Editing Magic Johnson (section)

=== Rookie season in the NBA (1979–1980) ===
Johnson was [[List of first overall NBA draft picks|drafted first overall]] in 1979 by the [[1979–80 Los Angeles Lakers season|Los Angeles Lakers]]. Johnson said that what was "most amazing" about joining the Lakers was the chance to play alongside [[Kareem Abdul-Jabbar]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Johnson |first=Earvin "Magic" |author2=William Novak |title=My Life |year=1999 |page=113 |publisher=Black Book Company |isbn=1-902799-01-1}}</ref> the team's 7&nbsp;ft 2&nbsp;in (2.18&nbsp;m) [[center (basketball)|center]] who became the leading scorer in NBA history.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nba.com/history/records/regular_points.html |title=Regular Season Records: Points |publisher=National Basketball Association |access-date=May 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512114630/http://www.nba.com/history/records/regular_points.html |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> 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.<ref name="1980finals">{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=Rookie Makes the Lakers Believe in Magic |url=http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19791980.html |access-date=May 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512152948/http://www.nba.com/history/finals/19791980.html |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Lakers coach [[Jack McKinney (basketball)|Jack McKinney]] had the {{convert|6|ft|9|in|m|adj=on}} rookie Johnson, who some analysts thought should play [[forward (basketball)|forward]], be a point guard, even though incumbent [[Norm Nixon]] was already one of the best in the league.<ref name="extra">{{cite news |last=Helin |first=Kurt |title=The Extra Pass: Talking "Showtime" Lakers with author Jeff Pearlman |date=March 5, 2014 |publisher=NBC Sports |url=https://nba.nbcsports.com/2014/03/05/the-extra-pass-talking-showtime-lakers-with-author-jeff-pearlman/ |access-date=September 29, 2018 |archive-date=December 19, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211219125722/https://nba.nbcsports.com/2014/03/05/the-extra-pass-talking-showtime-lakers-with-author-jeff-pearlman/ |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Ramsay |first=Jack |title=Dr. Jack's Leadership Lessons Learned From a Lifetime in Basketball |page=98 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |year=2004 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uDQYw_Dr-hEC&q=%22magic+johnson%22+forward+mckinney&pg=PA98 |isbn=978-0-471-46929-2 |access-date=May 1, 2024 |archive-date=May 1, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240501170608/https://books.google.com/books?id=uDQYw_Dr-hEC&q=%22magic+johnson%22+forward+mckinney&pg=PA98#v=snippet&q=%22magic%20johnson%22%20forward%20mckinney&f=false |url-status=live}}</ref> Johnson averaged 18.0&nbsp;points, 7.7&nbsp;rebounds, and 7.3&nbsp;assists per game for the season, was selected to the [[NBA All-Rookie Team]], and was named an [[NBA All-Star Game]] starter.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/birdla01.html |title=Larry Bird Statistics |website=Basketball-Reference |access-date=March 16, 2009 |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512162618/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/b/birdla01.html |url-status=live}}</ref>

The Lakers compiled a 60–22&nbsp;record in the regular season and reached the [[1980 NBA Finals]],<ref>{{cite web |website=Basketball-Reference |title=1979–80 NBA Season Summary |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1980.html |access-date=May 17, 2008 |archive-date=August 4, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110804024957/http://www.basketball-reference.com/leagues/NBA_1980.html |url-status=live}}</ref> where they faced the [[1979–80 Philadelphia 76ers season|Philadelphia 76ers]], who were led by [[forward (basketball)|forward]] [[Julius Erving]]. The Lakers took a 3–2&nbsp;lead in the series, but Abdul-Jabbar, who averaged 33&nbsp;points a game in the series,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1980_finals.html |title=1980 NBA Finals Composite Box Score |website=Basketball-Reference |access-date=February 28, 2009 |archive-date=May 12, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090512161154/http://www.basketball-reference.com/playoffs/NBA_1980_finals.html |url-status=live}}</ref> sprained his ankle in Game 5 and could not play in Game 6.<ref name="1980finals" /> Coach [[Paul Westhead]], who had replaced McKinney early in the season after he had a near-fatal bicycle accident,<ref name="extra" /><ref>{{cite book |last=Shmelter |first=Richard J. |title=The Los Angeles Lakers Encyclopedia |page=216 |publisher=McFarland & Company |year=2012 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fzLECwAAQBAJ&pg=PA216 |isbn=978-0-7864-6683-2 |access-date=October 16, 2018 |archive-date=February 10, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240210110046/https://books.google.com/books?id=fzLECwAAQBAJ&pg=PA216#v=onepage&q&f=false |url-status=live}}</ref> decided to start Johnson at center in Game 6; Johnson recorded 42&nbsp;points, 15&nbsp;rebounds, 7&nbsp;assists, and 3 [[steal (basketball)|steals]] in a 123–107 win, while playing guard, forward, and center at different times during the game.<ref name="1980finals" /> Johnson became the only rookie to win the [[NBA Finals MVP]] award,<ref name="1980finals" /> with his performance in the [[Clutch (sports)|clutch]] regarded among the best in NBA history.<ref name="greatestpg" /><ref name="1980nbafinals">{{cite encyclopedia |encyclopedia=NBA Encyclopedia: Playoff Edition |title=NBA's Greatest Moments: Magic Fills in at Center |url=http://www.nba.com/history/magiccenter_moments.html |access-date=May 18, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130512120544/http://www.nba.com/history/magiccenter_moments.html |archive-date=May 12, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name="playoffmoments">{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/web/COM1053908/index.htm |title=Star time |last=McCallum |first=Jack |date=June 2, 2006 |magazine=Sports Illustrated |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210060947/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/web/COM1053908/index.htm |archive-date=February 10, 2012 |url-status=dead |access-date=June 17, 2019}}</ref> He also became one of four players to win NCAA and NBA championships in consecutive years.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/stories/2001-11-07-magic-timeline.htm |title=Magic Johnson timeline |date=July 11, 2001 |work=USA Today |access-date=May 8, 2008 |archive-date=February 10, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120210133332/http://www.usatoday.com/sports/nba/stories/2001-11-07-magic-timeline.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>