Buick ( /ˈbjuːɨk/) is a premium brand of General Motors (GM).^[1] Buick models are sold in the United States, Canada, Mexico, China, Taiwan, and Israel, with China being its largest market. Buick holds the distinction as the oldest active American make. Many current Buick models are shared with other GM global subsidiaries.

History[link]

Louis Chevrolet driving a Buick Bug in the 1910 Vanderbilt Cup

1910 Buick Bug Race Car and 1944 M18 Buick Hellcat Tank Destroyer

1910 Buick Model 17, at Randall-Dodd Auto Company, Salt Lake City

1914 Buick 5-Passenger Touring

Early years[link]

Buick is currently the oldest still-active American automotive make, and among the oldest automobile brands in the world. It originated as the Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company in 1899, an independent internal combustion engine and motor-car manufacturer, and was later incorporated as the Buick Motor Company on May 19, 1903, by Scottish born David Dunbar Buick in Detroit, Michigan. Later that year, the struggling company was taken over by James H. Whiting (1842–1919),^[2] who moved it to his hometown of Flint, Michigan, and brought in William C. Durant in 1904 to manage his new acquisition. Buick sold his stock for a small sum upon departure, and died in modest circumstances 25 years later.

1912 Buick logo

A 1911 Buick Advertisement - Syracuse Post-Standard, January 21, 1911

Cover of 1925 promotional folder from Swedish reseller

1932 Buick

Between 1899 and 1902, two prototype vehicles were built^[3] in Detroit, Michigan by Walter Lorenzo Marr. Some documentation exists of the 1901 or 1902 prototype with tiller steering^[4] similar to the Oldsmobile Curved Dash.

1937 Buick 4-Door Convertible. Captured at Utstein, Norway, August 1, 2009

In mid-1904, another prototype was constructed for an endurance run, which convinced James H. Whiting to authorize production of the first models offered to the public.^[5] The architecture of this prototype was the basis for the Model B.

The first Buick made for sale, the 1904 Model B, was built in Flint, Michigan.^[6] There were 37 Buicks made that year, none of which survived. There are, however, two replicas in existence: the 1904 endurance car, at the Buick Gallery & Research Center in Flint, and a Model B assembled by an enthusiast in California for the division's 100th anniversary.^[7][8] Both of these vehicles use various parts from Buicks of that early era, as well as fabricated parts. These vehicles were each constructed with the two known surviving 1904 engines. Buicks were first built to replicate the living room in a moving automobile, and were nicknamed the "moving couch of America".

The power train and chassis architecture introduced on the Model B was continued through the 1909 Model F.^[9] The early success of Buick is attributed in part to the valve-in-head engine^[10] patented by Eugene Richard. The Model F had a two-cylinder engine, an 87 inch wheelbase and weighed 1,800 lbs.^[11] The creation of General Motors is attributed in part to the success of Buick,^[12] so it can be said Marr and Richard's designs directly led to GM.^[13]

The basic design of the 1904 Buick was optimally engineered even by today's standards. The flat-twin engine is inherently balanced, with torque presented to the chassis in a longitudinal manner, actually cancelling front end lift, rather than producing undesirable lateral motion. The engine was mounted amidships, now considered the optimal location.^[14]

Durant was a natural promoter, and Buick soon became the largest car maker in America. Using the profits from this, Durant embarked on a series of corporate acquisitions, calling the new megacorporation General Motors. At first, the manufacturers comprising General Motors competed against each other, but Durant ended that. He wanted each General Motors division to target one class of buyer, and in his new scheme, Buick was near the top — only the Cadillac brand had more prestige. Buick occupies this position to this day in the General Motors lineup. The ideal Buick customer is comfortably well off, possibly not quite rich enough to afford a Cadillac, nor desiring the ostentation of one, but definitely in the market for a car above the norm.

At first, Buick followed the likes of Napier in automobile racing, winning the first-ever race held at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.^[15]

In 1911, Buick introduced its first closed-body car,^[16] four years ahead of Ford.^[17] In 1929, as part of General Motors' companion make program, Buick Motor Division launched the Marquette sister brand, designed to bridge the price gap between Buick and Oldsmobile; however, Marquette was discontinued in 1930. Buick scored another first in 1939, when it became the first^{[citation needed]} company to introduce turn signals.^[18]

Post-war years[link]

