NBA Legend player Magic Johnson and his Wife Cookie Johnson are the most recognizable couple in Hollywood; the duo have the longest-lasting relationship and have been together on and off for over a decade.
Who Is Magic Johnson?
Earvin Johnson, known as Magic Johnson, was born on 14 august 1959; he is an American former basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all time.
Johnson started playing basketball in high school and won championships in high school and college; he was selected in the first overall draft in 1979 by the Los Angeles Lakers.
Johnson played 13 seasons in the NBA (National Basketball Association) and won 10 times NBA championships and three times NBA award of Most Valuable Players award.
After discovering he had HIV, Johnson abruptly declared his retirement in 1991, but he later returned to play in the 1992 All-Star Game and won MVP. He took a second retirement for four years over his teammates’ objections, but at the age of 36, he came back to play 32 games for the Lakers before declaring his third and final retirement.
Magic Johnson and Cookie Relationship Complete Timeline :
Magic and Cookie are college sweethearts and have been in a long-term relationship for over 40 years, and they have two kids together. Look back at Johnson and Cookie’s relationship before HBO’s new limited series Winning Time, which traces the growth of the Showtime Lakers in the 1980s and includes Johnson’s signing to the team.
How did Johnson Magic And Cookie Meet?
They first met and got to know each other during their college freshman year in 2007; while promoting her memoir Believing In Magic 2007, Cookie spoke about her relationship with Mocha Man Style.
” We met in College freshman year; I went to the club. One of the only clubs on the campus“.
She further added, ” He was standing by the doorway when I walked in with a friend. My friend was a gymnast, so she knew the basketball player. She walked up and said hello to him, and then we went inside.
The party went on, and he never talked to me the whole night; he never asked for a dance—nothing. At the end of the event evening, when I was leaving. When the lights turned on, I happened to be passing by where he was seated and said it was nice to meet you.
After greeting, Johnson said, ” yeah, by the way, give me your phone number,” Cookie said that she was like, what? Because he never said anything to me the entire night.
Cookie told him that she wasn’t giving him her number because she was leaving for Christmas break, and they wouldn’t be able to see each other for at least a month.
But Johnson said he would, and on the very next day, he called her.
They both went on their first date at a real steakhouse and spent a great time together.
Things were great at the start for both of them, but problems soon begin when, three months after their relationship, Cookie finds another girl in the Magic room wearing a bathrobe.
Cookie recalls this incident in her memoir Believing in Magic and recalls how her relationship got messier from there.
Magic Johnson and Melissa Mitchell Relationship.
In 1978 Magic Johnson was enjoying his fame; he was drafted as no one picked by the Los Angeles Lakers, and Johnson raised high bars for other basketball players with his flashy playing style.
As his professional life changed, his personal life also began to change.
In 1981 magic Johnson welcomed his first child Andrew Johnson with a woman named Melissa Mitchell.
Reportedly, they dated each other when Johnson was on a relationship break with Cookie.
His son Andrew is now married and has kids, Mitchell raised Andrew, but Magic never neglects his responsibility and spends his time with Andrew.
Andrew’s relationship with Cookie is also great; Magic has shared numerous snaps of Andrew’s kids and Cookie together.
Vicissitude In Their Marriage
The road map of their marriage isn’t simple; the couple breaks off their engagement twice.
The press was continuously following them and asking when they would get married, to which Magic, out of frustration, told the reporters, ” He wouldn’t walk down the aisle until he was divorced from basketball.”
Their first engagement broke off due to Magic’s multiple cases of cold feet; the second time, he called his engagement off when Cookie had already purchased her wedding dress and had sent an invitation to everyone.
They Got Married In 1991
Magic Johnson and Cookie married in 1991 after facing many hardships in their relationship.
Magic Johnson HIV Diagnosis
After Johnson and Cookie got married, things only got worse for both of them, and just after 45 days of marriage, Magic told Cookie that he had been diagnosed with HIV.
In an interview with ABC News, Magic Johnson and Cookie recalled this hard time by saying.
“Driving back home to tell her– probably the hardest thing in my life I had to do, we had just gotten married, and now this comes.”
Magic Johnson recalls this time by saying “And We had found out I was pregnant”.
At that time, there was so much misconception, and fear of HIV, and Magic believed that her wife would leave her, but luckily Cookie always stood behind Johnson without flattering.
Johnson and Cookie Separated in 2001
In her memoir Believing In Magic, Cookie revealed that Johnson and his relationship hit the rock point after ten years of marriage when Johnson was full of himself, “Magic Johnson,” and his ego became a problem in their relationship.
The situation only worsened when Magic received his Hollywood Walk Of Fame in 2001 and refused to dance with Cookie.
After all these situations, the couple mutually decided to separate from each other. But the good thing is that the separation only lasted two weeks, and they returned together.
The secret of Magic And Cookie Last long Marriage
The secret of their last long marriage is the little things they do for each other, respecting each other’s opinions and privacy.
Cookie, in an interview, said
” We do simple things together; we started this trend in college. We always went to the movies once a week and still have continued this tradition into their marriage; We make time for a date with each other. “