In a moment of reflection last summer, Earvin “Magic” Johnson reflected on two men who helped shape him and take him to new heights of post-NBA success, and how proud both would be if they were still alive to celebrate the breadth of his transition into the second chapter of an iconic career.
His father, Earvin Johnson Sr., was his mentor from the time he was a child growing up in Lansing, Michigan, emphasizing and modeling the importance of hard work. Lakers owner Jerry Buss gave him the original blueprint for thriving in business and introduced him to a new world beyond the basketball court.
Johnson’s first venture into professional sports franchise ownership was with the Lakers in 1994 and has since expanded to include Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers (2012), the Women’s National Basketball Assn.’s Sparks (2014), Major League Soccer’s LAFC (2014). ) and, last year, the Washington Commanders of the National Football League. Johnson is a five-time NBA champion with the Lakers and a three-time NBA Most Valuable Player and currently co-owns teams in four American sports leagues (he sold his stake in the Lakers in 2010). No athlete is more connected to Los Angeles or has done more to connect others to the city.
‘What a blessing. But you won’t get there alone. I have my people.’
Earvin ‘Magical’ Johnson
“When people run for mayor, they call me,” Johnson said. “Both Rick Caruso and Karen Bass called me. When they run for governor in this state, they call me. When they run for governor of many states, they call me. And when they run for president, they call me.
“When things happen in this town, one of the first calls is to Earvin ‘Magic’ Johnson. Who would have thought this would ever happen?”
Last October, Johnson was named a member of the billionaire club by Forbes, becoming the fourth athlete – after Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods and LeBron James – to reach that pantheon. It’s an honor Johnson doesn’t take lightly, given his friendships with the other three.
“You actually owe a lot of that to Dr. Buss,” Johnson told The Times in that summer interview. “It was his mentorship. He guided me and he was that father figure who made sure I had all the tools needed to be successful. When you think of days like these, you wish he and my father were alive to see what I accomplished.
Johnson, 64, said his dreams had always been to play in the NBA and become a businessman. He shows athletes what they can do in a post-athletic career.
“I didn’t even think about being a team owner; it just blew my mind,” Johnson said. “What a blessing. But you can’t get there alone. I have my people. This isn’t something I do alone. And it starts with my father and Dr. Buss. … They paved the way for me and I can help them can’t thank you enough.”
This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
