Although Earvin “Magic” Johnson Jr. played basketball at the championship level in high school, college, and professional sports, he began his legendary career shooting hoops with his classmates at Main Street School in Lansing.

Even as a youngster, his magnetic smile helped him make friends easily among his classmates and adults. Many Lansing residents had the distinct pleasure of seeing him play at Everett high School and Michigan State University. He’s one of few high-profile athletes who ever won a championship at the high school (1977), college (1979), and professional level (1980) in just three years.

His style of play revolutionized basketball and he helped raise basketball to the phenomena and TV draw it is today. Johnson was also a member of the Gold Medal-winning U.S. Olympic Dream Team in 1992 and played 13 years in the NBA, averaging 19.5 points per game and 11.2 assists per game. He still shares the NBA record for 24 assists in a playoff game.

After his career was cut short by AIDS, Johnson pivoted to becoming an entrepreneur in the food service and entertainment industry.

Biographer Roland Lazenby in his new book “Magic” traced Earvin Johnson’s family roots to the days of slavery in North Carolina. Johnson’s maternal great-great-great-great-grandmother Ferebe was owned by North Carolina slave owner James Smith Battle on the Cool Spring Plantation. One of his great-great-great-grandfathers Willis Stanton was also owned by Battle and his other great-great-great-grandfather lived nearby.