Earvin "Magic" Johnson

Earvin Johnson

"Magic Johnson"

7. Magic Johnson dominated the court as one of America's best basketball players for 12 years. He retired from the LA Lakers in 1991 after revealing that he had the AIDS virus. He has since then built up a business empire.

2.Earvin Johnson Jr. was born on August 14, 1959, in Lansing, Michigan.

5.Magic Johnson's rivalry with fellow basketball legend Larry Bird began when the two attended college and lasted throughout their time in the NBA.

4.He has since then built up a business empire, which includes real estate holdings, several Starbucks franchises, and movie theaters.

1.He created Magic Johnson Enterprises, which has a variety of holdings.

3.Honors: Elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2002); NBA champion 5 times, NBA Finals MVP 3 times, NBA MVP 3 times, Nine-time All-NBA First Team All-NBA Second Team (1982); 12-time All-Star; All-Star MVP 2 times, Olympic gold medalist 1 time ; One of 50 Greatest Players in NBA History.

6. DatesHonors: Elected to Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame (2002); NBA champion (1980, '82, '85, '87, '88); NBA Finals MVP (1980, '82, '87); NBA MVP (1987, '89, '90); Nine-time All-NBA First Team (1983-91); All-NBA Second Team (1982); 12-time All-Star; All-Star MVP (1990, '92);

8.Johnson is 6'9" tall. The average height for an NBA player in the 1980s was 6'7".

History is important because it tells us how hard people worked back then and what they went through.