1966 Buick Riviera

1949 - Portholes Debut

1953 - Buick's 50th Anniversary and introduction of Roadmaster Skylark

1959 - Electra and LeSabre introduced

1961 - Skylark nameplate returns as a compact car

1963 - Riviera introduced as its own model

1970 - GSX high performance option package first offered on Gran Sport (GS) 455

1971 - "Boat-tail" Riviera introduced

1973 - Regal introduced as upper trim level on Century

1975 - Park Avenue introduced as trim level/option package on Electra 225 Limited

1978 - Buick's 75th Anniversary and Turbocharged V6 introduced in the Regal Sport Coupe^[19]

Recent years[link]

1987 Buick Regal Grand National

1995–1996 Buick Roadmaster

1998–2002 Buick Park Avenue

The Buick Rendezvous, Buick's first crossover SUV

The 2010 Buick LaCrosse

2012 Buick Regal GS

Overall domestic sales of the Buick brand peaked in 1984^{[citation needed]}, with a broad model line ranging from compacts to large cars, including performance-oriented turbocharged models. Buick's hero car of the 1980s was the Regal Grand National, a midsize coupe with a turbocharged 3.8 V6, and one of the fastest production cars of the decade.

The number of Buick models in the lineup fell over time, with the compact and performance segments being abandoned altogether. However, Buick maintained their traditional Century, Regal, LeSabre, and Park Avenue sedan lines. By the 2000s, Buick had a staid image, while not directly competing with import luxury makes. In 2001, Buick introduced its first SUV, the Rendezvous crossover, while golf star Tiger Woods became its spokesperson.

The Buick Centieme crossover concept car commemorated Buick Motor Division's 100th anniversary.

Buick began consolidating its lineup in 2005, eventually reducing its line to just three models with new nameplates: the 2005 LaCrosse/Allure, the 2006 Lucerne, and the successful 2008 Enclave. While total sales slipped,^[20] the profitability of this model line ensured Buick's future within General Motors.^[21]

Since 2005, GM had gradually consolidated Buick with GMC and former Pontiac dealerships to create the current Buick-GMC network. During General Motors Chapter 11 reorganization and emergence in 2009, the company designated Buick as a "core brand", citing the division's success in China.^[22] Behind the scenes, GM began to move products originally planned for other brands to Buick. The Opel Insignia was originally intended to become the second-generation Saturn Aura, but instead became the new Buick Regal.^[23][24]

In January 2009, Buick unveiled the new 2010 LaCrosse sedan, an all new styling direction which included traditional Buick cues. The market responded to the LaCrosse, with reviews favorably comparing it to the Lexus ES.^[25] For 2011, Buick followed up by re-introducing the Regal sedan, a smaller model based on the European Opel Insignia. The Regal will offer a GS sport package and is the first Buick in almost 20 years to be offered with a manual transmission and a turbocharger.

In June 2011, the Lucerne full-size luxury sedan was discontinued after six years in production. Several months later, the all-new 2012 Verano compact sedan was added and the performance-oriented Regal GS officially joined the lineup as well. Meanwhile, sales of the Enclave crossover remained strong.

A GM company spokesman said that Buick is positioned as a "premium" marque (entry-level luxury) to compete with Acura, Lexus, and Volvo, while Cadillac is supposed to be aimed at the "luxury" performance segment which includes BMW and Mercedes-Benz.^[1] While both the LaCrosse and Regal share the Epsilon II platform, the larger LaCrosse is more luxury oriented and will face off against the Lexus ES350 and Acura TL, while the Regal's rivals will include the Acura TSX and Volkswagen CC.^[26]

In the 2009 J.D. Power and Associates Vehicle Dependability Study, Buick tied with Jaguar as the most dependable brand in the United States.^[27] Buick became the fastest growing automotive brand in 2010, attracting a younger customer demographic.^[28]

Current and upcoming[link]

As of 2012^[update], Buick's North American lineup consists of the newly introduced Verano entry-level compact sedan, the Regal mid-size luxury/sports sedan, the LaCrosse mid-size luxury sedan, and the Enclave full-size luxury crossover. Buick plans to launch the Encore, a new mini crossover vehicle, later in the year as a 2013 model.

Distinguishing features[link]

Trishield[link]

Trishield, Buick´s emblem

The Buick Trishield is rooted in the ancestral coat of arms of the automaker’s founder, David Dunbar Buick. That crest was a red shield with a checkered silver and azure diagonal line from the upper left to lower right, a stag above and a punctured cross below. The division adopted this on its radiator grilles in 1937. In 1960, the logo underwent a major overhaul. Its single shield was replaced by a trio in red, white and blue—denoting the LeSabre, Invicta, and Electra then in the Buick lineup. Usurped by the Buick Hawk in the 1970s, the trishield reemerged in the 1980s, simplified, but with its same patriotic colors. Today, again representing the trio of vehicles in the Buick marque, the trishield enjoys its even more distilled—and emboldened—monochrome form.

