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Earvin ''Magic'' Johnson

by Caitlin from Riverview

NBA exhibition game, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1992 (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/almanac-magic-johnson/ (unknown))
NBA exhibition game, Tuesday, Oct. 20, 1992 (http://www.cbsnews.com/news/almanac-magic-johnson/ (unknown))

THE EARLY LIFE

 

     Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. was born in Lansing, Michigan on August 14, 1959. Unlike other athletes his story is different in his early life. Magic grew up with nine brothers and sisters, both parents worked to provide for their ten children. His mom was a custodian at a school, and his dad worked at a General Motors plant in town. Magic woke himself up at seven-thirty in the morning to practice basketball at school. He got his nickname from scoring thirty-six points, sixteen rebounds, and sixteen assist in one game. Magic went to play basketball for Michigan State University at six feet and nine inches tall in his freshmen year in college. Then the next year Magic took his college basketball team to the NCAA finals. He faced off against the Indiana State Sycamores. There, Magic went up against Larry Bird. After that Magic left college after two years.

Magic Johnson (http://www.speakersla.com/speakers/magic-johnson/)
Magic Johnson (http://www.speakersla.com/speakers/magic-johnson/)

LIFE AFTER COLLEGE

 

     Soon after Magic left college he was drafted to the Laker's basketball team. His first season with a average of 18 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game. Then he became MVP (Most Valuable Player) after he won the NBA (National Basketball Association) finals while leading the Lakers to a victory over the Philadelphia 76ers. Then in his third season Magic and his team made it to the finals again and went up against the Philadelphia 76ers for the championship title and defeated them again. While going up against the 76ers again for the second time he scored 13 points, and made 13 rebounds and 13 assists in Game 6 of the 1982 Finals. Then he earned MVP again for the second time in the next season. After in 1984 he met up with Larry Bird again after Larry signed to the Boston Celtics they faced off in a tight competition-four games to three-four the 1984 championship.The Celtics beat the Lakers but The Lakers, however, took down the Celtics the following year in the finals."Johnson and his team continued to be one of the NBA's top competitors throughout the rest of the 1980s. In the 1987 NBA Finals, they again defeated the Boston Celtics, and Johnson received the NBA Finals MVP Award for the third and final time in his career. This remarkable season marked Johnson's personal best in terms of average points per game, with an incredible 23.9. Additionally, in 1987, he received his first NBA MVP award for his performance on the court-an honor he would receive again in 1989 and 1990." (according to Biography.com)

 
 

DURING HIS CAREER

 
     During Magic's career he accomplished a lot like the bet award for corporate citizens in 2009, the bet humanitarian award in 2003, NAACP image award for outstanding literary work- instructional in 2009, and a Grammy award for best spoken word album in 1993. For sports he got the NAACP image award- Jackie Robinson sports award in 1992,NBA (national basketball association) MVP (most valuable player) award in 1990-1989-1987, Bill Russell NBA finals award in 1987-1982-1980, NBA all-star game MVP award in 1992 and 1990, NBA awards- j. Walter Kennedy Citizenship award in 1992. Then in 1980 he joined the all-rookie NBA team. After that he joined the all-star NBA team in 1989-1990-1991. Next he confessed to having HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and AIDS (acquired immune deficiency syndrome) and created the Magic Johnson Foundation for research to help other people with HIV/AIDS. Then he wrote a book called "What can you do to avoid AIDS". After that he wrote another book called "32 ways to be a champion in business".  

 

 

MAJOR HARDSHIPS

 
    The major hardships that Magic had to face was, as the whole world knows, HIV/AIDS but another hardships that he faced his whole life was dyslexia. Dyslexia is "a general term for disorders that involve difficulty in learning to read or interpret words, letters, and other symbols, but that do not affect general intelligence." 

MY HERO'S IMPACT 

 
ME: what influenced me was Magic's foundation because Magic got up and made something of himself.
 
THE WORLD: he gave a voice to the people with HIV/AIDS who didn't have a voice. He is the voice of HIV/AIDS for the people who don't have one.

Page created on 6/6/2016 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 6/10/2018 8:37:14 PM

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