In addition to being one of the most versatile players to ever do battle under the bright lights of the NBA stage, Magic helped bring Converse to the forefront of the basketball footwear conversation. Playing his entire 17 year career for the Lakers, at the time of his signing Magic?s 25 year $25 million contract was the highest in NBA history. What may seem like NBA pocket change now was record setting in 1982. Johnson could, and did, play all 5 positions on the floor and standing 6 feet 9 inches he possessed the handles of a 5-9 point guard. With the versatility of a modern day King James, Magic was a nightmare check for defenders throughout the nearly 2 decade span of his career.
Many sneaker fans and people who were just alive and watching television in the 80?s will remember the Magic Johnson and Larry Legend Converse Choose Your Weapon campaign. Both players donned team colors of their respective Converse Weapon. Magic sported the White/Gold/Purple Lakers Cons for the majority of his career and turned them into a staple for ballplayers spanning from L.A. County to NYC. Another model of Cons were also fabricated for Magic called the MX Thrillin, though he never wore them during his career. After a falling out with converse stemming from contract negotiation issues, Magic started his own company called Magic 32. Similar to the modern day Starburry?s, Magic?s affordable basketball shoes were a hit among parents and kids not looking to drop more than 40 spankys on shoes.
| Converse Weapon ’86 1986-87
|
Converse MX Thrillin
|
Magic 32
|