VentiPorts[link]

Buick Special or Super Sedan, 1951.

A traditional Buick styling cue dating to 1949 is a series of three or four vents on the front fender behind the front wheels. The source of this design feature was a custom car of Buick stylist Ned Nickles, which in addition had a flashing light within each hole each synchronized with a specific spark plug simulating the flames from the exhaust stack of a fighter airplane. Combined with the bombsight mascot (introduced in 1946), VentiPorts put the driver at the controls of an imaginary fighter airplane. The flashing light feature was not used by Buick in production, but VentiPorts remained as nonfunctional ornamentation.

They were called VentiPorts because the 1949 sales brochure noted that VentiPorts helped ventilate the engine compartment. The suggestion was made that they allowed air flow out of the engine bay. Air entered from the grill into the engine bay and was pressurized by the radiator fan, and exited through the VentiPorts. And possibly that was true in early 1949, but sometime during the model year they became plugged. VentiPorts have appeared sporadically on several models since and are currently featured on three of the four current Buick models.

When introduced, the number of VentiPorts (three or four) denoted the size of straight-eight engine installed. Since displacement differences in straight-eight engines resulted in more dramatic differences in engine length than on V8s, the Buick Roadmaster (which was the only model at this time with the larger engine) needed a longer chassis in front of the cowl to accommodate the larger engine. Thus an extra VentiPort also corresponded directly to the necessary extra length in front. After the more compact V8 replaced the straight-eight engine in 1953 this difference in chassis length was no longer needed. Nevertheless, the convention remained. Consequently, when the Buick Century, which shared the Buick Special's smaller body, was reintroduced in 1954, it also received four VentiPorts to denote its engine's greater displacement. However, in 1955, the Buick Super, which shared Roadmaster's larger body, was promoted from three to four VentiPorts despite having the smaller displacement engine. In turn, the Buick Invicta which took the place of the Buick Century in 1959, and consequently had the smaller body with the larger displacement engine, was demoted from four to three VentiPorts on introduction. Thus the number of VentiPorts came to denote body size rather than engine size. VentiPorts appeared on all Buicks from 1949 through 1957, and on most Buicks (notable exceptions include the Buick Wildcat, the Buick Riviera and the Buick Centurion) from 1960 through 1981.

In 2003 VentiPorts were re-introduced on the Buick Park Avenue. After the Park Avenue was discontinued, Buick salvaged the VentiPorts to appear on the new-for-2006 Lucerne. Consistent with the tradition that held from 1949 through 1954, the Lucerne's VentiPorts refer directly to engine size: V6 models have three on each side, while V8s have four on each side.

Modern and edgy compared to the oval ones that adorned Buicks for years, the new VentiPorts have become a Buick-wide talisman again and are currently featured in one form or another on the Lucerne, the popular Enclave and, for 2010, along the inner hood ridges of the redesigned LaCrosse.

Sweepspear[link]

Sweepspear on a Buick Skylark

Another styling cue from 1940s through the 1970s was the Sweepspear, a curved line running the length of the car. Introduced on the 1949 Buick Roadmaster Riviera hardtop coupe as an optional feature, the Sweepspear was a chrome-plated or stainless steel rub strip which, after it passed the front wheel, gently curved down nearly to the rocker panel just before the rear wheel, and then curved around the rear wheel in a quarter of a circle to go straight back to the tail-light. The "Riviera trim", as it was initially called, was also made available on the Roadmaster convertible very late in the model year. It proved so popular that by the 1951 model year it was made a standard feature on all Buicks. During the two-tone color craze of the 1950s, the sweepspear separated two different color areas. After that, the curved line was usually indicated either by a vinyl rub strip or simply a character line molded into the sheetmetal as hinted in the 2008 Invicta concept car and 2010 LaCrosse/Allure production car.

Delta Fin[link]

Delta Fins on a 1959 Buick Electra 225 Riviera

The 1958 Buick was marketed beginning in September 1957, just as the space age began with the launching of Sputnik I on October 4 of that year. This Buick was nicknamed "the king of chrome" and had rear tailfins reminiscent of a rocket ship.^[29][30] In 1959, Buick had the aerodynamic Delta Fin. The fin made parking difficult and blocked the driver's line of vision.^[31][32] In 1960, the fin was snubbed down and disappeared in 1961, although vestiges of it reappeared in the 2000-2005 LeSabre line with its upswept sides.

