Magic Johnson was one of the most popular and successful basketball players of his generation. He was a member of the "Dream Team" that won the gold medal at the 1992 Olympics. He also won five NBA championships with the Los Angeles Lakers.
But how tall is Magic Johnson?
Keep reading for everything about this legend.
Wingspan of Magic Johnson
Magic Johnson, who is a retired professional basketball player and Hall of Famer, had a wingspan of 7 feet 4 inches (224 cm). This is an exceptionally long wingspan, even for a basketball player, and it was one of the factors that contributed to Johnson's success as a player. He was known for his playmaking ability, passing skills, and versatility, and his long wingspan allowed him to be effective on both offense and defense.
Magic Johnson's Profile Summary
Real name | Earvin Magic Johnson Jr. |
Birthday | August 14, 1959 |
Age | 62 Years Old |
Place of Birth | Lansing, Michigan, U.S. |
Zodiac Sign | Leo |
Height | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
Weight | 220 lb (100 kg) |
Years Active | 1979–1991, 1996, 1999–2000 |
Occupation | Basketball Player, Coach |
Team | Magic M7 Borås, Magic Great Danes
(Player) |
Los Angeles Lakers (Coach) | |
Position | Point guard |
Net Worth | $600 million |
Marriage | Yes |
Death-O-Meter | Alive |
Magic Johnson Biography
On August 14, 1959, Magic Johnson was born in Michigan. With nine brothers and one sister, he came from a big family. His parents used to both works to support such a big family.
Since he was a skilled basketball player as a youngster, his name was Magic in his high school. He entered college after high school on a basketball scholarship and was selected by the NBA while still a student. The Golden Age of the Los Angeles Lakers is the period during which Magic Johnson was a member of the team.
In 1991, He retired from basketball. He revealed his HIV status to the world this year. This news was incredibly upsetting since, up until that point, it was thought that persons with HIV could not survive long.
However, thanks to Johnson's Magic, he is still in excellent health 30 years after testing positive for the virus. Then, it was also thought that this illness mainly affects homosexuals and drug users. Magic Johnson has spent the last 30 years dispelling these myths.
Magic Johnson Height: How tall is Magic Johnson?
Between 1979 to 1996, Earvin "Magic" Johnson played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers. He was taller than the majority of point guards at the time, standing at 6 feet 9 inches and 220 pounds. In the 1987 Finals, he famously filled in for Hall of Fame Center Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
Winning 5 NBA championships, 3 regular season MVP awards, 3 finals MVP awards, and 4 assist awards. As the heart and soul of the "Showtime Lakers," he rose to become one of the most adored and revered athletes of all time.
Magic Johnson Stats
Given how extensive Johnson's career is, a summarization is all but impossible. However, this is what you need to know in general.
- Career NBA statistics
- Points: 17,707 (19.5 ppg)
- Rebounds: 6,559 (7.2 RPG)
- Assists: 10,141 (11.2 apg)
Magic Johnson Wife, Kids, and Family
Johnson wed Cookie Johnson, his high school sweetheart. In a tiny ceremony held in Lansing, Michigan, they got married in 1991. EJ and Elisa Johnson two offspring of the marriage. Currently, the family resides in Michigan.
Magic Johnson Career
College Career
Johnson's height would determine how and where he played throughout his life. Being a Michigan native, he was eager to attend a college nearby. This required taking a scholarship to either Michigan or Michigan State, given his exceptional basketball talent.
He would eventually make a choice after learning he could play point guard at Michigan State, joining the Spartans.
A player with Magic's ability to make plays and make passes would typically play point guard by default. He didn't fit the conventional point guard mold, either, as he was 6'9".
Positioning players according to skill rather than physical characteristics wasn't as common in the 1970s and 1980s as it is now. It turned out to be a wise choice, as Magic averaged almost 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists throughout the course of his two years in college.
Infamously upsetting Larry Bird's Indiana State in the NCAA Tournament Final, which is credited with drawing the largest crowd in the history of collegiate basketball.
