Magic Johnson

After Johnson demanded to be traded, Lakers owner Jerry Buss fired Westhead and replaced him with Riley. Although Johnson denied responsibility for Westhead's firing, he was booed across the league, even by Lakers' fans. However, Lakers color commentator and assistant general manager Chick Hearn said that Buss had intended on firing Westhead five games before the Westhead–Johnson altercation, but Hearn, assistant GM Jerry West, and GM Bill Sharman had convinced Buss to give Westhead more time for his offensive system to improve. Despite his off-court troubles, Johnson averaged 18.6 points, 9.6 rebounds, 9.5 assists, and a league-high 2.7 steals per game, and was voted a member of the All-NBA Second Team. He also joined Wilt Chamberlain and Oscar Robertson as the only NBA players to tally at least 700 points, 700 rebounds, and 700 assists in the same season. The Lakers advanced through the 1982 playoffs and faced Philadelphia for the second time in three years in the 1982 NBA Finals. After a triple-double from Johnson in Game 6, the Lakers defeated the Sixers 4–2, as Johnson won his second NBA Finals MVP award. During the championship series against the Sixers, Johnson averaged 16.2 points on .533 shooting, 10.8 rebounds, 8. assists, and 2.5 steals per game. Johnson later said that his third season was when the Lakers first became a great team, and he credited their success to Riley. Read Less

After practicing and playing in several pre-season games, he returned to retirement before the start of the regular season, citing controversy over his return sparked by opposition from several active players. During his retirement, Johnson has written a book on safer sex, run several businesses, worked for NBC as a commentator, and toured Asia, Australia and New Zealand with a basketball team that comprised former college and NBA players. Read Less

Johnson's autobiography is Other biographies include: Read Less