Taillight shapes[link]

During the 1950s, the characteristic form of the Buick taillamps was a tier of small, circular bullet-shapes. In the early 1960s, most models began to evolve a wide, rectangular pattern, until the 1965 Skylark and Electra models appeared with full-width rear lamps. Since then, wide taillamps have been a Buick hallmark.

Buick "dollar grin" and "Trishield" in a Buick LeSabre

Classic Grille Styling[link]

The Buick styling cue (dating from the 1940s) that has most often reappeared, though, is for the grille to be a horizontal oval with many thin vertical chromed ribs bulging forward. This has sometimes been called the Buick "dollar grin" particularly on the early 1950s models, which had thick, highly-polished ribs that somewhat resembled teeth. The 1950 model took this tooth theme to its extreme as the teeth crossed over the bumper exposing the 1950 "grin". The 1951 model reined in the theme, bringing the teeth back behind the bumper. Current Buick Models have a new take on the classic styling with their Chromed "Waterfall Grilles".

Waterfall Grille[link]

In recent years, Buick has adopted a Waterfall Grille, as seen on the Buick Velite concept car from 2004 and first used in production with the Buick Lucerne introduced for the 2006 model year. This waterfall grille bears some resemblance to grilles of Buicks from the 1980s, such as the Grand National.

Nailhead[link]

The Buick V8 engine, nicknamed the Nailhead because of its relatively small intake and exhaust valves which resembled nails, became popular with hot-rodders in the 1950s and 1960s, because the vertical attachment of the valve covers, in contrast to the angled attachment of other V8 engines, enabled the engine to fit into smaller spaces while maintaining easy access for maintenance.

Buick Gran Sport, 1970 455 Stage 1

By 1967, Buick was making quiet history with more conventional V8s that had abandoned the "nailhead" design but made much greater power. For the 1967 model year, Buick renamed its "Gran Sport" performance models (not to be confused with the Chevrolet "Super Sport" cars) as "GS" models. In 1970 this was headed up by the powerful GS455 Stage 1, so named for its 455 cu in (7.5 L) engine, with its high performance "Stage 1" package. Built on the same "A-body" platform as the Chevelle, Cutlass/442, and LeMans/GTO, the GS cars were performance based vehicles spawned from Buick's Skylark line, and shared all of the A-Body GM offering's tendency for good looks. Both hardtop and convertible "GS" models were offered.

GSX[link]

Midway through that year, Buick debuted its GSX model, which was an appearance package rivaling that of the GTO "Judge". GSX colors ran the spectrum that year, if that range included just yellow and white. Subsequent GSX models offered a variety of colors to go with the GSX signature hood blackout treatment and the swept wide pin striping vaguely reminiscent of the famous Buick "sweepspear". GSX models could be ordered with 350, 455, or 455 Stage 1 engines, and were outfitted with the usual GS options such as dual hood scoop hood with functioning "ram-air" intake, and dual exhaust. Horsepower ratings for the Stage 1 455s were a relatively mild 360 hp (or 370 depending on sources), but featured 510 lb·ft (690 N·m) of torque at 2200 rpm, good to propel the relatively weighty GS455 Stage 1 equipped cars to quarter-mile times of under 13.4 seconds. Buick halted GSX production after the 1972 model year.

The prototype GSX survived the show circuit, and was a fully functioning car that beat the odds to survive not only the usual showcar life of "construction-display-destruction", but also the life of an ordinary car, as it was sold from a dealership after being on display for some time. The car survives to this day, is restored to its original condition, licensed and ready to hit the road.

1965 Buick Special convertible.

2007 Buick Riviera concept.

Geographical distribution[link]

Unlike some of GM's other brands, Buicks are currently not marketed globally, although the marque had a substantial export presence until a few years ago^{[citation needed]}. Some Buicks were also built in Europe or were available with specific trim for European market until 1996.

In pre-World War II China, one in five cars was a Buick^{[citation needed][33][dead link]} The brand is popular in China today.^[34]

Buick in Mexico[link]

Buicks were sold in Mexico from 1921 to 1962 when a protectionist policy on behalf of the government restricted the percentage of imported parts that could be used in the manufacture of vehicles and the sale of imported cars. From then onwards, all GM products were sold by Chevrolet dealerships. In 1990, after a heavy modification to the protectionist policy of the sixties, GM started assembling the Buick Century in Mexico, at the plant in Ramos Arizpe, in the state of Coahuila, just south of Texas, and selling it through Mexican Chevrolet dealerships, so it was not uncommon for many people to call it "Chevrolet Century". In 1997, GM stopped production of Buicks in Mexico and the brand was not sold there until 2009.

