Magic Johnson Discusses ‘They Call Me Magic’ Documentary Series

NBA Hall of Famer Earvin “Magic” Johnson describes his Apple TV+ documentary series They Call Me Magic as a life journey about his family and career, on and off the basketball court. The four-part docuseries premieres on April 22, 2022 and features Johnson, his friends, family members, and NBA players discussing all aspects of the NBA superstar’s life including how an HIV diagnosis spurred him to become a community activist.

During the recent Television Critics Association winter press panel, Johnson reflected on the process of revisiting defining moments in his career while working on this docuseries.

“Whether that was winning championships or crying when Dr. Jerry Buss – I was there when he was dying, his last day – whether it was announcing HIV, whether that’s when I opened the movie theaters in the Black community…I can keep going. It was so many things that it brought back some incredible memories for me to do this documentary and I’m so proud of it,” said Johnson.

“One thing I always love is the fact that I want to be proud of something. I want to be able to walk around and say, ‘Hey, this is so good. This is quality. It’s my story.’ And that’s why I’m so happy that partnering with Apple allowed me to do that. And so, this is an amazing journey that I’ve been on. I don’t want it to stop. It will not stop. And also, how I felt becoming a Dodger owner. You think about Jackie Robinson being the first one and then here I am, one of the only African American baseball owners in Major League Baseball. So, it’s just all those things that I’m able to share with people.”

Asked how it felt to relive magical moments at the Forum and his relationships with Pat Riley and Dr. Jerry Buss, Johnson replied, “Oh, man, you talk about the best moments of my life, when you think about teaming up with Dr. Jerry Buss – and he was a rookie owner (and) I was a rookie that first year – and for us to go all the way, especially after I had just won the 1979 National Championship playing against Larry Bird in Indiana State. And what was so amazing about that game, it’s still the number-one-watched college basketball game in history. I mean, that’s crazy. But teaming up with Dr. Jerry Buss and then eventually having Pat Riley as my coach only took me to a whole other level.

First of all, Pat Riley coached me. He was a tough coach. He made me a better basketball player but also he made me a better man and a better person. So, a lot of things that he was teaching on the court also translated to everyday life.

And then Dr. Buss, for him to take a 19, 20-year-old rookie up under his wing and treat me like his son…that just didn’t happen back in those days. And so, we were together almost every day, all the time. He was just dropping knowledge on me, teaching me. We talked about not only basketball and the Lakers, but we talked about life and where do I see myself 10 years, 15 years from now. He used to always ask me those type of questions. ‘Okay, now we got to build a strategy to help you accomplish that. Make sure that come to fruition.’ So, it was all those things that he was just preparing me for life after basketball.”

Johnson continued: “And sure enough once it was over, I was ready already because I had a great teacher. I had a great role model. I had a great mentor in Dr. Jerry Buss.
And then Pat made me a perfectionist. That’s why my team gets mad at me today because I like everything done the right way. And so that’s because of Pat Riley.”

Speaking of defining moments, when Johnson tested positive for HIV it was considered to be a death sentence. Johnson was committed to fighting for his life and never thought about giving up.

“I’m all about winning. I’ve always been that way. I think that I never said hey, at the end that I’m going to die. What I tried to do is ask my doctors, ‘What do I have to do to be able to live for a long time?’

And so everything that they told me – take my meds, have a positive attitude, work out – the things that they told me to do, I did those things. And then also be comfortable with my new status. I think that was the main thing. Because I was giving up the game that I love in basketball and that was hard for me to do. And so, I think at the end of the day I’ve done everything the right way.

Johnson added: “But last but not least – this is the most probably important thing and this is why I’m probably still here is because of my support system: my wife, Cookie, my kids, my parents, my brothers and sisters. […] So that’s what it’s all about. And, again, it’s been an amazing journey. You think about 30 years this year – that’s incredible – that I announced HIV.”

The docuseries also touches on the decades-long relationship between Johnson and Larry Bird. Johnson confirmed they remain good friends and continue to enjoy each other’s company.

“Larry and I are busy working together. We’re business partners like that. We shoot commercials together, and we see each other, hang out, and we’re just really good friends. I’m so glad that God put Larry Bird into my life because he made me a better basketball player, as well as a better man, and so I think I did the same for him. He pushed me to limits that I never thought I could go to, and I think I did the same for him. That’s what it’s all about.

We’ve been linked together since ’79, and we’re still – even today when I go speak or I’m anywhere, not a single moment that a person won’t say, ‘Hey, man, I love you versus Larry, the Lakers versus the Celtics.’ That always comes up every single time. So, we were blessed to have each other and be in that rivalry. There hasn’t been a rivalry in the NBA since then, and so thank you LB – that’s what I call him,” said Johnson.