Michigan native and NBA legend Magic Johnson receives Presidential Medal of Freedom

Michigan native and NBA legend Earvin “Magic” Johnson was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the country’s highest civilian honor, in a White House ceremony on Jan. 4.

The president of the United States selects Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients based on their contributions to American society through their public or private endeavors. Johnson is most widely recognized as one of the greatest basketball players in history, but he is also an entrepreneur and philanthropist through his Magic Johnson Foundation.

“It is an absolute honor and privilege that President Joe Biden selected me for the esteemed Presidential Medal of Freedom award,” Johnson said in a social media post the day of the ceremony. “Never in my wildest dreams would I have imagined that this kid from Lansing, MI would one day grow up and receive one of the highest civilian awards of the United States.”

Johnson was one of 19 Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients honored at the ceremony, which included former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, actor and advocate for Parkinson’s disease research Michael J. Fox, and science educator Bill Nye. Michigan’s 43rd governor, George Romney, was one of four recipients who received the award posthumously.

“President Biden believes great leaders keep the faith, give everyone a fair shot, and put decency above all else,” a White House press release said. “These nineteen individuals are great leaders who have made America and the world a better place. They are great leaders because they are good people who have made extraordinary contributions to their country and the world.”

Long before he became “Magic,” Johnson grew up playing basketball in his hometown of Lansing, leading his Everett High School basketball team to win a state championship in 1977. Johnson didn’t move far from home for his collegiate career as he went on to attend Michigan State University in East Lansing. In 1979, he won a national championship with the Michigan State Spartans and eventually entered the NBA draft that same year.

Johnson was selected first overall in the 1979 NBA draft by the Los Angeles Lakers. He spent his entire professional career with the Lakers, during which he led the team to five NBA championships. Johnson, who was chosen to compete on the U.S. national basketball team in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona, became a gold medalist when the team won the men’s tournament that summer.

For his accomplishments on the court, Johnson was voted one of the “50 Greatest Players of All Time” by the NBA in 1996 and received an NBA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019. Off the court, Johnson has also been honored with an NAACP Image Award, a spoken word Grammy for his audio book “What You Can Do to Avoid AIDS,” and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Since Johnson’s official retirement from basketball in 1996, he has continued to be involved in professional sports through his ownership stakes in teams including the WNBA’s Los Angeles Sparks, the MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers and the NFL’s Washington Commanders.

Johnson created the Magic Johnson Foundation in 1991 originally as a way to raise HIV/AIDS awareness after he went public with his own HIV diagnosis. Since then, the foundation has developed additional programs to support urban neighborhoods, including community centers with access to free educational services and college scholarships for minority high school students.

Johnson said in his social media post that he shares the Presidential Medal of Freedom award with his loved ones who have supported him throughout the years as well as “everyone who has dedicated themselves to the causes of freedom, justice, and equality.” His wife, Cookie, and his children, Andre, E.J. and Elisa, joined him at the White House on Jan. 4. 

“I accept this honor with a deep sense of responsibility,” he said. “It serves as a reminder of the work still ahead and the change we can all help bring about! I promise to keep working to make a positive difference for our country and the world.”