Magic Johnson Biography

Magic Johnson is a retired American professional basketball player, counted among the greatest basketball players of all time. He played professional basketball for 13 seasons, all of them with the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). A tall, well-built man, he is famous for his powerful arms, agility and speed that helped him become one of the most formidable players in the world during the 1980s. Magic Johnson grew up in a big family with several siblings and developed an early love for basketball. His father, though not a professional basketball player, was an athletic man who had played the sport during his high school days. His mother too encouraged his passion for the game. He proved to be a wonderful player, playing for the school team in Everett High School, and finished his high school career with two All-State selections, and was considered at the time to be the best high school player ever to emerge from Michigan. He then went to study at the Michigan State University where he continued playing the sport. After college he was recruited by the Los Angeles Lakers with whom he spent his entire career. Diagnosed to be HIV-positive, he is also known for his HIV activism and philanthropic activities