How many rings does Magic Johnson have? Taking a closer look at LA Lakers legend's trophy cabinet

Magic Johnson's NBA career is impressive. He was drafted in 1979 and helped the LA Lakers become one of the most famous franchises in the sport's history.

Johnson played only 13 years in the league, yet he won five championships. He was a huge part of the "Showtime Lakers" and is generally considered one of the top 10 players of all time.

Magic is one of the most decorated basketball players as he won at every level, from high school and college to the NBA and the Olympics.

In this article, we will take a look at Magic's accolades during and championships.

Magic Johnson's rookie year was impressive

Magic Johnson turned the Lakers into a powerhouse in his first year. Before drafting him, the team won 47 games and got knocked out in the second round of the playoffs.

The 6-foot-9 guard led the Lakers all the way to the NBA Finals in his first season. He averaged 21.5 points, 11.2 rebounds, 8.7 assists and 2.7 steals per game during the finals against the Philadelphia 76ers.

What was the most impressive thing about the series? The rookie stepped up in the most glorious way.

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the team's best player, had to miss Game 6 due to a sprained ankle. However, Johnson replaced him at center, finishing with 42 points and 15 rebounds and closing the series out.

Despite playing for 47 minutes, Johnson stayed calm and composed, making 60.9% of his shots and going 14-for-14 from the charity stripe. The young star also added seven assists and three steals.

In addition to his first championship ring, Johnson was named the Finals MVP.

Johnson won a few more rings

Johnson's sophomore year was disappointing. After winning it all, the young superstar was sidelined with a knee injury and missed 45 games. The Lakers were defeated in the first round by the Houston Rockets, who finished the season with a 40-42 record.

But Johnson bounced back a year later. He signed a 25-year contract with the Lakers and did not disappoint as he led the team to another championship. Once again, the 76ers fell in six games after Johnson recorded a 13-13-13 triple-double in Game 6.

Johnson and his Lakers lost two back-to-back NBA Finals in 1983 and 1984. The Sixers finally bested them in '83, while they were defeated by the Boston Celtics and Larry Bird in '84.

Johnson returned with a vengeance in 1985 as he defeated the Celtics in six games after averaging 18 points and 14 assists in the series.

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Back-to-back championships

Johnson had many legendary battles against the Celtics and Bird, who eventually became a good friend.

In his eighth season, Johnson led the Lakers to another championship. He led his team in almost every statistical category, and Los Angeles topped the Celtics in six games.

A year later, the Lakers faced off against the Detroit Pistons in the 1988 Finals. The series was extremely close, going to seven games, but the Lakers prevailed at the end with a three-point victory.

This was Johnson's fifth and last championship. He tested positive for HIV in 1991, which caused him to retire immediately. Johnson eventually returned for the 1995-96 season, appearing in 32 games and averaging 14.6 ppg, 5.7 rpg and 6.9 apg.

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