Earvin "Magic" Johnson Elected To Basketball Hall Of Fame
6/7/2002 12:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball
June 7, 2002
EAST LANSING, Mich. - Former Michigan State basketball great Earvin "Magic" Johnson was among five individuals and one team elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, the Hall of Fame announced on Wednesday (June 5). A native of Lansing, Mich., Johnson was a two-time All-American at MSU in 1978 and '79, before moving on to an all-star career with the NBA's Los Angeles Lakers.
Others who will be inducted into the Hall on Sept. 27 in Springfield, Mass., are Philadelphia 76ers coach Larry Brown; University of Arizona coach Lute Olson; the late Drazen Petrovic, a star with the Portland Trail Blazers and New Jersey Nets; North Carolina State women's coach Kay Yow and the Harlem Globetrotters. The class of 2002 will give the Hall of Fame 246 individuals and five teams among its members.
"It's been a great ride," said Johnson. "This is a great moment for me and my family. I'm emotional and I'm sure I'll be more emotional in September. I tried to represent the city and the organization the best I could. By doing that, this is my reward."
After a high school career at Lansing Everett that saw him win All-America honors and a state championship, Johnson arrived at Michigan State in the fall of 1977. In his first season with the Spartans, he led MSU to a Big Ten Championship, earning First-Team All-Big Ten and All-America honors. As a sophomore, Johnson guided the Green and White to the first NCAA Championship for men's basketball in school history, defeating Larry Bird's Indiana State squad in the highest-rated college basketball game in television history. Once again, Johnson earned All-Big Ten and All-America honors, while also being named the recipient of the Chicago Tribune Silver Basketball Award.
After two years at Michigan State, Johnson moved on to the National Basketball Association. With the first pick in the 1979 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers selected Johnson in an attempt to revive a once-proud organization. The selection immediately paid off as Magic led the Lakers to an NBA Championship in his rookie season. In the 1980 NBA Finals against the Philadelphia 76ers, Johnson played all five positions and was named the NBA Finals MVP. Johnson finished his career with five NBA Championships (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1988) and three NBA Finals MVP awards (1980, 1982, 1987).
Over the course of his 13-year NBA career, Johnson was named an All-Star on 12 occasions, and was selected the MVP of the 1990 and 1992 all-star games. In 1987, 1989 and 1990, Johnson was selected as the NBA regular-season MVP. He was named to the NBA's First-Team nine times and the second team once. The all-time assist (10,141) and steals (1,724) leader in Laker history, Johnson was the NBA's all-time leader in assists until the record was broken by Utah's John Stockton in 1995.
The new inductees represent the 44th group to enter the Hall of Fame since the institution began the process in 1959. The Hall of Fame will christen its new $103 million Hall of Fame and Museum on September 28, 2002.
