Magic Johnson has been a relevant part of popular culture for nearly 50 years. He made an impact during his basketball days and has also made an impact away from the game. Magic Johnson is one of our greatest icons. Magic Johnson wore Converse sneakers for the large majority of his playing days.
Showtime
After 2 years at Michigan State, and winning the 1979 NCAA Championship, Magic decided to enter the NBA draft. He would be selected by the Los Angeles Lakers with the first pick in the NBA Draft. Johnson would play his entire legendary career for the Los Angeles Lakers.
Los Angeles is of course known for its glamour and entertainment. Magic Johnson fit in perfectly with the LA culture. The city loved Magic, and Magic loved entertaining the Laker fans. For more than a decade Magic Johnson was one of the biggest stars in Southern California. Magic Johnson led the Lakers to 5 championships.
The “Showtime” era of the Lakers, which was defined by fastbreak, and exciting play, was led by Magic. His smile and flair on the basketball court was Showtime worthy. The Lakers won, and lost, in style. This was largely because of Magic Johnson.
Converse Kid
Johnson could have signed with any footwear company when he entered the NBA in 1979. He chose Converse, over adidas and Nike. A decision that hasn’t aged well for Magic. But, in 1979, Converse was the standard for basketball players.
Choose Your Weapon
The two biggest basketball stars of the 1980s are Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. The NBA greats had an epic rivalry during the era. The Celtics and Lakers have been foes practically since the start of professional basketball. Magic and Bird met in the Finals three times. The Converse Weapon had a slogan, “Choose Your Weapon.” This referred to the fact that the Weapon was available in a variety of team colors. For Magic, a pair of Yellow and Purple Weapons were made. Bird, whose Celtics team wore black shoes, had a black pair.
Different Era
When Magic and Bird played against each other, they both had on Converse. With the Weapon, they had on the same style in different colors. That shows just how powerful Converse was in its heyday. The influence they had on the game and the staple of high profile players they had was massive. The top players of the era both wore the exact same brand and style as each other. Today, players may wear the same brand, but it is rarely the same silhouette. There are also more brands today. The Lakers vs Celtics rivalry in the 1980s is an incredible moment for the Converse Weapon.
Shoe Palace
You can find Converse products at Shoe Palace.
- Adam C. Better
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