With the announcement in 2009 of the elimination of the Pontiac brand, it was speculated that Buicks would be sold once again in Mexico, since there was a large network of Pontiac-GMC dealerships already in place. On July 24, 2009, Grace Lieblein, the new president of GM in Mexico, revealed that the Buick brand would be available in Mexico in late September of that year, after an absence of a dozen years, with the LaCrosse and the Enclave models. Buick shares the dealership floor with Pontiac and GMC until the Pontiac brand fades away during the summer of 2010.

Buick in New Zealand[link]

Buicks were once sold in New Zealand. They were also built at the GMNZ plant in Petone, outside Wellington.^[35] At the end of World War II, the Buick name was not revived for the New Zealand market.

Buick in Israel[link]

In Israel, Buicks are imported by Universal Motors, Ltd. (UMI), which also imports other GM vehicles. For model years 2004 and 2005, the Buick LeSabre and Buick Rendezvous were sold. For model years 2006 and 2007, the Buick LaCrosse and Buick Lucerne were sold alongside the Rendezvous. For model year 2008, the Buick LaCrosse and Buick Lucerne were available.

Buick in the Middle East[link]

Buicks were sold throughout the Middle East until the second-generation Buick Roadmaster was discontinued.

Buick in Mainland China[link]

Chinese version of Buick car

Buick G2.5 v6 made by Shanghai GM, China in 2002

Making up nearly 35% of those sales, China is Buick's largest market, selling more there than even the United States.^[36] In 2007, General Motors sold over 330,000 Buicks in China, more than twice what they sold in the United States.^[37]

V6 engine of Buick 2.5G of Shanghai GM, China in 2002

Since 1999, a Chinese version of the Buick Century/Regal has been produced and sold in mainland China by Shanghai GM and has proven to be popular among upscale, professional families, establishing Buick as one of the most popular vehicle brands in China. In addition, Buick of China also sells the compact Excelle (based on the Daewoo Lacetti/Nubira), a five-door hatchback version called the HRV, and a modified version of the first generation Pontiac Montana minivan named the GL8. Many Buicks for the local market are equipped with smaller more fuel efficient engines with double overhead camshafts, than those with overhead valves in the same nameplate for the American market. The engines of 2005-09 Chevrolet Equinox and Pontiac Torrent, originally intended for Buick in China, were made in China and imported by General Motors.^[38]

In June 2005, Buick announced that it would market the Australian RWD Holden Caprice in China as the Buick Royaum (2005–06). Buick previously marketed the subcompact Sail, sourced from GM's Asian operations and based on the Opel Corsa B, until 2005. Since then, Shanghai GM has replaced it with the Chevrolet Sail (a rebadged Opel Corsa). Buick has stated that it expects China to become its second largest market.

In 2006, Buick debuted the Chinese version of the LaCrosse sedan. The only differences are exterior design, different engine choices, and a facelifted interior. It is positioned above the Regal but below the Royaum.

In April 2007, Shanghai GM announced the Buick Park Avenue, for the Chinese market only. The vehicle is based on the Holden Caprice, with engines manufactured in Australia.

In 2009, Buick sold 447,011 vehicles, an increase of 59.6 percent compared with the previous year.^[39]

Buick has sold over two million vehicles in China. The first million took eight years, the second came in at only three years.^[40]

Buick in Taiwan[link]

GM Taiwan was founded in August 1989. In the early 1990s, Buick, along with other GM brands, was very popular and frequently seen on Taiwanese streets. Park Avenue, 3rd and 4th generation Regal, and 6th generation Skylark used to be sold in Taiwan.

In December 2004, General Motors signed a memorandum of understanding with Yulon, a firm based in Taiwan, for the licensed manufacture of Buick vehicles there. In July 2005, Yulon GM Motor Co. Ltd. (Yulon GM), a joint venture with 51 percent equity stake held by Yulon Motor and 49 percent by GM, was founded.

On April 17, 2006, Yulon GM debuted the first Buick vehicle ever built in Taiwan, the LaCrosse sedan. It is very similar to the Chinese version of the LaCrosse.

In Motorsport[link]

For many years, Buick was a substitute for Chevrolet in automobile racing. No earlier than the 1960s, Buick was a competitor in the Indianapolis 500, and (like almost every other American manufacturer) also participated in the Grand National stock car racing series using its Regal and later the Grand Sport.

