Magic Johnson was known for his sweet moves on the court and his eccentric lifestyle off of it. But many seem to forget that the Hall of Famer gained his confidence because he knew how important it was to escape poverty. The Lakers legend famously grew up in a poor family, where he, his parents, and his 9 siblings all shared a three-bedroom household.
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Johnson opened up about that tough living situation during a talk at a private event decades ago. “You can’t be late to the dinner table when you’ve got nine other brothers and sisters,” he somberly joked. “So a lot of times, I went to bed hungry,” he added after taking a slight pause to remember how difficult being a kid was.
Basketball served as a welcome distraction for Magic, especially since he was so good at it. He later told a story of how his parents could barely afford to buy him sneakers. “I remember back in the day the Dr. J’s and Clyde Frazier Pumas were the thing to have, and I couldn’t have them…my family was poor.” But Magic didn’t let that keep him down.
“I used to go to Walgreen’s and pick from those 99 cent specials that they had,” Johnson revealed to the crowd. “You had to pick your own sneakers for $1.99.” After making a joke about finding the right size, Magic recalled his friends wearing the Dr. J sneakers when they played basketball. “But you know what? I was wearing them out in those $1.99 specials.”
Magic started to perk up at this point. He told the audience that not only did he find success, not just in the NBA but as a businessman, but his siblings did as well. The five-time champion did famously contract HIV due to his lavish lifestyle. Yet he’s still around to this day, just being Magic.
Not many people are able to escape the poverty they grew up in. Magic is a prime example of taking as big a swing as possible with your life. Sometimes you might strike out, but every once in a while. You’ll hit a grand slam.
Johnson never got the Dr. Js, but he did get his own shoe deal with Converse
While Magic missed out on getting those Pumas that he wanted as a child, he did manage to do something just as good: get his own sneaker.
The now 65-year-old Hall of Famer signed with Converse in 1979, a deal that made a large portion of his money until dropping the brand in 1991.
Going from $1.99 Walgreens chucks to making nearly $2 million per year from a sneaker deal is a great full-circle moment for Johnson, one that he certainly recognized while on stage speaking to that crowd.
It goes to show you that even when we grow up, we still are that kid, searching desperately for a way to make the horrors of life make sense. Magic did it his way. And as tough as his childhood was, it sure seems like it was all worth it.
