Magic Johnson, a former NBA player, was the fourth athlete to be named billionaire, with a majority of his net worth coming from an investment in life insurance company EquiTrust. He signed a 25-year, $25 million extension deal with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1981, which would expire in 2009 and be worth $25,000,000, or $1,000,000 per year. After signing a 5-year, $2,300,000 contract with the Lakers, including $2,300,000 guaranteed, and an average annual salary of $460,000, Johnson became the first player to earn $10 million or more in the 94-95 season with a salary of $14,660,000.
Johnson’s career as a businessman took flight with the Lakers, where he made $3,142,860 in 1989. He averaged 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 11.2 apg. After earning $40 million as a player in the NBA, Johnson acquired stakes in various sports franchises, made direct investments in private companies, introduced franchise locations to underserved communities, redeveloped properties, and launched new media brands.
In June 1981, Johnson signed a 25-year, $25 million extension deal with the Lakers, which would expire in 2009. His earnings during his 15-year NBA career were close to $40,000,000, while he averaged 19.5 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 11.2 apg.
Johnson became the first player to earn $10 million or more in the 94-95 season with a salary of $14,660,000. He signed a $25 million contract, paying out $1 million per year starting in 1984 and spanning until 2009.
📹 Making the Case – Magic Johnson
I think that there are 8 players in NBA history that you can make the argument for as the Greatest of All Time. Magic Johnson is …
📹 When Magic Johnson Was Challenged By An Old Wilt Chamberlain
Wiltchamberlain #nba #magicjohnson – Music: Stellardrone – Breathe In The Light (https://youtu.be/E5narnLZDzs)
I said this a lotta times.. Wilt wasn’t a guy the NBA got behind and pushed as the face of the league. He was his own man but talent wise he was a GIANT whose shadow loomed much larger than the way he has been cast. He asked someone on a tv show if he played Michael Jordan for all the marbles who are you betting on! And check the interviews Arnold gave while they filmed Conan the Barbarian about weightlifting. He’s definitely one of the best to ever do it and Wilt against MJ in their prime against each other. I’m taking Wilt all day!!!
I beg to differ with Magic. Bill Russell entered the NBA three years before Wilt and changed the importance of defensive basketball. Before him, blocked shots were so rare that no attention was paid to them. For instance, when Russell was In college at the U. of San Francisco, his coach, Phil Woolpert, did not want him to leave his feet on defense even when he was continuously successful on his blocks.
“You obviously never saw Wilt Chamberlain play who undoubtedly was the greatest scorer this game has ever known. When did MJ ever average 50.4 points per game plus 25.7 rebounds? (Wilt in the 1962 season when blocked shot statistics were not kept). We will never accurately know how many shots Wilt blocked. Oh, by the way in 1967 and 68, Wilt was a league leader in assists. Did MJ ever score 100 points in a game? How many times did MJ score more than 60 points in a game? MJ led the league in scoring in consecutive seasons for 10 years but he did this in an NBA that eventually expanded into 30 teams vs. when Wilt played and there were only 8 teams.” Kareem Abdul-Jabbar in an open letter to Scottie Pippen after Scottie Pippen referred to Michael Jordan and Lebron James as the greatest scorer and greatest player, respectively.
Ok somebody’s math is off here. Wilt turned 43 about 2 months before Magic’s first game as a Laker. If it happened in the summer of 1980 after the Finals, then there’s no way James Worthy or AC Green could’ve been there. Worthy was still at UNC. AC Green was still in high school in Oregon. And since Byron Scott is originally from Inglewood, it’s technically possible that he could’ve been at home on summer break from ASU. But according to everything else I’ve read or watched that pertains to that era suggests that none of the Lakers knew Scott before he arrived via trade in 1983.
Showboating: Wilt had some other interesting comments. He didn’t like showboating (sometime watch the musical Showboat with embarrassing racial stereotypes, and compare with present showboating behavior). While Chamberlain liked natural “flair” (he used Magic Johnson and Michael Jordan as examples), going beyond that was not O.K. Chamberlain said, “When I was playing…you respected your opponent, you did nothing overtly to embarrass him, and you believed in fair play. Today too many athletes are not sportsmen but assholes…I understand enthusiasm and I’m all for it, but these things are in bad taste and should not be accepted.” That from the athlete who, of all athletes, might have had the most justification for showboating.
Although, I have MJ as G.O.A.T., Wilt is the only player who can sit at the table with him. And if you say he is G.O.A.T., I wouldn’t say a word because it was a difficult choice for me. I saw an idiot media personality purposely leave Wilt off the list because it would douse his argument for LeBron as G.O.A.T. You CANNOT leave Wilt out of that conversation. What astounded me about MJ was at 6’6 he dominated everyone. Wilt was 7ft tall. and they literally changed the rules to stop him. It’s so disingenuous to leave him out. Blasphemous. Long live the Wilt!!
