Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr is an American former professional basketball player, entrepreneur, public speaker, HIV activist, and former president of basketball operations of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He is still known as the greatest point guard in basketball history. He was named one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 after 13 seasons with the Lakers. His net worth is reported to be $600 million.

As a young man, Johnson developed an interest in basketball. Bill Russell was his favorite basketball player, and he admired him more for his many championships than for his athletic ability. He also looked up to players like Earl Monroe and Marques Haynes and practiced all day. Johnson comes from an athletic family. Johnson studied the finer points of the game from his father, who played high school basketball in his home state of Mississippi. Johnson earned the nickname "Magic" when he was a sophomore at Everett High School and had a triple-double of 36 points, 18 rebounds, and 16 assists. Despite Johnson's mother's Christian conviction that the name was unchristian, a sports writer for the Lansing State Journal gave him the nickname after the game.  Johnson had no intention of playing professionally at first, wanting to concentrate on his communication studies major and his ambition to work as a television analyst. Johnson was recruited by a number of top-ranked schools, including Indiana and UCLA, but he chose to stay close to home. His college option was between Michigan and Michigan State University in East Lansing. He eventually chose Michigan State.

He made history when he signed a record-breaking 25-year, $25 million contract with the Lakers in 1981. The Los Angeles Lakers selected Magic as the first overall selection in the 1979 NBA draft. With the Lakers, Magic won five NBA championships. In 1980, 1982, and 1987, he was named NBA Finals MVP three times. He was a two-time All-Star MVP and went to the All-Star game 12 times. After that, he went into retirement. Near the end of the 1993-94 NBA season, he was the Lakers' coach. At the request of team owner Jerry Buss, he replaced Randy Pfund and Bill Bertka, but he resigned after one season. He is the only player in NBA Finals history to average 12 assists on six occasions. He has the All-Star Game single-game assist record (22) as well as the All-Star Game career assist record (127).

With a net worth of $40 million at the end of his career, Magic turned to the investment world to maximize his fortune. Magic Johnson Enterprises, which he founded, is now worth over $1 billion. Magic Johnson Enterprises is the parent company of Magic Johnson Theaters, a film studio, shopping centers, and a promotional communications firm. He owned 125 Starbucks locations and 31 Burger King franchises. Johnson also sold his Starbucks franchise for $100 million in 2010. Magic bought a 5% stake in The Lakers for $10 million in 1994, which he sold to billionaire Patrick Soon-Shiong in 2010 for a record $50-60 million. Magic and a consortium of investors paid $2 billion to Frank McCourt for the Los Angeles Dodgers on March 27, 2012. He invested in Major League Soccer's LAFC, and the team is now valued at $700 million after just three years. They've formed a joint venture to rebuild LaGuardia Airport, which will cost $8 billion. MJE has partnered with Canyon Capital to fund 30 real estate projects in 13 different states. This has resulted in a $2 billion profit.

Johnson has been an HIV/AIDS advocate after disclosing his HIV status, advocating sex education and safe sex. In 1991 his formal announcement of his HIV-positive status stunned the public and helped to refute the stereotype that HIV was a "gay illness" that heterosexuals didn't have to worry about. Until today he works to bring HIV awareness to impoverished communities. The mission of Magic Johnson Enterprises, according to the company, is to promote community and economic empowerment.

Johnson is married to Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly. The couple has an openly gay son,  Earvin III (EJ)who was born in 1992. In 1995, Magic and Cookie adopted their daughter Elisa.  Johnson is also the father of a son from a previous relationship. His ex-girlfriend, Melissa Mitchell gave birth to Andre Johnson in 1981. Andre was raised by his mother, but he spent every summer with Johnson and later worked for Magic Johnson Enterprises as a marketing director. Johnson and his wife split their time between Dana Point, California, and Beverly Hills, California. They own a home in Beverly Hills' Beverly Park in a gated community and in Dana Point they own a Tuscan-style beach house.

Sources:  Magic Johnson Enterprise, Sports Casting, Sports Keeda, Forbes, Wikipedia

This article was updated on March 26th, 2021 by Vanessa Shumbanhete

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