The golden age of Buick in motorsport, however, was the late eighties. General Motors entered the Regal, particularly the Grand National, in the NASCAR Winston Cup Series alongside the Oldsmobile Cutlass. Buick was also a major powerplant in the CART IndyCar Series and IMSA GT Series (particularly in the IMSA GTP class) for several years. The 1990s, however, proved to be the end of Buick's reign in motorsports, as GM replaced it for many years with Oldsmobile before phasing out that marque in 2004. Oldsmobile would be replaced by Pontiac until its demise in 2009, being replaced by Chevrolet.

Buicks were also entered in the Trans Am Series in the eighties and nineties using aftermarket V8 engines.

Enthusiast organizations[link]

The Buick Club of America, founded in 1966, is a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of automobiles built by the Buick Motor Division of General Motors Corporation.

See also[link]

• Harley Earl
• Opel

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Buick vehicles

• Buick Homepage
• Buick at the Open Directory Project

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Earvin "Magic" Johnson

No. 32
Point guard / Forward
Personal information
Born	(1959-08-14) August 14, 1959 (age 52) Lansing, Michigan
High school	Everett (Lansing, Michigan)
Listed height	6 ft 9 in (2.06 m)[1]
Listed weight	255 lb (116 kg)[2]
Career information
College	Michigan State (1977–1979)
NBA Draft	1979 / Round: 1 / Pick: 1st overall
Selected by the Los Angeles Lakers
Pro career	1979–1996
Career history
1979–1991, 1996	Los Angeles Lakers
Career highlights and awards
5× NBA Champion (1980, 1982, 1985, 1987–1988) 3× NBA Most Valuable Player (1987, 1989–1990) 12× NBA All-Star (1980, 1982–1992) 3× NBA Finals MVP (1980, 1982, 1987) 9× All-NBA First Team (1983–1991) All-NBA Second Team (1982) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1980) 2× NBA All-Star Game MVP (1990, 1992) NBA's 50th Anniversary All-Time Team NCAA Champion (1979) #32 Retired by Los Angeles Lakers
Career statistics
Points	17,707 (19.5 ppg)
Rebounds	6,559 (7.2 rpg)
Assists	10,141 (11.2 apg)
Stats at Basketball-Reference.com
Basketball Hall of Fame as player

Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is a retired American professional basketball player who played point guard for the Los Angeles Lakers of the National Basketball Association (NBA). After winning championships in high school and college, Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA Draft by the Lakers. He won a championship and an NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award in his rookie season, and won four more championships with the Lakers during the 1980s. Johnson retired abruptly in 1991 after announcing that he had contracted HIV, but returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game, winning the All-Star MVP Award. After protests from his fellow players, he retired again for four years, but returned in 1996, at age 36, to play 32 games for the Lakers before retiring for the third and final time.

Johnson's career achievements include three NBA MVP Awards, nine NBA Finals appearances, twelve All-Star games, and ten All-NBA First and Second Team nominations. He led the league in regular-season assists four times, and is the NBA's all-time leader in average assists per game, at 11.2.^[3] Johnson was a member of the "Dream Team", the U.S. basketball team that won the Olympic gold medal in 1992.

Johnson was honored as one of the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History in 1996, and enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2002.^[4] He was rated the greatest NBA point guard of all time by ESPN in 2007.^[5] His friendship and rivalry with Boston Celtics star Larry Bird, whom he faced in the 1979 NCAA finals and three NBA championship series, were well documented. Since his retirement, Johnson has been an advocate for HIV/AIDS prevention and safe sex,^[4] as well as an entrepreneur,^[6] philanthropist,^[7] broadcaster and motivational speaker.^[8] Johnson was a part-owner of the Lakers for several years, and was part of a group that purchased the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2012.

Amateur career[link]

Early years[link]

Earvin Johnson Jr. was born to Earvin Sr., a General Motors assembly worker, and Christine, a school custodian.^[9] Johnson grew up in Lansing, Michigan, and came to love basketball as a youngster, idolizing players such as Earl Monroe and Marques Haynes,^[10] and practicing "all day".^[4]

Johnson was first dubbed "Magic" as a 15-year-old sophomore playing for Lansing's Everett High School, when he recorded a triple-double of 36 points, 18 rebounds and 16 assists.^[4] After the game, Fred Stabley Jr., a sports writer for the Lansing State Journal, gave him the moniker^[11] despite the belief of Johnson's mother, a Christian, that the name was sacrilegious.^[4] In his final high school season, Johnson led Lansing Everett to a 27–1 win–loss record while averaging 28.8 points and 16.8 rebounds per game,^[4] and took his team to an overtime victory in the state championship game.^[12]

Michigan State University[link]

