by Andrius Davydauskas

Created on: May 15, 2009   Last Updated: May 19, 2009

Earvin "Magic" Johnson is a former professional basketball player . He played as the point guard in the Los Angeles Lakers . Johnson was selected first in the 1979 NBA draft by the Lakers after winning his high school and college championships . He played in nine NBA finals and twelve All-Star matches . He also won a gold medal in the 1992 Olympics of Barcelona in Spain . His HIV diagnose had a significant impact on his professional basketball career , but he is still considered as one of the greatest players of all time and was included in The 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996 . He is also considered by some as the best point guard of all time .

Earvin Johnson grew up in Lansing , Michigan and became interested in basketball when he was young . He got the nickname "Magic" when he scored a triple-double playing for his high school . Even though Johnson received offers from the Indiana University and UCLA , he chose to stay in Michigan and started playing for the Michigan State University , in the point guard position . Johnson reached the final eight in the NCAA with The Michigan State Spartans , but lost against The Kentucky Wildcats . After defeating the Indiana State University with Larry Bird he was voted as the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Final Four .

Johnson was drafted first in the 1979 draft by the Los Angeles Lakers . He was selected for the NBA All-Rookie team in the 197980 season , but didn't win the Rookie of the Year award . Later that year , the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia 76ers in the NBA finals . With 42 points and seven assists in the final game , Johnson became the only rookie in NBA history to win the NBA Finals MVP award . In the 1981 82 season , Johnson had a had a dispute with coach Paul Westhead who was fired later that year . Magic reached the NBA finals once again in the 1982 - 83 season , but lost to the Seventy Sixers . After that , Johnson won two more MVP awards and three more NBA championships .

Johnson found out that he has HIV before the 1991 - 1992 season . After that , he publicly announced his retirement . He said he doesn't know where he got HIV , but later admitted that he had sex with multiple women through out his career . Even though he was retired , he still participated in the 1992 NBA All-Star game and was voted as the MVP . Later that year , he participated in the summer Olympics and won the gold medal with the USA "Dream Team" .He tried multiple comebacks to the NBA in 1993 and 1994 , but both were not as successful as his original career .

Of the court he is know as a hero and an HIV activist . He wrote multiple books about his life and HIV problems and even received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . He is a basketball prodigy and an inspirational individual to everyone .

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