Magic Johnson Magic Johnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American retired professional basketball player and current president of basketball operations of the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played point guard for the Lakers for 13 seasons. After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Lakers. He won a championship and an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his rookie season, and won four more championships with the Lakers during the 1980s. Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that
Magic Johnson Award Magic Johnson Award The Magic Johnson Award is an annual award for a National Basketball Association (NBA) player who recognizes excellence on the court and cooperation and dignity with the media and public. The award, which was created in 2001 by the Pro Basketball Writers Association a professional nonprofit organization comprised approximately 175 writers and editors of people who regularly cover the NBA for newspapers, magazines and websites has been given to some of the league's most prominent players over the years. It is named in honor of player Magic Johnson, whom the writers association regards as "the ideal model"