johnson, earvin

"The 1980s were a transformative decade for the NBA. Since its founding in 1946, the league had evolved from a bruising, earthbound game of mostly nameless, underpaid players to one in which athletes became household names for their thrilling, physics-defying play. The 1987 season was the peak of that golden era, a year of incredible drama that featured a pantheon of superstars in their prime-the most Hall of Famers competing at one time in any given season-battling for the title, and for their respective legacies. In 'When the Game Was War,' . . . author Rich Cohen tells the . . . story of this . . . season through the four teams, and the four players, who dominated it: Larry Bird and the Boston Celtics, Magic Johnson and the Los Angeles Lakers, Isiah Thomas and the Detroit Pistons, and a young Michael Jordan and his Chicago Bulls. Taking the reader from rural Indiana to the southside of Chicago, suburban North Carolina to rust-belt Michigan, Cohen explores the diverse journeys each of these iconic players took before arriving on the big stage. Drawing from dozens of interviews with NBA insiders, Cohen brings to vivid life some of the . . . colorful characters of the era-like Bill Laimbeer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Danny Ainge, and Charles Oakley . . ."--Provided by publisher.

"Magic Johnson is one of the most beloved, and at times controversial, athletes in history. His iconic smile lifted the dowdy sport of American pro basketball from a second tier sport with low ratings into the global spotlight, a transformation driven by his ability to eviscerate opponents with a style that featured his grand sense of fun. He was a master entertainer who directed Los Angeles Lakers "Showtime" basketball to the heights of both glory and epic excess, all of it driven by his mind-blowing no-look passes and personal charm. At the charismatic height of his power, Johnson then shocked the world with a startling cautionary tale about sexually transmitted disease that pushed public awareness of an HIV and AIDs crisis. Then out came his confession of unprotected sex with hundreds of women each year, a retirement, an attempted return, then a proper farewell on the iconic 1992 Olympic Dream Team. Longtime biographer Roland Lazenby spent years tracking Johnson's unlikely rise to become an immensely popular public figure who was instantly scandalized in 1991, then turned to his legendary will to rise again as a successful entrepreneur with another level of hard-won success in business. In his portrayal, Johnson's tale becomes bigger than that of one man. It is a generational saga over parts of three centuries that reveals much not just about his unique basketball journey but about America itself. Through literally hundreds of interviews with Johnson's coaches, representatives past and present, teammates, opponents, friends and loved ones, including key conversations with Johnson himself over the years, Lazenby has produced the first truly definitive study, both dark and light, of Earvin "Magic" Johnson, Jr., the revolutionary player, the icon, the man"--.

"Stephen Curry and Magic Johnson are two of basketball's most impressive point guards. But who's the best? Explore their career highlights and standout stats to decide which player is the greatest"--Provided by publisher.

Throughout his life, basketball superstar Earvin Magic Johnson has met both challenges and opportunities with perseverance and leadership. Dubbed "Magic," Johnson blazed a spectacular career in basketball. His play with the Los Angeles Lakers as point guard alongside center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, as well as his epic rivalry with the Boston Celtics forward Larry Bird, marked a legendary era in the NBA. In 1991, Magic announced he had tested positive for HIV, a virus that can lead to the life-threatening disease AIDS, and was retiring from basketball. Little was known then about HIV/AIDS and its prevention. His declaration shocked the public but succeeded in putting a familiar and much-admired face on a disease that was shrouded in fear and prejudice. Magic Johnson's legacy includes his inspirational work as an advocate for the prevention of HIV and the still-incurable disease AIDS through his own foundation, which provides programs for HIV/AIDS education and prevention, including testing and safe sex practices.

Profiles basketball star Earvin 'Magic' Johnson and discusses his HIV diagnosis and groundbreaking work as an advocate for the prevention of HIV/AIDs.

Profiles life and career of Earvin "Magic" Johnson, talented guard for the Los Angeles Lakers.

Describes the events leading up to the NCAA championship game that took place on March 26, 1979. Includes a timeline of the careers of Larry Joe Bird and Earvin Johnson Jr.

A biography of the basketball player from Lansing, Michigan, who has led the Michigan State Spartans and the Los Angeles Lakers to winning seasons.

Examines the career of basketball star Magic Johnson from his grade school years through his early successes with the Los Angeles Lakers.

The story of the young man from Lansing, Michigan, whose intelligence, hard work, and love of basketball won him a place in the hearts of fans of all ages.