Earvin "Magic" Johnson
Few athletes are truly unique, changing the way their sport is played with their singular skills. Ervin "Magic" Johnson was one of them. He was what Bob Cousy was to the 1950s, what Oscar Robertson was to the 1960s, what Julius Erving was to the 1970s.
Johnson was more than a revolutionary player, who at 6-9, was the tallest point guard in league history. His sublime talent elicited wonder and admiration from even the most casual basketball fan. He accomplished virtually everything a player could dream of during his 13- year NBA career, all spent with the Los Angeles Lakers - five NBA championships, three League Most Valuable Player and Finals MVP Awards, 12 All-Star appearances and a nine-time member of the All-NBA First Team, surpassing Oscar Robertson's career assists record and winning a gold medal with original Dream Team at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona. Johnson did all of this while maintaining a childlike enthusiasm born of a pure love of sport and competition. Beyond all the money, success and fame, Johnson was just happy to be playing basketball.
If there was one aspect of Johnson's game that awed people the most, it was his brilliant passing skills. He dazzled fans and dumbfounded opponents with no- look passes off the fast break, pinpoint alley- oops from half court, spinning feeds and overhand bullets under the basket through triple teams. When defenders expected him to pass, he shot. When they expected him to shoot, he passed.
In his 13 NBA seasons Johnson complied 17,707 points (19.5 ppg), 6,559 rebounds (7.2 rpg) and 10,141 assists (11.2apg) in addition to 1,724 steals, good for ninth place on the all-time list. He also holds the top marks for most All- Star Game assists (127) and three- point baskets (10).
His all-around play inspired the addition of the term "triple-double" to basketball's lexicon, although history demands that Robertson be recognized as the first man to regularly post double figures in three statistical categories in the same game. Unfortunately for the Big O, nobody had thought of the term triple- double back in the 1960s.
As his playing days came to a close Johnson stated to look beyond the hardwood towards making his mark in the business world. In 1994 he got his wish when he purchased a share of the Lakers and became a part-owner. In 1995 Johnson got involved in another business venture outside of basketball, opening a chain of movie theaters in minority neighborhoods in the Los Angeles area, an enterprise he later took to other cities. He also continued to entertain fans around the world when he took his barnstorming basketball team (made up of former college and NBA players) to Asia and Australia.
In 1996-97, Johnson was selected to the NBA's 50th Anniversary All- Time. In 202, he was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.