Rivalry With Larry Bird
Johnson and Bird were first linked as rivals after Johnson’s Michigan State squad defeated Bird’s Indiana State team in the 1979 NCAA finals. The rivalry continued in the NBA, and reached its climax when Boston and Los Angeles met in three out of four NBA Finals from 1984 to 1987. Johnson asserted that for him, the 82-game regular season was composed of 80 normal games, and two LakersCeltics games. Similarly, Bird admitted that Johnson’s daily box score was the first thing he checked in the morning.
Several journalists hypothesized that the JohnsonBird rivalry was so appealing because it represented many other contrasts, such as the clash between the Lakers and Celtics, between Hollywood flashiness and Boston/Indiana blue collar grit , and between blacks and whites. The rivalry was also significant because it drew national attention to the faltering NBA. Prior to Johnson and Bird’s arrival, the NBA had gone through a decade of declining interest and low TV ratings. With the two future Hall of Famers, the league won a whole generation of new fans, drawing both traditionalist adherents of Bird’s dirt court Indiana game and those appreciative of Johnson’s public park flair. According to sports journalist Larry Schwartz of ESPN, Johnson and Bird saved the NBA from bankruptcy.
Relationship With Jerry Buss
Magic Johnson had an extremely close relationship with Lakers owner Jerry Buss, whom he saw as a mentor and a father figure. Calling Buss his “second father” and “one of best friends”, Johnson spent five hours visiting Buss at the hospital just a few months before his death from cancer. Speaking to media just hours after Buss had died, Johnson was emotional, saying, “Without Dr. Jerry Buss, there is no Magic.” Buss acquired the team from Jack Kent Cooke in 1979, shortly before he drafted Johnson with the #1 pick in the 1979 NBA draft. In addition to playing 13 seasons for the Lakers and coaching the team briefly in 1994, Johnson also had an ownership stake in the team for nearly twenty years. Buss took a special interest in Johnson, introducing him to important Los Angeles business contacts and showing him how the Lakers organization was run, before eventually selling Johnson a stake in the team in 1994. Johnson credits Buss with giving him the business knowledge that enabled him to become part owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Ej Is Magics Middle Child
A post shared by EJ Johnson on Sep 9, 2016 at 10:01pm PDT
Magic and Cookie Johnson were expecting Earvin Johnson III when Magic found out that he was HIV positive. Thankfully, EJ was born happy and healthy a few months later.
In 2013, EJ came out. A year later, he joined;Rich Kids of Beverly Hills, a reality series following the lives of some of the richest kids living in the city. It didnt take long for fans to fall in love with EJ, who has completely come into his own over the past three seasons. In 2015, EJ showed off seriously dramatic weight loss after undergoing gastric sleeve surgery. He lost well over 100 pounds.
Its a totally new mindset Im completely dedicated to living a new, healthy lifestyle. Its given me a whole new view on life. I really think its important that;you not listen to so many fads; you really need to find what works for you, EJ told Page Six in September 2015.
On June 4, 2017, EJ celebrated his 25th birthday. He posted the following message on .
Thank you to all my friends family and fans for all the beautiful birthday wishes. I am so blessed that I have come such a long way in my 25yrs of life but more importantly that I have become the adult I have always wanted to be. Its been a great journey but I still have a long way to go and many more goals to achieve. Im excited for a lifetime of doing the ABSOLUTE MOST. #teamthis.
You May Like: How Can Hiv Be Cured
Repeat And Falling Short
Before the 198788 NBA season, Lakers coach Pat Riley publicly promised that they would defend the NBA title, even though no team had won consecutive titles since the Celtics did so in the 1969 NBA Finals. Johnson had another productive season with averages of 19.6;points, 11.9;assists, and 6.2;rebounds per game despite missing 10 games with a groin injury. In the 1988 playoffs, the Lakers swept the San Antonio Spurs in 3 games, then survived two 43;series against theUtah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks to reach the Finals and face Thomas and the Detroit Pistons, who with players such as Bill Laimbeer, John Salley, Vinnie Johnson and Dennis Rodman were known as the “Bad Boys” for their physical style of play. Johnson and Thomas greeted each other with a kiss on the cheek before the opening tip of Game 1, which they called a display of brotherly love. After the teams split the first six games, Lakers forward and Finals MVP James Worthy had his first career triple-double of 36;points, 16;rebounds, and 10;assists, and led his team to a 108105;win. Despite not being named MVP, Johnson had a strong championship series, averaging 21.1;points on .550;shooting, 13.0;assists, and 5.7;rebounds per game. It was the fifth and final NBA championship of his career.
Magic Johnson Doesn’t Really Have Hiv
Since his 1991 disclosure, we’ve all heard folks peddle the persistent belief that Johnson either never had HIV or has been cured of the disease . Here’s the tea: Neither one is true.
I get it: Big Pharm is greedy and makes profit off other’s people’s sickness . Chris Rock had a point when he said, “Money’s not in the cure — it’s in the medicine.” But, even in all of those truths, there’s no cure for HIV/AIDS, yet.
