BattlesOnandOfftheCourt

MagicarrivedattheForumataboutnoon.Hewalkedinwearingasuitandtieandwentto
whereallhisteammateswerelocatedandannounced,BecauseofthevirusIhaveattained,I
willhavetoretirefromtheLakers.Formostofthemthosewordswereunbearableandthey
eitherbrokedownorgotmadatMagicforwhathehadjustsaid.ThenMagicwalkedinthepress
roomanditwassilent.Hesteppedtothe
podiumwithhisheadhungdownand
repeatedthesamewordsthathehad
saidtohisteammates.Thepackedroom
wasstunned,speechless.Peoplestarted
gettingtearsintheireyes,buttherewas
notatearinMagicseyes.MagicJohnson
wasabasketballplayerthatwithhis
amazingpassesandheight
revolutionizedthegameandhadto
overcomesomuch.

EarvinMagicJohnsonJr.hada
roughearlylife.Hegrewupwithsix
siblinginamediumhouse.Histwo
parentsworkedalot,hismomspenther
timemakingthemlunchesafterworkand
hisdadwasajanitoratGeneralMotor
andcollectedgarbageafterthat.Magicwouldhelphisdadcollectthegarbageoftenandschool
kidswouldteasehim,callinghimGarbageMan.Evenwithallthat,Magicjusthadaloveforthe
gamelikenoother.Hewouldwakeupasearlyas7:00a.mtoplaybasketballbeforebreakfast.
Hereallyblossomedinhighschoolwhenhehadtogotoanallwhiteschool.

Magicmadealotofcontributionstothe
gameandsurehadalotof
accomplishments.Hewasthetallest
PointGuardinNBAhistorytoplaythe
game,measuringinat6foot9inches.
OnebigcontributionthatMagicmade
isthathisamazingpassesandspins
wererevolutionaryandcausedpeople
likeTonyParkerandChrisPaulto
dominatewithsimilarmoves.Heleft
thecrowdawestruckwithhisnolook
orbehindthebackpasses.Inashort
spanof13yearsintheleaguehe
accomplishedmorethanwhatsomepeopleaccomplishedin18years.Hewasa5timeNBA
Champion,a3timeNBAFinalsMVP,3timeNBAMVP,12timeNBAAllStar,2timeNBA
AllStarGameMVP,9timeAllNBAFirstTeam,1timeAllNBASecondTeam,4timeNBA
AssistLeader,2timeNBAStealsLeader,J.WalterKennedyCitizenAward,NCAAFinalFour
MostOutstandingPlayer,NCAAChampion,andNo.32RetiredbyTheLosAngelesLakers.In
Magics13yearsintheleaguehewonmanytitle,washonoredasaMVP,andusedstrategies
thatnoonehadeverthoughtofbefore.

AlifeskillthatMagicJohnsonshowedwasthatofperseverance.Heperseveredwhenhe
gotthenewsthathehadtestedpositivefortheHIVvirus.Heknewthatitwasgoingtobevery
hardtolivewithapotentiallydeadlyvirus,butheknewhehadtonotgiveupbecausehehada
wifeandababycoming.Atthetimehejustgotthe
news,hethoughtthathislifewasoverandhejust
laidonthefloor,silentanddevastated.Hiswife,
Cookie,slappedsomesenseintohimandthats
whenheknewwhathehadtodosomethingtohelp
thefuturegenerationsfrommakingthemistakeshe
made.HeisnowtheChairmanandCEOofThe
MagicJohnsonFoundation,afoundationthatfights
againstHIVs/AIDsthroughawarenessand
educationtotheyouth.Theytrytoteachyouthat
HIVs/AIDscomefromhavingunsafesexandyou
cantthinkthatonlygaypeoplecangetthem.They
alsohelpoutkidsinthecommunityandteachthem
thatcommunityserviceisimportant.

AsyouseeMagicJohnsonovercamealot
andchangedthegameinmanyways.Nowyou
canseehisallovertheplacehelpingtheyouthby
donatingcomputersandbooks.Youcanalsosee
himgivingseminarstoyoungadultsaboutthe
importanceofsafesexandtellingthemtheresponsibilitythatcomeswithbeingayoungadult.
Childrenofallageslookuptohim.SoIthinkinthose13yearsintheleagueMagiclearnedalot,
notonlyaboutbasketballbutaboutlife.