The Lakers got Wilt for the 1968-69 season. Everyone said the first Big Three were a shoe in for the title. Some were saying 75-80 wins. Sport magazine had the three of them on the cover saying 82-0? The hype was off the wall crazy. Wilt was unimpressed. 2 years earlier the 76ers won 68 and the title. Wilt considered that the greatest team ever. He knew this Lakers team was way way overrated. He knew the bench was very weak and he knew Elgin wasnt the guy he played against in those early years due to knee injuries. And Elgin would be out of the league in 2 years early retirement. So Wilt was a very realistic man. Anyway West and Wilt pretty much carried that team. Elgin was solid but not the same. So 1/2 way through the season Wilt scores like 12-13 points 13 rebounds and a few assists and the Lakers eek out a win. The sportswriters write that Wilt cant score or dominate like he used to. Wilt then goes out and scores 66-35-60 points and averages 25 boards Wilt is 33 years old. He tells the sportswriters he can do that whenever he wants. His teams dont need that. I was a 13 year old at the time and listened to all those games. I met Wilt in 1971. There has NEVER EVER been anyone approaching the Dipper. Not even close.
This is why Magic and Wilt are on my all time top five! Both could play anything from guard to center. Of course you can’t leave out Michael and Bird for their sheer will to win when it counted. The final position I could easily make an argument for Bill Russell or Dr J. But, I believe LeBron has proven he’s another player who could play guard to center. And, I’d never forget Kobe. But LeBron has done much more with less talent around him.
I’m puzzled by this story. Larry Brown coached Ucla from 79-81. Magic is playing pick up with Byron Scott, Worthy, and AC Green who would have been in college or high school at that point in their lives. Worthy was probably in North Carolina. Bernard King makes sense. So cool story but he’s probably got those guys playing with Magic incorrect. He’s not hanging out at Ucla in 1985. He’s probably coaching Kansas at that point.
Bar none. Wilt chamberlains the goat. And if you want to talk about Bill Russels and his 11 championships, Jordan is the goat over Kobe and LeBron actually LeBron‘s not in this conversation. LeBron will never be the goat. He’s more of a sheep that’s not funny that’s the truth he is a sheep. Kobe had killer instinct Kobe‘s very close to Jordan but in our era I’m 58 years old Jordan was always the best and still is. Except when we open the history books and when we open these history books Jordan is third Bill Russell‘s Wilt Chamberlain wilt Chamberlin, Bill Russell however you want to put it and then there’s Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. He’s my all-time favorite. Jordan had more charisma, but if we’re going prime to prime, I’ll take Wilt Chamberlain over anybody in the world prime to prime. That’s the bottom line. I’m signing out.
Wilt is the ONLY player in NBA history to score 40-40 not once, not twice, but five or six times. There’s the evidence of him being the GOAT. And, as Michael said, Russell has 11 rings, does that make him better than me? Yes, it does. What irks me the most, is that nobody recognizes the greatest dynasty in Sports history, the 60’s Boston Celtics, and he genius of Red Auerbach. He built the team around Russell’s strengths and weakness. Chamberlain and the rest of the league had no chance. He put together a team with 8 Hall of Famers. How the hell do you compete with that, when you have maybe 2 other stars on your team?
Michael Jordan gets mentioned a lot as the GOAT but that’s because technological media was starting to come around more at that time whereas Willt Chamberlain only showed up on television once in a blue moon. I think LeBron James might just be better than Michael Jordan. Be it as it may, neither are in Wilt Chamberlain’s league.
“Dear God, I know I’m a sinner, and I ask for your forgiveness. I believe Jesus Christ is Your Son. I believe that He died for my sin and that you raised Him to life. I want to trust Him as my Savior and follow Him as Lord, from this day forward. Guide my life and help me to do your will. I pray this in the name of Jesus. Amen.” Did you pray this prayer?
This story from Larry Brown is true?; Here are some facts to think about: 1. Worthy and Scott graduated from North Carolina and Inglewood high schools in 1979. 2. Worthy and Scott were freshmen at UNC and Arizona State respectively in 1980. 3. Worthy and Scott began playing for the Lakers in 1982 and 1983 respectively. 4. AC Green graduated from a Portland, Oregon high school in 1982. 5. Green played collegiately at Oregon State from 1982-1986. 6. Green began playing for the Lakers in 1986.
No one ever wasted more talent than Wilt Chamberlain. Also, this story is complete bs. You claim “prime Magic Johnson” but according to your own timeline he was 20 when this happened. And no one is blocking “every shot” without obvious goaltending. Also, I’ll just point out the most obvious detail of all – it’s a PICKUP GAME. For all we know, Magic was practicing behind-the-back shots and skyhooks for fun in tennis shoes before his real workout or a trip to the beach. Actual facts: Magic 5 rings, Wilt 2 rings. Now, both are all-time top 5 players in my opinion, but neither one belongs in any debate with Michael Jordan, who won 6 championships with 6 finals MVPs, and probably goes 9/9 if his father had not been tragically killed. All this crap about “the rules changing because of Wilt” leaves out arguably the most important detail of all – Wilt Chamberlain never played a single game in the NBA where 3-pointers existed. Larry Brown also has incredible bias against Phil Jackson, Michael Jordan, and the Lakers for owning him as Coach of the Pacers and 76ers in the 90s/00s. Overall, this is biased reporting that is highly suspect.
If I could somehow make one thing happen in sports, it would be to see Wilt and Shaq go head to head. Wilt was much more finesse than Shaq, but I think Shaq would force Wilt to use his strength to combat Shaq’s brute force game. Then we would see the total Wilt, and that would be a scary sight indeed.