And, while Magic’s wife Cookie Johnson once told Ebony that her husband “was healed” of HIV, that wasn’t some sinister slip of the tongue. That was her misspeaking about Magic’s viral load being undetectable due to his consistent access to lifesaving antiretrovirals and quality health care — which is definitely a bonus of having wealth and access, but it’s not some wicked conspiracy. Sadly, that’s just called capitalism.
Also, keep in mind that, over the years, Magic has consistently stressed that he is positive and that, despite being an ambassador for a drug company, he isn’t getting first dibs on special meds. He’s also denied rumors that he has traveled abroad to get an herbal cure, mostly because one just doesn’t exist.
Why is it so difficult to take him at his word? Why are folks still struggling to believe in science?
You May Like: How Long It Take For Hiv Test Results
Magic Johnsons Hiv Diagnosis
Its November 7, 1991, and Magic Johnson has just announced at a press event that he has tested HIV positive. Beside him at the podium is his wife of only two months and the soon-to-be mother of his son, Cookie Johnson.;
The nation is utterly floored by the news. This is because, in 1991, Magic Johnson was the face of the NBA, possibly one of the most beloved players at the time.
A lot of people started to wonder if Johnson was gay because up to this point it had only been queer celebrities who had been diagnosed with the disease. A lot of the celebrities were outed for their sexuality.
People like Liberace, Freddie Mercury, and Rock Hudson had all been outed because of either their deaths from HIV/AIDS-related illness or their diagnosis.;
In reality, Magic Johnson was the very first heterosexual celebrity to announce their diagnosis publicly. His decision to go public was mostly due to the insistence of an AIDS activist.;
As this article from Frontline explains, it was Elizabeth Glaser who convinced Magic to go public with his HIV diagnosis. Glaser ended up with the disease when she had to have a blood transfusion while giving birth to her daughter.;
Glasers infection led to the infection of both her daughter and her son. This was because during the height of the AIDS epidemic in the 1980s and 90s, donated blood wasnt tested for HIV.;
You can watch Magic Johnsons announcement to the press of his HIV diagnosis in the below video.;
Ej Johnson Is 100% Confident In His Gender Identity
EJ has been known to wear bold makeup, colorful wigs, and, as;The New York Times put it, a “gender-diverse wardrobe,” which has resulted in questions about his gender identity. Not one to shy away from his truth, he set the record straight in April 2019, telling Just the Sip he’s not really interested in labels. “I like myself the way that I am,” he proclaimed.
Asked about transitioning, he explained, “I always say that I think that if you feel like, you know, you’re not in the right body, then, by all means, get to where you want to be I don’t feel that I’m in the wrong body.” EJ went on to say that he feels “like this is the body that I’m supposed to be in and I can dress it up, mild to wild. Dress it down. Wear nothing at all. I can be butch. I can be fem. I can do whatever I want with it,” he continued. “I don’t feel the need to transition. I’m almost 100 percent positive I won’t,” he revealed, adding, “I’m just very comfortable in my own skin. I like my body.”
What’s more, he’s happy with his overall evolution. “I handle myself a lot differently, and I’m happiest with this new person that I’ve kind of become over the past, like, year or so,” he told Just the Sip. “I’ve done a low of growing, I think.”
Don’t Miss: How Do You Find Out You Have Hiv
Advocacy Runs Deep In The Johnson Family
If there’s one thing EJ and Elisa have in common with their parents, it’s that they all believe in giving back. First, there was Magic Johnson, who, in 1991, revealed his HIV diagnosis, retired from the Los Angeles Lakers, and went on to become a passionate advocate for HIV/AIDS education, testing, and destigmatization. EJ was privy to the cause early on, accompanying his parents to fundraisers at Elizabeth Taylor’s house when he was just a child, and eventually began his own advocacy for the LGBTQ community.
Meanwhile, Cookie Johnson is a proud supporter of the Ladylike Foundation, which aims to “educate, empower and inspire young women living in underprivileged communities.” Daughter Elisa also helps the foundation, but she hopes to do much more than that. She told W;she hopes to work with kids who have been through foster care and adoption “I know what it’s like to feel sometimes like you’re not whole, that something’s missing,” she said and told CR;it’s also “really important to me to raise awareness about HIV and AIDS, so I hope I’ll be able to help educate people about it.”
What’s more, as of 2020, Elisa is running a blog called Selected By Elisa, which aims to “amplify Black achievements in fashion, beauty, advocacy, and beyond,” as well as “provide resources to help activate change, and have conversations about issues young people face daily.”
Tell The Truth And Shame The Devil
I was recently in a space where someone said that silence colludes with white supremacy and other constructs of oppression. It was a heavy blow for me, not that I’m silent most times, but there have been moments when I haven’t spoken up, haven’t said what I felt and didn’t speak clearly or with audacity. There have been times when I’ve kept my thoughts, feelings, visions of work to myself and hoped that a moment would present itself to speak. The work that I’m talking about is work towards black liberation, the work to dismantle any system forged by oppression. To make a gestalt about what oppression is wholly, I think: any system that pretends to own narratives of a people; any system that feels that self-ownership isn’t a thing; any system that, based on identities, can predict outcomes of health, incarceration, etc. If outcomes are so predictable, then something at the systems’ baseline intends for those outcomes.
