Earvin Johnson brings the Magic to Argyros Distinguished Lecture Series
Entrepreneur, philanthropist and basketball Hall of Fame inductee Magic Johnson sat down with Argyros Dean Henrik Cronqvist on Sept. 22 to discuss his time on the Los Angeles Lakers, his post-basketball endeavors and how he navigated his HIV diagnosis from 1991. Photo courtesy of Adam Hemingway
Like a fast break in the fourth quarter, sophomore business major Jean-Luc Touma raced across the balcony of Musco Center for the Arts. Magic Johnson jersey in hand, Touma stumbled his way down three flights of stairs to find the man himself. Sure, it was a long shot, considering the distance from balcony to stage, but he’d be damned if he didn’t try to meet his favorite basketball player of all time. After all, Touma did model his own game after Johnson growing up and flew his mother Laurie from San Jose to hear Johnson speak to the Chapman audience.
Although his valiant efforts were unsuccessful, Touma walked out of Musco with his chin up. Giving his version of a post-game interview, Touma explained to The Panther that he took Magic Johnson’s advice of making connections to heart. He was able to connect with the coordinators of the event, who told him they’d try to help get his jersey signed during Johnson’s next visit.
“Make connections. Put yourself out there. I would probably be driving home right now if I didn’t go out of my way to get his attention and shoot my shot,” Touma said. “I’m making all the connections I can and following (Johnson’s) word.”
“Make connections. Put yourself out there. I would probably be driving home right now if I didn’t go out of my way to get his attention and shoot my shot. I’m making all the connections I can and following (Johnson’s) word.”
On Sept. 22, Chapman students and faculty gathered in the Musco Center of the Arts to kick off the Argyros School of Business and Economics Dean’s Distinguished Lecture Series with a visit from entrepreneur, philanthropist and basketball Hall of Fame inductee Earvin “Magic” Johnson.
Johnson was introduced by Chapman President Daniele Struppa and Trustee Lisa Argyros, who referred to Johnson as “the greatest point guard basketball has ever known” and “a superstar businessman.”
The discussion was moderated by Argyros Dean Henrik Cronqvist, who prompted a question to the audience: “Do you feel the magic?” Their conversation opened on Johnson’s upbringing in Lansing, Michigan alongside his six sisters and three brothers. Despite coming from a low-income background, his entrepreneurial spirit was present from the age of eight when he’d go around the neighborhood earning his keep with a lawnmower, a rake and a shovel.
Johnson recalled praying for snow so he could shovel driveways and sidewalks. One day, his prayers were answered, but after bringing in around $50, his mother gave him $5 and spread the rest to his siblings.
“My toes are frozen. My fingers are frozen. They didn’t do nothing!” Johnson told the audience. “(My mom) taught me to always share. That’s why I give back today.”
Johnson shared that he earned his iconic nickname from a reporter after leading his high school basketball team to eight straight wins to start their season after being “last place for the last 30 years.”
The Laker legend couldn’t help but shake his head in disapproval after Cronqvist brought up the name Larry Bird — Johnson’s lifetime nemesis who played for the Boston Celtics. After sharing stories of their bitter rivalry, Johnson admitted he “hates him still,” but he soon added: “Larry Bird made me a better basketball player and also a better man… I will always be indebted to Larry.”
Johnson made sure to tell a story of the time he and Bird shot a commercial in Bird’s home state of Indiana. After their shoot, Bird invited Johnson to a home-cooked meal from his mother. Soon into their dinner, Bird’s mother admitted: “Magic, you’re my favorite basketball player.”
Shortly into the evening, Johnson abandoned the black cushy chair and stood near the edge of the stage to interact and connect with the audience better. He and Cronqvist discussed Johnson’s introduction to the Lakers in 1979, how Lakers owner Jerry Buss helped foster his love for business and how Johnson obtained the names of 50 CEO Lakers ticket holders and had dinner with each of them to learn their methods.
Now, Magic Johnson Enterprises has invested in a number of franchises, including Starbucks, Burger King, 24 Hour Fitness, T.G.I. Fridays and Sodexo, along with sports franchises like the Washington Commanders, the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Sparks, the Los Angeles Football Club and Team Liquid Esports. His company is also involved with infrastructure, helping renovate airports across the country.
His success in business has helped fuel his endeavors in philanthropy — sending over 10 thousand minority students to college, giving 400 bikes away to the children of Los Angeles and conducting toy and turkey drives.
The biggest point of emphasis Johnson had to share with the audience of business majors was to play your role. He paralleled his role as a pass-first guard alongside legendary Lakers players in order to emphasize his point.
“My job was to get the ball to these guys and get them in a position to score,” Johnson said. “I understood my role, and I played that role well. I could have scored more, but we would have lost games. We would have lost championships… Playing your role is important on the court, in corporate America and in life.”
“Playing your role is important on the court, in corporate America and in life.”
After sharing other pieces of advice — such as always arriving early and knowing when to let others take the lead — the conversation delved into what Johnson called his biggest low point. In 1991, Johnson abruptly announced his retirement from basketball after being diagnosed with HIV. He feared not only for his life, but also the possibility that his wife, Cookie Johnson, might leave him.
“She said, ‘We’re going to beat this together.’ That changed everything,” Johnson said. “That gave me the support I needed to be here 32 years later.”
At the end of the event, attendees received a hat with “Argyros College of Business and Economics,” the name that will eventually replace “Argyros School of Business and Economics.” Photo by NICK DE LUCCA, Features/Entertainment Editor
Even though the remaining time was running short, Johnson asked Struppa for five more minutes to take questions from two students and invite children in the audience on stage to take pictures and sign their jerseys. The evening ended with Struppa announcing that George and Julia Argyros would be making a $10 million contribution to help turn Argyros School into Argyros College. Audience members were all gifted a hat commemorating the new name.
Luckily for Touma, Johnson announced that he would come back to Chapman again to chat with students, though a date has not yet been set. In the meantime, Touma will keep his jersey protected until that magic moment happens when he can finally get that signature.
“I’m going to get this jersey signed,” Touma said. “Mark my words.”
Correction: A previous version of the article stated that the cover photo was taken by Harmony Gerber. The photo was actually taken by Adam Hemingway. We regret the error.
