Who Was Magic Johnson’s First NBA Coach?
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A lot of people don’t know who Magic Johnson’s first NBA coach was.
We’re here to tell you that it was none other than the great Pat Riley.
Magic Johnson’s NBA Career
Magic Johnson was drafted first overall by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1979 NBA Draft. He was then coached by Paul Westhead in his rookie season. Westhead coached Johnson for less than a year before being replaced by Pat Riley.
Johnson’s rookie season
In his rookie season, Johnson led the Lakers to a league-best 62–20 record. For his efforts, he was awarded the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player Award, becoming the first rookie in history to receive the honor. averages of 19.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 11.2 assists, and 2.0 steals per game, while shooting 52 percent from the field and 84 percent from the foul line. He was also named to the All-NBA First Team and placed second in both the Most Valuable Player Award and Rookie of the Year Award voting behind Bird. The Lakers met defendi
Johnson’s championship seasons
Magic Johnson’s first NBA championship came in his rookie year, 1980, when the Lakers defeated the Philadelphia
76ers in the Finals. The following year, the Lakers won again, this time beating the Houston Rockets. In 1982, Johnson
suffered a knee injury that forced him to miss most of the season; he returned late in the year, but the Lakers were
swept by the
Magic Johnson’s First NBA Coach
Magic Johnson’s first NBA coach was Paul Westhead. Johnson was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the 1979 NBA Draft. Westhead coached the Lakers from 1979 to 1981. He was replaced by Pat Riley.
Johnson’s coach during his rookie season
Johnson’s first NBA coach was Paul Westhead. Westhead coached the Lakers for two seasons, leading them to the NBA Finals in his first season. He was replaced by Pat Riley midway through the 1981-82 season.
Johnson’s coach during his championship seasons
During his championship seasons, Magic Johnson’s first NBA coach was Pat Riley.
Riley was hired by the Lakers in 1981, and he coached the team for parts of 11 seasons. He led the Lakers to four NBA Finals appearances and four titles, including a dramatic comeback victory in the 1985 Finals against the rival Boston Celtics. Riley is also remembered for his intense rivalry with Celtics coach Red Auerbach.
After leaving the Lakers, Riley coached the New York Knicks for two seasons before returning to Los Angeles to take over the Lakers again in 1996. He coached the team for three more seasons before retiring in 1999.
