson, the king at that time of winning championships, five championships at the time, gave our championship some credibility. Time goes on and people don't think about it, but initially, that's the first thought."
Basketball enthusiasts nationwide cast their votes to include Johnson in the 1992 All-Star Game, even though he had retired. Naturally, not everyone liked this idea. Driven by ignorance, prejudice, and HIV-related apprehensions, certain players — particularly notable among them Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone — opposed Johnson's return to the court for a farewell game.
However, Isiah Thomas, a close friend of Magic, convened a players' meeting where they unanimously endorsed Magic's participation. Magic became the 1992 NBA All-Star MVP. 🔥
In Magic's last 3 years before his retirement in 1991, he actually started shooting 3-pointers and is 10th in the league in attempts, among the top 10 "volume" shooters at that time, he is the 8th most efficient. It just shows how he improved his game. During this 3-year stretch, he won 2 of his 3 career MVP.
6'9 Point Guard, Fast-Paced, Positionless playstyle, adapted his game to outside shooting, Team Player, Leader. Among all the players we knew who were playing ahead of their time, Magic may be the epitome of that description and the most successful to do so. He didn't only played great, but he also elevated his teammates to the ceilings of their potential. 🔥
There are only few NBA players in the history of the game who have the charisma, the leadership, the flair, the skills that Magic have. Even in his shortened career, no other point guard in NBA history to ever surpass Magic's greatness on and off the court. Magic became the face of HIV prevention and education throughout the world.
What a legend! 🔥 Thank you, Magic! ✨
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At 20 years old, he became the 1980 NBA Finals MVP as a ROOKIE! The only player in NBA history to ever do it.
Magic Johnson’s year-by-year stats:
📊 1980: 18.0 PTS | 7.7 REB | 7.3 AST | 2.4 STL
📊 1981: 21.6 PTS | 8.6 REB | 8.6 AST | 3.4 STL
📊 1982: 18.6 PTS | 9.6 REB | 9.5 AST | 2.7 STL
📊 1983: 16.8 PTS | 8.6 REB | 10.5 AST | 2.2 STL
📊 1984: 17.6 PTS | 7.3 REB | 13.1 AST | 2.2 STL
📊 1985: 18.3 PTS | 6.2 REB | 12.6 AST | 1.5 STL
📊 1986: 18.8 PTS | 5.9 REB | 12.6 AST | 1.6 STL
📊 1987: 23.9 PTS | 6.3 REB | 12.2 AST | 1.7 STL
📊 1988: 19.6 PTS | 6.2 REB | 11.9 AST | 1.6 STL
📊 1989: 22.5 PTS | 7.9 REB | 12.8 AST | 1.8 STL
📊 1990: 22.3 PTS | 6.6 REB | 11.5 AST | 1.7 STL
📊 1991: 19.4 PTS | 7.0 REB | 12.5 AST | 1.3 STL
📊 1992: Did not play (HIV)
📊 1993: Did not play (HIV)
📊 1994: Did not play (HIV)
📊 1995: Did not play (HIV)
📊 1996: 14.6 PTS | 5.7 REB | 6.9 AST | 0.8 STL
He prematurely retired at the start of the 1991-1992 season after he made a public announcement that he had acquired HIV. While it remains as a global epidemic today, much was still unknown about HIV during that time as it was just identified as the cause of AIDS in 1984.
Remember that this happened during his late prime years at 32 years old.
📊 1983: 3rd in MVP
📊 1984: 3rd in MVP
📊 1985: 2nd in MVP
📊 1986: 3rd in MVP
📊 1987: won MVP ✅
📊 1988: 3rd in MVP
📊 1989: won MVP ✅
📊 1990: won MVP ✅
📊 1991: 2nd in MVP
His last appearance in the NBA Finals was Michael Jordan's first. Jordan respect Magic a lot and acknowledged how it meant so much for him to beat Magic Johnson in the finals: "If we didn't have the opportunity to beat Magic Johnson in 1991, you can be sure I would have some thoughts about it. I would have gotten over it, but just being able to beat Magic Johnson, the king at that time of winning championships, five championships at the time, gave our championship some credibility. Time goes on and people don't think about it, but initially, that's the first thought."
Basketball enthusiasts nationwide cast their votes to include Johnson in the 1992 All-Star Game, even though he had retired. Naturally, not everyone liked this idea. Driven by ignorance, prejudice, and HIV-related apprehensions, certain players — particularly notable among them Utah Jazz forward Karl Malone — opposed Johnson's return to the court for a farewell game.
However, Isiah Thomas, a close friend of Magic, convened a players' meeting where they unanimously endorsed Magic's participation. Magic became the 1992 NBA All-Star MVP. 🔥
In Magic's last 3 years before his retirement in 1991, he actually started shooting 3-pointers and is 10th in the league in attempts, among the top 10 "volume" shooters at that time, he is the 8th most efficient. It just shows how he improved his game. During this 3-year stretch, he won 2 of his 3 career MVP.
6'9 Point Guard, Fast-Paced, Positionless playstyle, adapted his game to outside shooting, Team Player, Leader. Among all the players we knew who were playing ahead of their time, Magic may be the epitome of that description and the most successful to do so. He didn't only played great, but he also elevated his teammates to the ceilings of their potential. 🔥
There are only few NBA players in the history of the game who have the charisma, the leadership, the flair, the skills that Magic have. Even in his shortened career, no other point guard in NBA history to ever surpass Magic's greatness on and off the court. Magic became the face of HIV prevention and education throughout the world.
What a legend! 🔥 Thank you, Magic! ✨
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