Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Jr. led Michigan State University to the NCAA title in 1979 against arch-rival Larry Bird's Indiana State University.
Playing point guard, he led the Los Angeles Lakers to five NBA championships (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, and 1988), as well as four other NBA Finals appearances. Johnson is also the only NBA rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP Award. He is one of only four players to win NCAA and NBA championships in consecutive years. He was named to the NBA All-Star team 12 times and was named league MVP three times, in 1987, 1989, and 1990.
The greatest game of Johnson's career arguably came in his rookie season: May 16, 1980, in Game 6 of the NBA Finals at Philadelphia. Filling in for the injured Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic started the game at center and eventually played every position on the floor in a dominating performance. Scoring a game-high 42 points and grabbing a game-high 15 rebounds, he led the Lakers to the NBA crown, stunning Julius Erving a.k.a. "Dr. J", the Philadelphia 76ers, and a national television audience who came to understand the moniker "Magic".
His post-basketball business ventures include Magic Johnson Theatres, a nationwide chain of movie theaters whose complexes are primarily in urban locations. The chain is now a part of Loews Theatres. His name graces numerous TGI Friday's franchises as well as 24 Hour Fitness Magic Johnson Sport franchises, the flagship of which is in the Sherman Oaks Galeria. Additionally, he has started a private lending bank that specializes in giving micro loans to urban start ups.
In March 2012, Johnson's ownership group was announced as the winner of the proceedings to buy the Los Angeles Dodgers.
