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NBA legend Magic Johnson had an on-and-off relationship with his wife Earlitha “Cookie” Johnson during his playing years. Even though the two loved each other, they were apart due to one reason or another. As Magic went to play college basketball for Michigan, the couple further drifted apart. Even when they were finally back together, their wedding was called off twice.
The Apple TV documentary series ‘They Call Me Magic’ covers very personal events in Magic’s life, including the rifts in his relationship with his wife.
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In one instance of the show, Cookie Johnson revealed a grand gesture of the Los Angeles Lakers legend after the first engagement broke off. She disclosed her husband rented out the entire restaurant.
Magic Johnson with a grand gesture:
Talking about her husband’s grand gesture, Earlitha Johnson said, “He rented out the entire restaurant. He had the family come. Then he had the ring in his hand, in a box. And he said, cookie, will you marry me? I just jumped up and hugged him. A part of me, though, is it the same ring? It was definitely bigger.”
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This was after the first engagement broke off. So, one can definitely Magic Johnson went all in, as he did not hesitate to spend some more while proposing to his future wife. However, the marriage was called off the second time as well. Imagine the size of that ring when Magic asked her to marry him for the third time!
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The couple finally tied the knot in 1991. During the show’s premiere, Johnson talked about calling off their engagement multiple times. He said that he was glad he did that because he feels the marriage would not have lasted long had they married when he was still playing. The three-time MVP added that he and Cookie are going as strong as ever in their relationship.
Magic sold his stakes to improve his business empire
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As per reports, Magic Johnson earned around $18 million in NBA salary in 13 seasons. The five-time NBA champ has a net worth of $600 million. However, his business empire, Magic Johnson Enterprises, is valued at over $1 billion.
The Hall of Famer made some good business decisions after his retirement that helped him build his empire. Johnson sold his 4.5% stake in the Los Angeles Lakers to billionaire and lifelong Lakers fan, Dr. Patrick Soon-Shiong, in 2010 for an undisclosed sum. He initially bought the stake in 1994 for a reported $10 million. Also, he sold the 105 Starbucks franchises he owned back to the company as per reports. These deals have helped his company reach $1 billion.
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What do you think about Magic Johnson’s business decisions? Let us know in the comments section.