intend to be a token, that he planned to play an ac-
tive role. He urged President Bush to increase fed-
eral support of HIV/AIDS programs, and when no
additional support was forthcoming, he used a pub-
lic letter to resign in September, 1992.
Johnson spent time as an announcer for NBC
Sports and served as interim coach of the Lakers in
- In 1996, he announced his comeback as a
player with the Lakers. This time, players such as
Malone voiced their support, and other players such
as Charles Barkley and Dennis Rodman indicated
the fact that Johnson was HIV-positive made no dif-
ference in how they felt about playing against him.
Once on the court, the comeback proved to be anti-
climactic. Johnson had gained weight, he was thirty-
six years old, and he was playing against individuals
far more athletic than his opponents had been dur-
ing his best years. Nevertheless, the fact that an HIV-
positive player could endure the physical demands
of NBA competition was an important contribution.
Impact Life after basketball was good for Magic
Johnson. He operated numerous thriving busi-
nesses, including a chain of movie theaters. His
Magic Johnson Foundation supported efforts in
HIV/AIDS education and set up “empowerment
centers” to narrow the digital divide for inner-city
youth. Johnson became a role model in business and
philanthropy after a legendary basketball career.
Further Reading
Gottfried, Ted.Earvin “Magic” Johnson: Champion
and Crusader. New York: Franklin Watts, 2001.
Springer, Steve.Los Angeles Times Encyclopedia of the
Lakers. Los Angeles: Los Angeles Times, 1998.
Michael Polley
See also African Americans; Barkley, Charles; Bas-
ketball; Dream Team; Jordan, Michael; Malone, Karl;
Olympic Games of 1992; O’Neal, Shaquille; Sports.
Jordan, Michael
Identification Professional basketball player
Born February 17, 1963; Brooklyn, New York
Jordan compiled the highest scoring average (30.12 points)
in National Basketball Association (NBA) histor y and
won an unprecedented ten NBA scoring titles, leading the
Chicago Bulls to six NBA championships in the 1990’s.
Michael Jordan starred in basketball at the Univer-
sity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill under legend-
ary coach Dean Smith from 1981 to 1984. In the 1982
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
championship game, Jordan sank a fifteen-foot
jump shot in the closing seconds to give the Tar
Heels a dramatic 63-62 victory over Georgetown
University. The two-time consensus All-American
guard topped the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC)
in scoring as a sophomore and led North Carolina to
an ACC title as a junior. In 1984, he won the Naismith
and Wooden Awards and led the U.S. Olympic team
in scoring en route to a gold medal.Reviving the Chicago Bulls The struggling Chi-
cago Bulls selected the six-foot, six-inch, 216-pound
Jordan as the third overall pick in the 1984 National
Basketball Association (NBA) draft. Jordan earned
NBA Rookie of the Year honors in 1985, mesmeriz-
ing crowds with his blinding speed, physical artistry,
and balletic slam dunks. In 1986, he set an NBA Play-
offs record with 63 points in a double overtime loss
to the Boston Celtics. Jordan won the first of seven
consecutive NBA scoring titles in 1987, becoming
the second NBA player to score 3,000 points in a sea-
son, and led the NBA in steals. He was selected NBA
Most Valuable Player (MVP) and Defensive Player of
the Year in 1988 and became the second-fastest
player in NBA history to reach 10,000 career points.
Jordan and the Bulls captured six NBA champi-
onships under coach Phil Jackson in the 1990’s. Jor-
dan won his second NBA MVP Award in 1991, lead-
ing the NBA in scoring with a 31.5-point average.
Chicago swept the Detroit Pistons in the Eastern
Conference Finals and defeated the Los Angeles
Lakers in the five-game NBA Finals. Jordan, who
changed hands in midair while completing a spec-
tacular layup in game two against the Lakers, aver-
aged 31.1 points in the playoffs.
Jordan earned his third NBA MVP Award in 1992,
pacing the NBA in scoring with a 30-point average.
His dominating performance enabled Chicago to
defend its crown in six games over the Portland Trail
Blazers. Jordan’s six three-point shots during the
first half highlighted game one. The “Dream Team,”
a collection of NBA superstars including Jordan,
breezed to a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games.
In 1993, Jordan helped the Bulls become the first
team since the 1960’s to win three consecutive NBA
titles, topping the NBA in scoring (32.6-point aver-The Nineties in America Jordan, Michael 471