Magic Johnson

An effervescent 6'9" point guard whose wizardry as a passer put a new dazzle in team play, Magic Johnson revolutionized the game of basketball with the Los Angeles Lakers during their 1980s dynasty. A Michigan native, Johnson led the Michigan State University Spartans to a national championship in 1979 in a ballyhooed shoot-out with Indiana State, led by hot-shooting forward Larry Bird. He left school early and was selected No. 1 in the National Basketball Association draft by the Lakers. Joining legendary center Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Johnson revived the franchise, helped propel it to an NBA title in his rookie season and earned the Finals MVP honor along the way. He would lead the Lakers to five championships through the '80s, with two against rival Bird's Boston Celtics. Johnson stunned the media with his announcement in 1991 that he had contracted HIV and was retiring. After two short-lived comeback attempts and a brief stint as the Lakers' coach, he settled into TV work and branched into entertainment-related business ventures that would include a famously awful late-night talk show for Fox. He remained in the limelight as studio analyst for NBA broadcasts, including ABC/ESPN. One of the most prominent and inspirational figures living with HIV, Johnson played a pivotal role not only in the Lakers "Showtime" dynasty but in reviving the fortunes of the once moribund NBA.