You’re told you’re at risk before you’re told you matter; the HIV vulnerable are addressed as pathological beings instead of complete people. You can’t come from a place of deficit and expect the outcomes will net past zero. You can’t continue to perpetuate messages, thoughts and feelings about black and Latinx people that tell them you see them only as a potential number for a contract to meet deliverables when you don’t think of these people as real.
#nonprofits #HIV #BLM #BBWC
Abdul-Aliy A Muhammad
Read Also: When To Get Tested For Hiv
Andre Johnson Is A Serial Entrepreneur
Following his start at Magic Johnson Enterprises, Andre Johnson switched gears and set his sights on entrepreneurship. As of December 2018, he’s been the Vice President Of Business Development at Mythical Games, “a next-generation game technology studio.” According to his page, Andre prides himself on having “strong entrepreneurial acumen and skilled in identifying sensible opportunities that offer strong ROI or are a first-of-its kind innovation.” The dad of two also calls himself a “Chief Inspiration Officer” on and lives up to the Johnson family name with everything he does. “Andre makes me proud every single day because he is a tremendous father, husband, and astute businessman,” Magic tweeted in 2020.
Over the years, Andre has worked with startups and launched his own projects, including co-founding Love + Light Ventures, LLC in April 2014, and joining The Virtual Reality Company as Head of Business Development in May 2016. While there, he helped create “premium VR experiences by combining the best in technology, art, and digital story-telling.” According to one glowing review from a VRC colleague, Andre is “a true mentor,” “an amazing leader and friend,” and “the most genuine, positive and inspiring person that I know, whom everyone in the company turns to for advice.”
Andre Johnson Is Magics Oldest Son
people forget all about magic johnson’s other son, andrewho btw, has an amazing body.
quokka flocka flame. May 12, 2017
Magic became a father in 1981 when his then-girlfriend, Melissa Mitchell, gave birth to a baby boy. Andre is known for staying out of the public eye. He was raised by his mom and would visit his dad occasionally. Now, however, Andre seems to have a pretty solid relationship with Andre. Not only have the two done business together, but they have also gone on vacation together.
At one point in time, Andre was the;Vice President of his dads business, Magic Johnson Enterprises. However, he no longer holds that title. As of April 2016, he was running his own company called;Love + Light Ventures, LLC, according to I Love Old School Music.
Andre and Magic were together in Hawaii recently and photos of Andre went viral on social media. You can see one of those photos above. People simply couldnt stop talking about Andres fit body. You can see additional photos here.
Andre is married to a woman named Melissa. The two have one child together, a son.
Recommended Reading: How Does Hiv Affect People
Ej Johnson His Recognized For His Lgbtq Advocacy
EJ has always spoken his truth and, in turn, given his fans the courage to do the same. An outspoken advocate for LGBTQ rights, EJ used his stint on #Rich Kids of Beverly Hills and its spinoff, EJNYC, to bring a voice to those who don’t have one. “There wasn’t any show that profiled a young person of color with a different sexual orientation living their life,” he told;The New York Times of why he agreed to reality TV. “I’m not just some other rich girl who’s trying to get a show.”
He’s also worked with Cyndi Lauper‘s True Colors Fund, which “implements innovative solutions to youth homelessness,” and in 2017 moderated a Beautycon panel called “The Gender Revolution” during which he talked about “breaking boundaries” in beauty, saying , “That is what beauty is all about.”
It’s no wonder then that the HRC Foundation announced it would honor EJ with an award during HRC’s Time to THRIVE conference in 2019. Calling him “a powerful role model to LGBTQ youth everywhere,” Vincent Pompei, the director of HRC’s Youth Well-Being Project, noted how EJ is “showing through his work to end LGBTQ homelessness that all young people deserve a safe and inclusive place to thrive, and an equal chance to succeed in all aspects of their lives” .
The Couple Have Been Active Advocates Against Aids
#blackmarriageday earvin johnson jr. and earlitha kelly
jess
In the years following Magics diagnosis, he and Cookie have remained active in combating HIV and AIDS. Kelly had virtually remained quiet on the issue for 16 years, but in an interview on NBCs Today Show, the couple spoke out against the fatal disease.
My goal is to go out across the country and speak to over 1,000 women; to educate them and to empower them, Cookie told Matt Lauer in the 2007 interview.
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy
When Magic retired from the NBA, he became a spokesperson for HIV/AIDS prevention. The couple have worked together to promote awareness of the disease, they told Haute Living.
There are so many misconceptions out there, and because of that, it has caused so much discrimination. Its really sad. A lot of people are afraid to hug and kiss those with HIV or AIDS because theyre afraid theyre going to get it. Its shocking how many people dont get it. I dont know where they livemaybe under a rock.
Magic and Cookie created the Magic Johnson Foundation in an effort to develop and fund programs that are geared at preventing HIV/AIDS while also providing testing, treatment and scholarships. Cookie serves on the organizations board of directors.
Don’t Miss: How Can I Tell I Have Hiv