Although Johnson was recruited by several top-ranked colleges such as Indiana and UCLA, he decided to play close to home.^[13] His college decision came down to the University of Michigan and Michigan State University in East Lansing. He ultimately decided to attend Michigan State when its coach Jud Heathcote told him he could play the point guard position. The talent already on Michigan State's roster also drew him to the program.^[14]

Johnson did not initially aspire to play professionally, focusing instead on his communication studies major and on his desire to become a television commentator.^[15] Playing with future NBA draftees Greg Kelser, Jay Vincent and Mike Brkovich, Johnson averaged 17.0 points, 7.9 rebounds, and 7.4 assists per game as a freshman, and led the Spartans to a 25–5 record, the Big Ten Conference title, and a berth in the 1978 NCAA Tournament.^[4] The Spartans reached the Elite Eight, but lost narrowly to eventual national champion Kentucky.^[16]

During the 1978–79 season, Michigan State again qualified for the NCAA Tournament, where they advanced to the championship game and faced Indiana State University, which was led by senior Larry Bird. In what was the most-watched college basketball game ever,^[17] Michigan State defeated Indiana State 75–64, and Johnson was voted Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four.^[12] After two years in college, during which he averaged 17.1 points, 7.6 rebounds, and 7.9 assists per game, Johnson was drafted in the 1979 NBA Draft.^[18]

Professional career[link]

Rookie season in the NBA (1979–80)[link]

Johnson was drafted first overall in 1979 by the Los Angeles Lakers. Johnson said that what was "most amazing" about joining the Lakers was the chance to play alongside Kareem Abdul-Jabbar,^[19] the team's 7 ft 2 in (2.18 m) center who became the leading scorer in NBA history.^[20] Despite Abdul-Jabbar's dominance, he had failed to win a championship with the Lakers, and Johnson was expected to help them achieve that goal.^[21] Johnson averaged 18.0 points, 7.7 rebounds, and 7.3 assists per game for the season, was selected to the NBA All-Rookie Team, and was named an NBA All-Star Game starter.^[22]

The Lakers compiled a 60–22 record in the regular season and reached the 1980 NBA Finals,^[23] in which they faced the Philadelphia 76ers, who were led by forward Julius Erving. The Lakers took a 3–2 lead in the series, but Abdul-Jabbar, who averaged 33 points a game in the series,^[24] sprained his ankle in Game 5 and could not play in Game 6.^[21] Paul Westhead decided to start Johnson at center in Game 6; Johnson recorded 42 points, 15 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals in a 123–107 win, while playing guard, forward, and center at different times during the game.^[21] Johnson became the only rookie to win the NBA Finals MVP award,^[21] and his clutch performance is still regarded as one of the finest in NBA history.^[5][25][26] He also became one of four players to win NCAA and NBA championships in consecutive years.^[27]

Ups and downs (1980–83)[link]

Early in the 1980–81 season, Johnson was sidelined after he suffered torn cartilage in his left knee. He missed 45 games,^[18] and said that his rehabilitation was the "most down" he had ever felt.^[28] Johnson returned before the start of the 1981 playoffs, but the Lakers' then-assistant and future head coach Pat Riley later said Johnson's much-anticipated return made the Lakers a "divided team".^[29] The 54-win Lakers faced the 40–42 Houston Rockets in the first round of playoffs,^[30][31] where Houston upset the Lakers 2–1 after Johnson airballed a last-second shot in Game 3.^[32]

During the off-season, Johnson signed a 25-year, $25-million contract with the Lakers, which was the highest-paying contract in sports history up to that point.^[33] At the beginning of the 1981–82 season, Johnson had a heated dispute with Westhead, who Johnson said made the Lakers "slow" and "predictable".^[34] 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,^[35] he was booed across the league, even by Lakers' fans.^[4] 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.^[18] 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.^[12] 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.^[36] During the championship series against the Sixers, Johnson averaged 16.2 points on .533 shooting, 10.8 rebounds, 8.0 assists, and 2.5 steals per game.^[37] Johnson later said that his third season was when the Lakers first became a great team,^[38] and he credited their success to Riley.^[39]

During the 1982–83 NBA season, Johnson averaged 16.8 points, 10.5 assists, and 8.6 rebounds per game and earned his first All-NBA First Team nomination.^[18] The Lakers again reached the Finals, and for a third time faced the Sixers, who featured center Moses Malone as well as Erving.^[40] With Johnson's teammates Norm Nixon, James Worthy and Bob McAdoo all hobbled by injuries, the Lakers were swept by the Sixers, and Malone was crowned the Finals MVP.^[40] In a losing effort against Philadelphia, Johnson averaged 19.0 points on .403 shooting, 12.5 assists, and 7.8 rebounds per game.^[41]

Battles against the Celtics (1983–87)[link]

Johnson battling with Bird for rebounding position in Game 2 of the 1985 NBA Finals at Boston Garden.

