This Day In Lakers History: Magic Johnson Retires From NBA
magic johnson
USA TODAY Sports

On May 14, 1996, Los Angeles Lakers legend Magic Johnson announced his permanent retirement from the NBA as a player, capping off an illustrious 13-year career that spanned in three different decades.

Johnson resumed his playing career in January 1996 after a four-year layoff while battling the HIV virus. He appeared in 32 regular-season games, averaging 14.6 points, 5.7 assists and 4.5 rebounds in nearly 30 minutes per contest.

The Lakers were 22-10 with Johnson back in the fold and ultimately secured the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. Los Angeles was challenged with fending off the reigning NBA champion Houston Rockets, but were eliminated in four games.

Johnson played in his final game with the Lakers on May 2, when he registered eight points, five rebounds and five assists in 30 minutes. He pondered the prospect of returning for another season, but ultimately decided against it and went out on his own terms.

Magic Johnson stats and accolades

In 13 seasons with the Lakers, Johnson finished with career averages of 19.5 points, 11.2 assists, 7.2 rebounds and 1.9 steals per game. Furthermore, he ranks second in NBA history with 138 triple doubles — only trailing Oscar Robertson’s total of 181.

Among Johnson’s most notable accolades include five NBA championships, three MVP awards and 11 All-Star selections. He also earned a Gold Medal as part of Team USA in the 1992 Olympics.

Later down the road, Johnson was inducted twice into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame — once for his individual accomplishments in 2002 and later in 2010 as a member of the Dream Team.

Despite retiring over two decades ago, Johnson still remains involved in the Lakers organization. He was named the team’s president of basketball operations in 2017 and despite resigning two years later, remains very close with Jeanie and the Buss family.

Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in live shows, and more!

You May Also Like

Lakers Draft Workouts: Jamaree Bouyea Looking At Austin Reaves As An Example

The basketball talent nowadays is overflowing which means several worthwhile prospects miss their chance to get drafted…

Lakers Rumors: Jared Dudley Joining Mavericks As Assistant Coach

Though he rarely played any major important minutes over the past two seasons, veteran forward Jared Dudley was clearly one…

This Day In Lakers History: L.A. Acquires Russell Westbrook From Wizards

After a disappointing 2020-21 season that was decimated by injuries, Rob Pelinka and the Los Angeles Lakers front office…

Lakers News: Fever’s Caitlin Clark Wore Kobe Bryant Shoes While Playing At Crypto.com Arena

Indiana Fever rookie Caitlin Clark has captured the spotlight recently with her legendary college career with the Iowa Hawkeyes…