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Earvin Magic Johnson (born August 14, 1959 in Lansing, Michigan) is an American professional basketball star who played for the Los Angeles Lakers during the 1980s. Playing point guard for this team, they won five NBA championships (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987 and 1988). He also led Michigan State University to the NCAA title in 1979. Johnson is also the only NBA rookie to win the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award (1980). He is one of only four players to win an NCAA and NBA Championship in consecutive years.

Johnson earned his nickname of Magic in high school, both for his flamboyant passing style and winning ways. While not known as an exceptional scorer, Magic excelled in all facets of the game. In different periods in his career, he led the league in assists and steals. He led the Lakers in scoring three times (1987, 1989, 1990), in rebounding twice (1982, 1983. His unselfish playmaking and dazzling no-look passes on the fast break ushered in the Showtime era of Laker basketball in the 80s.

Outside of basketball, Johnson is probably most famous for his public announcement of November 7, 1991. He announced in a TV conference that he had contracted the virus HIV and would retire from basketball. The public announcement by a prominent and popular athlete shocked the nation into awareness about the AIDS epidemic and helped put the virus into the public eye.

His post-basketball business ventures include Magic Johnson Theatres, a nationwide chain of movie theaters whose complexes are primarily in urban locations. The chain is now a part of Loews Cineplex Theatres, Inc, but is operated as a separate entity.