The following year, both Magic and Larry would join a struggling NBA. Their rivalry would boost TV viewership and save the National Basketball Association from insolvency.
First year
With the first overall pick in the 1979 draft, Magic joined the NBA. In a 1976 transaction involving Gail Goodrich, the New Orleans Jazz traded the pick to the Lakers, who then had a loaded roster, for the pick.
Even though he had been a successful point guard in college, it was anticipated that he would have to move to the power forward position. Norm Nixon, who played point guard for the Lakers, was regarded as one of the greatest in the league.
They chose to play Magic at the point guard position, though, as they had failed to win the championship for the previous four seasons since signing future Hall of Famer Kareem Abdul Jabbar.
This was successful, and even though Larry Bird, who had joined the Celtics, earned Rookie of the Year, Magic would once again come out on top as he guided the Lakers to victory and win Finals MVP as a rookie. No one has ever done this before or subsequently.
Kareem missed game 6 due to an ankle sprain. Therefore he was able to defeat Kareem for the honor. In order to fill in at Center, Magic Johnson used his height and the junior-sky-hook, a variation of Kareem's trademark Sky-hook move.
Magic Johnson and Larry Bird
The animosity between Magic and Bird would primarily manifest itself in the Finals over the ensuing half-decade. In three of the four Finals, the two 6'9" playmakers would face off against one another. They played in different positions even though they were both their team's top playmakers, of the same height, and possessed excellent passing abilities.
Bird was primarily thought of as a forward. The point guard position was being redefined by Magic for future generations. Magic played in the West's conference, while Bird played in the East. This meant that they would only play each other twice a year, other than when they met in the finals (excluding the All-star game).
While Bird made checking Magic's box score one of his morning rituals, Magic once claimed that the two regular-season games versus the Celtics were the only ones that truly mattered to him.
The competition was genuine; it wasn't only in the media. They joined the league when the NBA was having trouble. Even the Finals weren't always broadcast live due to the declining television audience. Pushed aside to make room for prime time programming, then broadcast hours later in full.
The league was reportedly close to filing for bankruptcy. The showdown between Magic and the Lakers' Showtime play and the gritty collar play of Bird and the Celtics rekindled fans' interest.
The league was suddenly humming, having been saved from disaster and put on the way to becoming the trifecta of competition, drama, and entertainment that it is now.
A towering point guard, Magic Johnson was more than that. He would have thrived at virtually any height because of his ability to read the game and generate plays and excitement out of practically nothing. But because of his height, he stood out, ignited the NBA, and began the current economic boom. NBA unicorn Magic Johnson was the first.
Magic Johnson Net worth
Magic Johnson, a former professional basketball player from the United States, has a net worth of $600 million. The most well-known American former professional basketball player, Magic Johnson, has an estimated net worth of over $600 million, according to a number of web resources (Wikipedia, Forbes, IMDB).
His estimated net worth is around $600 million, as we have already stated. He barely made about $100 million through basketball. The remainder came from his business. Following his retirement from basketball, he founded a business named Magic Johnson Enterprise, which is expected to be worth $1.2 billion in 2021.
Read more about other legends in NBA history:
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- How tall is Dirk Nowitzki?
- How tall is Patrick Ewing?
- How tall is John Stockton?
FAQs
When Did Magic Johnson Retire?
1996
Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had contracted HIV but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game, winning the All-Star MVP Award.
Who is Magic Johnson Married to?
Magic Johnson is married to Earlitha "Cookie" Kelly. She was born on January 20, 1959, in Huntsville, Alabama.
How Many Rings Does Magic Johnson Have?
5
Combining his playing career and sports ownership career, Johnson has 10 NBA championships, five each as a player and later as a minority owner of the Lakers.
Conclusion
Magic Johnson is one of the most iconic basketball players of all time. After retiring from playing, Johnson became a successful businessman, owning several restaurants and movie theaters. He is also a philanthropist, working to raise awareness about HIV/AIDS.
We hope that this article can provide all of the information that you need. Thanks for reading!