In Johnson's fifth season, he averaged a double-double of 17.6 points and 13.1 assists, as well as 7.3 rebounds per game.^[18] The Lakers reached the Finals for the third year in a row, where Johnson's Lakers and Bird's Celtics met for the first time in the post-season.^[42] The Lakers won the first game, and led by two points in Game 2 with 18 seconds to go, but after a layup by Gerald Henderson, Johnson failed to get a shot off before the final buzzer sounded, and the Lakers lost 124–121 in overtime.^[42] In Game 3, Johnson responded with 21 assists in a 137–104 win, but in Game 4, he again made several crucial errors late in the contest. In the final minute of the game, Johnson had the ball stolen by Celtics center Robert Parish, and then missed two free throws that could have won the game. The Celtics won Game 4 in overtime, and the teams split the next two games. In the decisive Game 7 in Boston, as the Lakers trailed by three points in the final minute, opposing point guard Dennis Johnson stole the ball from Johnson, a play that effectively ended the series.^[42] Friends Isiah Thomas and Mark Aguirre consoled him that night, talking until the morning in his Boston hotel room amidst fan celebrations on the street.^[43][44] During the Finals, Johnson averaged 18.0 points on .560 shooting, 13.6 assists, and 7.7 rebounds per game.^[45] Johnson later described the series as "the one championship we should have had but didn't get".^[46]

In the 1984–85 regular season, Johnson averaged 18.3 points, 12.6 assists, and 6.2 rebounds per game and led the Lakers into the 1985 NBA Finals, where they faced the Celtics again. The series started poorly for the Lakers when they allowed an NBA Finals record 148 points to the Celtics in a 34-point loss in Game 1.^[47] However, Abdul-Jabbar, who was now 38 years old, scored 30 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in Game 2, and his 36 points in a Game 5 win were instrumental in establishing a 3–2 lead for Los Angeles.^[47] After the Lakers defeated the Celtics in six games, Abdul-Jabbar and Johnson, who averaged 18.3 points on .494 shooting, 14.0 assists, and 6.8 rebounds per game in the championship series,^[48][49] said the Finals win was the highlight of their careers.^[50]

Johnson again averaged a double-double in the 1985–86 NBA season, with 18.8 points, 12.6 assists, and 5.9 rebounds per game.^[18] The Lakers advanced to the Western Conference Finals, but were unable to defeat the Houston Rockets, who advanced to the Finals in five games.^[51] In the next season, Johnson averaged a career-high of 23.9 points, as well as 12.2 assists and 6.3 rebounds per game,^[18] and earned his first regular season MVP award.^[4][52] The Lakers met the Celtics for the third time in the NBA Finals, and in Game 4 Johnson hit a last-second hook shot over Celtics big men Parish and Kevin McHale to win the game 107–106.^[53] The game-winning shot, which Johnson dubbed his "junior, junior, junior sky-hook",^[53] helped Los Angeles defeat Boston in six games. Johnson was awarded his third Finals MVP title after averaging 26.2 points on .541 shooting, 13.0 assists, 8.0 rebounds, and 2.33 steals per game.^[53][54]

Repeat and falling short (1987–91)[link]

Before the 1987–88 NBA season, Lakers coach Pat Riley publicly promised that they would defend the NBA title, even though no team had won consecutive titles since the Celtics did so in the 1969 NBA Finals.^[55] Johnson had another productive season with averages of 19.6 points, 11.9 assists, and 6.2 rebounds per game.^[18] In the 1988 playoffs, the Lakers survived two 4–3 series against the Utah Jazz and the Dallas Mavericks to reach the Finals and face Thomas and the Detroit Pistons,^[56] known as the "Bad Boys" for their physical style of play.^[57] Johnson and Thomas greeted each other with a kiss on the cheek before the opening tip of Game 1, which they called a display of brotherly love.^[44][58][59] After the teams split the first six games, Lakers forward and Finals MVP James Worthy had his first career triple-double of 36 points, 16 rebounds, and 10 assists, and led his team to a 108–105 win.^[60] Despite not being named MVP, Johnson had a strong championship series, averaging 21.1 points on .550 shooting, 13.0 assists, and 5.7 rebounds per game.^[61] It was the fifth and final NBA championship of his career.